Flexible Working Arrangements for Young Employees in Jakarta's Manufacturing and Hospitality

Abstract

Flexible working arrangements (FWA) have gained considerable attention in

employment relations, yet most studies are built around office-based assumptions and say

little about sectors where physical presence, shift coordination, and continuous

operations are non-negotiable. This matters in manufacturing and hospitality, two of

Jakarta’s largest employment sectors, where designing flexibility is harder and may

widen access gaps across job types. The question is also pressing for Millennial and Gen

Z employees, who expect flexibility as part of a reasonable work proposition. Using a

qualitative exploratory design, this study collected data through semi-structured in-depth

interviews with the HR Director of manufacture and hospitality company. The interviews

covered organizational context, job nature, feasible FWA forms, and their relevance for

younger workers, and were analyzed thematically. The findings show that FWA does not

work as a uniform model. In manufacturing, flexibility was most feasible for office-based

functions through hybrid work and flexible hours, while plant roles needed fairer shift

design and schedule-swapping mechanisms. In hospitality, the main expression of

flexibility was adaptive scheduling, shift management, and limited hybrid work for

selected back-office positions. Across both sectors, FWA mattered most as part of a

broader employment proposition that included career development and supportive

leadership, not as a standalone policy. Sector-based flexibility is more realistic than

universal models and should shape both organizational practice and employment policy.