Date of Conferral
6-12-2025
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Jorge Gaytan
Abstract
Employee retention is a critical challenge for small business leaders in the finance and insurance sector. These leaders are concerned with identifying effective strategies to retain employees to avoid turnover costs and maintain operational stability. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to identify and explore effective flexible-work-arrangement (FWA) strategies that small business leaders in the finance and insurance sector used to retain employees. The participants included six small business leaders in the finance and insurance sector in the Southeast United States with successful experiences using such strategies. Data were collected from semistructured interviews. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (a) employee engagement, (b) benefits and challenges associated with FWA strategies, and (c) employee productivity and accountability. A key recommendation is for small business leaders to retain employees by using FWAs as a key driver. The implications for positive social change include the potential for using FWAs to promote work–life balance, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. The increased flexibility provided by FWAs may help increase participation in community programs, as employees could organize their schedules to facilitate volunteering for nonprofit organizations or local events.
Recommended Citation
Looney, Allen M., "Small Business Leaders’ Strategies to Improve Employee Retention by Increasing Flexible Work Arrangements" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17956.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17956
