Presence vs. Productivity: The Effect of Work Scheduling Autonomy on Self-Rated Work Performance among Gen Z Employees in the UAE

Abstract

The rapid evolution of work structure in the UAE marketing sector made way for a paradigm shift, in which traditional office mandates are increasingly challenged by a demand for greater scheduling autonomy among young professionals. Purpose: This study investigates the impact of Work Scheduling Autonomy (WSA) on the Self-Rated Work Performance (SWP) of Generation Z employees within the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) marketing sector. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), it aims to bridge the gap between traditional management and modern employee needs in a highly competitive market. Methodology: Primary data was collected via an online survey from a sample of 236 Gen Z professionals actively working in the marketing sector. Additionally, the research utilized validated measurement tools, the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) for autonomy and the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) for self-rated performance. Statistical analyses were conducted through SPSS employing Pearson Correlation and linear regression analysis to test the primary hypothesis. Results: The results reveal that there is a strong and positive relationship between the two variables ( ). Additionally, the simple linear regression proved that WSA is a powerful predictor of productivity, explaining 50.2% of the total variance in employee performance scores ( , operating under the empirical equation of  Conclusion: This research demonstrates that autonomy is a fundamental psychological need for Gen Z in the UAE. The results suggest that organizations must shift from traditional “Presenteeism” to “Output-Based” management models to maximize productivity of young talent. Practical recommendations include adopting Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) frameworks and granting task-based autonomy to facilitate cognitive matching during high-value deep work windows.