Assessment framework for workforce agility in higher education institutions

Abstract

Purpose

The higher education sector has been lately facing new challenges. The ease and speed with which the workforce adapts to these changes determine their agility level. This study attempts to develop a conceptual model to measure workforce agility in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive literature review revealed limited research on workforce agility assessment. This study addresses the research gap by developing a workforce agility assessment framework and testing the model in a higher education institution (HEI). The study applied the fuzzy logic method for the assessment.

Findings

The computed value of the fuzzy-workforce agility index (3.72, 5.27, 6.86) indicates that the HEI chosen for the assessment is Agile. The fuzzy performance importance index helped identify the six-weak attributes that require immediate attention and improvement.

Practical implications

The proposed framework would help the institution's management understand the current agility level of their workforce and take corrective actions to improve the identified weak attributes.

Originality/value

The study has contributed to the literature of workforce agility assessment by creating a conceptual model for evaluating workforce agility in higher education. This model can be applied to any HEI.

Citation

Menon, S. and Suresh, M. (2022), "Assessment framework for workforce agility in higher education institutions", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 12 No. 6, pp. 1169-1188. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-01-2022-0014