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WORK LIFE BALANCING AND
ITS EFFECT ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY
ABSTRACT
Work-Life Balance is increasing interest in academic
literature, legislation and public sector. It is meaningful daily achievement
and enjoyment in life. Organizations have started introducing various schemes
to attract, retain employees and productivity. Majority employers support the
work –life balance concept. Work-life balance which primarily deals with an
employee’s ability to properly prioritize between work and his or her
lifestyle, social life, health, family etc., is greatly linked with employee
productivity, performance and job satisfaction. Where there is proper balance
between work and life, employees tend to put in their best efforts at work,
because their family is happy.
The researcher used Merchant bank, Koforidua branch as a case
study to find out the effects improper work-life balance has on the performance
of employees in an organization.
Concerning methodology, data used in compiling this research
were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. The management and
employees of Merchant bank were issued questionnaires. Text Books, Magazines
and News Papers on work-life balance were also used in compiling this research.
Based on the findings revealed from the data analysis and
interpretation, the researcher came up with some suggestions and
recommendations. The major findings in this study shows that 92% of the total
respondents used for the study suffer from stress related problems brought
about by the nature of their work. Majority of the respondents complained about
common stress illness such as headaches, stomach pains etc, and their inability
to balance family responsibilities with their jobs. However, the study went ahead
to reveal that employee productivity is greatly affected by the individual’s
ability to balance work and life, as employees with better family ties tend to
be more happy and highly effective in their work place. These findings and
recommendations, in view of the researcher, will help improve productivity and
employee performance if implemented by the organizations in Ghana as well as
the government of Ghana.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Today, work-life balance has become an increasingly pervasive
concern to both employers and employees of most organisations. Work-life
balance which primarily deals with an employee’s ability to properly prioritize
between work and his or her lifestyle, social life, health, family etc., is
greatly linked with employee productivity, performance and job satisfaction.
Where there is proper balance between work and life, employees tend to put in
their best efforts at work, because their family is happy. Most research
studies have shown that when there are happy homes, work places automatically
become conflict free and enjoyable places to be. Increasing attrition rates and
increasing demand for work-life balance have forced organisations to look
beyond run of the mill Human Resources interventions. As a result, initiatives
such as flexible working hours, alternative work arrangements, leave policies
and benefits in lieu of family care responsibilities and employee assistance
programmes have become a significant part of most of the company benefit
programmes and compensation packages.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF
STUDY AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
The origins of research on work-life balance can be traced
back to studies of women having multiple roles. Barnett and Baruch (1985)
investigated the psychological distress connected to the balance of rewards and
concerns generated by individual women’s multiple roles as paid worker, wife
and mother. They found that positive role quality – more rewards than concerns
experienced in a given role – was related to low levels of role overload, role
conflict and anxiety. Based on their research, Barnett and Baruch defined role
balance as a “rewards minus concerns” difference score which could range from
positive to negative values.
Over the past two decades, various studies on work-life balance
practices have been conducted and have been discussed in publications
representing a number of different academic disciplines – economics (e.g.,
Johnson & Provan, 1995; Whitehouse & Zetlin, 1999), family studies
(e.g., Hill, Hawkins, Ferris, & Weitzman, 2001; Raabe, 1990), gender
studies (e.g., Nelson, Quick, Hitt, & Moesel, 1990; Wayne & Cordeiro,
2003), industrial relations (e.g., Batt & Valcour, 2003; Eaton, 2003),
information systems (e.g., Baines & Gelder, 2003; Frolick, Wilkes, &
Urwiler, 1993), management (e.g., Konrad & Mangel, 2000; Perry-Smith &
Blum, 2000), social psychology (e.g., Allen & Russell, 1999; Hegtvedt,
Clay-Warner, & Ferrigno, 2002), and sociology (e.g., Blair-Loy &
Wharton, 2002; Glass & Estes, 1997). The most common approach is to view
work-life balance practices through a business case lens: that is, by offering
these practices, organizations attract new members and reduce levels of
work-life conflict among existing ones, and this improved recruitment and
reduced work-life conflict enhance organizational effectiveness.
A review of the literature, however, questions this purported
link between work-life balance practices and organizational effectiveness. The
majority of studies investigating the outcomes of work-life practices do not
measure work-life conflict, and thus cannot support this proposed mediated
relationship (Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux, & Brinley, 2005). The
mechanisms by which the provision of work-life practices affects both employee
behaviour and organizational performance remain unclear, and under-researched
(Allen, 2001; Schutte & Eaton, 2004). The results of a number of studies
reviewed in this paper appear to suggest that work-life balance practices do
not necessarily influence levels of employee work-life conflict, but instead
improve organizational performance via other routes, such as reduced overheads
in the case of employees working from home, improved productivity Work-Life
among employees working at their peak hours, or social exchange processes arising
from perceptions of organizational support (e.g., Allen, 2001; Apgar, 1998;
Shepard, Clifton, & Kruse, 1996).
This study examines the literature to identify the various
ways in which organizational work-life practices may influence organizational
performance. Using a wide range of studies from a variety of disciplines, the
empirical support available for the link between work-life practices and
organizational performance at both the individual and organization level of
analysis is reviewed. Integrating the literature in this fashion provides us
with important new insights regarding potential moderators and mediators of the
link between work-life practices and organizational performance, and suggests
new research questions that may further enhance our understanding of how (or
if) this link operates.
1.2.1 COMPANY PROFILE
According to MerchantbankGhana.com, Merchant Bank Ghana
Limited (MBG) is a limited liability company is one of the leading Banks in the
country. It was incorporated in August 1971 and commenced business in March
1972 as the first merchant bank in Ghana. Merchant Bank Ghana Limited (MBG)
provides a comprehensive range of banking services to its customers and
clients, using its worldwide network of correspondent banks and their agencies.
The range of MBG's banking services includes:
Domestic and International Banking Operations for Corporate
Customers, Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and, High Net-worth Individuals;
Treasury Services
Money and Capital Market Operations
Hire Purchase and Leasing Services; and
Foreign Remittances
The Bank has two wholly owned specialised subsidiaries
namely;
Merban Investment Holdings Limited (MIHL) - dealing in
Funds/Portfolio Management, Money Market Operations, Investment Advisory
Services, Trustee Services and Custodial and Nominee Services;
Merban Stockbrokers Limited (MSL) - dealing in Brokerage
Services, Underwriting of new Issues, and Investor Search & Joint Venture
Arrangement; and
The MBG group also has the following additional specialist
services tailored to meet its customers' needs:
Registrar Services - maintaining records of Shareholders and
Creditors, facilitating dividend payments to Shareholders; and
Corporate Finance & Advisory Services (CFAS)- handling
Corporate restructuring, Joint Venture Arrangement, Company Valuation, Project
Finance; Funds Sourcing, Issuing House Services and General Financial Advisory
Services. And also dealing in Hire Purchase transactions and Leasing.
The bank has taken advantage of the opportunities offered by
the introduction of Universal Banking Business in Ghana and MBG has fully
developed all three areas of universal banking namely; Retail, Corporate and
Investment. The branch network of Merchant Bank currently stands at twenty-two
(22).
Mission
As a universal Bank in Ghana, Merchant Bank (Ghana) limited
is committed to providing quality financial products and services to our
customers across our chosen market and maintaining our place as a leading and
preferred financial institution in Ghana.
Vision
To become the leading, the most influential and best
performing financial service provider in Ghana by 2012 and one of the leading
banks in West Africa by 2015
Core Values
Performance-oriented organization
All decisions and actions must be based on Unshakeable Facts.
Must at all times conduct business with a sense ofCompetitive
Urgency.
We must maintain High Ethical Standardsin all our internal
and external relationships.
The bank has over its 30 years of existence achieved a lot,
notable amongst which are:
The establishment of hire purchase and leasing business in
Ghana.
The promotion and formation of the first Discount House in
Ghana.
Handled the share issues of 8 out of 10 companies when there
was no Stock Exchange in Ghana in the 1970's.
The initiation of the preparatory work in the establishment
of the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE).
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Lack of work flexibility, high work pressure and longer
working hours are stressing out many Ghanaian workers, reducing their job
performance and productivity as well as causing broken homes. In the community,
there is growing concern that the quality of home and community life is
deteriorating. These have resulted to
poor employee input and performance at his or her job place, because an
employee, who finds it difficult to properly balance his or her family life,
tends to also have difficulties managing tasks at his or her workplace,
therefore resulting in poor employee performance. Sparks, Cooper, Fried and
Shirom, (1997) in their study provide some indication that when people spend
too many hours at work, and spend less with their families, their health and
work performance begin to deteriorate. There are various explanations for this
associated with affluence, the growth of single parent families, the
privatization of family life and the lack of local resources and
facilities In addition, the pressures
and demands of work, reflected both in longer hours, more exhaustion and the
growth of evening and weekend work leave less scope for “quality” family
time. The consequences include
increases in juvenile crime, more drug abuse, a reduction in care of the
community and in community participation and less willingness to take
responsibility for care of elderly relatives and for the disadvantaged. While steps to redress these concerns
transcend work and employment, it is nevertheless argued that the demands of
work contribute to a reduced participation in non-work activities resulting in
an imbalance.
Moreover, there is a view, widely promoted by some management
writers but not strongly supported by sound empirical evidence, that workers
are less willing to display unlimited commitment to the organization. One reason offered for this is the changing
nature of the psychological contract at work; turbulence in organizations has
made it less feasible to offer secure progressive careers and therefore to
justify why workers should be committed.
1.3 RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the study are:
1. To examine
various Work-Life balance practices/programs that exist in Merchant bank,
Koforidua.
2. To identify
work-Life balance challenges faced by employees of Merchant bank, Koforidua.
3. To identify the
influence of imbalance Work-Life practices on organizational performance of
Merchant bank, Koforidua, and the social life of its employees.
4. To identify
ways of enhancing proper Work-Life balance practices amongst employees of
Merchant bank, Koforidua.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What Work-Life
balance practices exist in Merchant bank, Koforidua?
2. What are the
Work-Life challenges faced by employees of Merchant bank, Koforidua?
3. What are the
influences of imbalance work-life practices on organizational performance and
social life of employees?
4. In what ways
can proper work-life practices be enhanced to boost performance in Merchant
bank, Koforidua?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF
THE STUDY
This study seeks to bring out the various work-life balance
practices which Merchant Bank has undertaken to increase its productivity and
contribute its quota in the economic development of the communities which it
operates, and the country at large. This study will therefore help enlighten
management of various organizations of the various effects of work-life balance
practices on the performance of employees in an organization. The study will
also bring out specifically, the work-life balance practices which the bank has
been able to make available to its employees. It also seeks to bring out the
level of encouragement and motivation the bank has given to its employees to
work effectively, among others. The importance of this study is therefore to
highlight the various employee work-life balance practices and how it affects
the productivity of an organization. This study will go a long way to
illustrate how organizations should treat its employees’ in-order to increase
productivity.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the research will be limited to Merchant Bank at
the New Juaben Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The research
will rely on the bank for vital information as well as information from
secondary source. The research will take duration of four months to complete.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researcher encountered a limitation in regards to
availability of information. Thus due to the institutions working ethics, the
researcher could not get access to vital information since it was treated as
confidential and the targeted
respondent’s number was not attained since some employees were on leave.
Inadequate funds and availability of time also became a limitation.
1.8 CHAPTER SCHEME
The project will be organized around following chapters;
Chapter one gives an introduction to the research work. It
gives the basic information about the company and the research being
undertaken. This chapter therefore consists of the background of the study and
organizational profile, statement of the problem, objectives, research
questions, significance of the study, scope of the study, and limitations
encountered by the researcher.
Chapter Twoconsists of the literature rgeview and the
theoretical framework
Chapter three gives details of the research methodology. The
research methodology represents the various ways and methods which the
researcher used in order to gain his information.The chapter consist of the
study area, research design, study population, sample size and technique, data
collection methods and limitation.
Chapter Fourgives the analysis and interpretation of the
information gathered by the researcher.
Chapter five gives the findings, suggestions and conclusion
of the researcher. Here, conclusions will be drawn based on the findings and
their implications will also be given.
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