This study identified existing organizational practices and policies helping to balance work and life roles among workers and examined the factors that inhibit or enhance their adoption by workers in South-Western Nigeria. It also investigated the relationship between work-life balance and performance of workers, with a view to gaining an understanding of the range of ways by which workers in Nigeria achieve work-life balance.
The study was conducted in six purposively selected private universities across the six states of South-western Nigeria, using primary and secondary data. A sample size of 540 was derived from a total of 702 using stratified sampling technique. Questionnaires were administered to all the respondents to ferret information on work-life balance and performance of workers. Secondary data from institutional records were used to augment information gathered through the questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency cross-tabulation, correlation and regression analysis.
Organizational policies such as the provision of crèche, staff school, staff club, recreational centres, staff canteen and annual family get together were identified as locally adopted practices by staff. The study found that the existence of these organizational policies and practices is positively correlated with available variation of such policies and practices (r=0.859; p>0.01), use or adoption of such policies and practices (r=0.898; p>0.01) and the perception of a balanced work and life interaction (r=0.184; p>0.01). Personal perception of a balanced work-life is also positively and significantly correlated with all the other factors; availability of variations (r=0.144; p>0.01) and adoption of these policies and practices (r=0.166; p>0.01). A fairly low Durbin-Watson score of 1.366 indicates that the availability of any other Work-Life balancing factor, such as flexible working, could dramatically affect the outcome of the study. It also confirmed the hypothesis that there is no relationship between adoption of work-life balance policies or practices and performance.
Summarily, there is the need for the expansion of work-life balancing practices to include such practices as flexible working, tele-working, job-sharing, paternity leave, multiple tranches maternity leave and the simpler breast feeding break and that undergraduate HRM curriculum should include work-life balancing concepts to expand the scope of enquiries into their features and evolutions.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Justification for the Study
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
2. Literature Review
2.1 Concepts of Work
2.2 Concepts of Life
2.3 Work – Life Conflict
2.4 Work – Life Balance
2.4.1 Work-life Balance, Ethics and Social Responsibility
2.4.2 Work-life Balance, Performance and ICT
2.5 Empirical Evidences from other countries
2.5.1 Work-Life Balance Policy Foundation
2.5.2 Evidences from Nigeria
2.6 Motivational Background to Work-life Balance
2.6.1 Theories of work-life Balance
2.7 Theoretical Framework
2.8 Conceptual Framework for analysis
3. Methodology of Research
3.1 Study Area
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
3.4 Sources and Collection of Data
3.5 Research Instruments
3.6 Measurement of Variables
3.7 Data Analysis Techniques
4. Data Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation
4.1 Socio- economic information
4.2 Work Interference with Personal Life (WIPL)
4.3 Personal Life interference with Work (PLIW)
4.4 Work and Personal Life Enhancement
4.5 Organizational Policies and Practices Helping To Balance Work and Life Roles
4.6 Factors Influencing the Adoption of Work-Life Balancing Policies and Practices
4.7 Relationship between Work-Life Balancing and Job Performance
4.8 Hypothesis Testing
5. Summary, Recommendation and Conclusion
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to examine the relationship between work-life balance and the job performance of non-academic staff in private universities in South-Western Nigeria, specifically investigating how institutional policies impact the ability of employees to manage competing role demands.
- Impact of work-life conflict on employee performance.
- Role of organizational policies in supporting work-life balance.
- Influence of cultural and personal factors on the adoption of balance strategies.
- Correlation between ICT usage, flexible work arrangements, and job performance.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Background to the Study
The world of work has changed from the 9-to-5 affair to a 24-hour, 7-day society, where customers expect services at times that suit them (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2007). This may be adduced to the ever expanding potentialities of Information and Communication technology (ICT). The wide deployment of computers, software and recently, the pervasive use of the Global System Mobile (GSM) telecommunication in Nigeria are helping to increase efficiency and reduce transaction cost across all segments of the economy (Onyukwu, 2007).
On the global plain, it has been pointed out that one out of every five managerial and professional workers in the United Kingdom for instance, take work home almost everyday as a result of technological advancement which has enabled many workers to be continuously accessible (CIPD, 2007). This expansion in accessibility may not take into cognizance the demand on the employee by other non-work commitments, such as child care, dependent elder-care or even other social obligations that may require some time off work, the lack of which may affect motivation and ultimately, job performance. This leads to what work-life conflict.
Work-life conflict occurs when the cumulative demands of work and non-work life roles are incompatible in some respect so that participation in one role is made more difficult by participation in the other role (Duxbury and Higgins, 2001). This has also contributed, considerably, to the incidence of work related stress which happens to be a common cause of absenteeism (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2002). Stress, as highlighted by Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2002), is a major element of work-life conflict and it is as a result of unfavourable working conditions such as heavy work loads, job insecurity and lack of participation in decision making, health and safety hazards and tight deadlines among others.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides the background, defines the problem, lists the objectives and hypotheses of the study, and establishes the operational scope and definitions.
CHAPTER TWO – LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter reviews the conceptual foundations of work and life, theories of work-life conflict, and empirical studies regarding balancing policies in Nigeria and internationally.
CHAPTER THREE – METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH: This chapter details the research design, population sampling, data collection instruments, and statistical techniques utilized to test the study's hypotheses.
CHAPTER FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: This chapter presents the statistical analysis of the field data, evaluating variables related to work-life interference, organizational policies, and their effect on job performance.
CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION: This chapter provides a summary of the findings, draws final conclusions, and offers policy recommendations for improving work-life balance in the workplace.
Keywords
Work-Life Balance, Job Performance, Work-Life Conflict, Organizational Policies, ICT, Non-Academic Staff, Private Universities, Nigeria, Employee Motivation, Stress Management, Flexible Working, Human Resource Management, Role Overload, Personal Performance, Work-Family Interference
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis investigates the relationship between work-life balance strategies and the job performance of non-academic staff specifically within private universities in South-Western Nigeria.
What are the central thematic areas?
Key themes include the impact of work-life conflict on performance, the role of organizational support structures, the influence of gender and culture, and the use of ICT in modern work environments.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The primary objective is to identify the range of ways employees achieve balance and to determine if these policies have a statistically significant effect on job performance.
What scientific methods were employed?
The study utilizes a descriptive, cross-sectional survey design, employing structured questionnaires for data collection and statistical tools like correlation analysis, z-tests, and simple linear regression for analysis.
What is discussed in the main body?
The main body covers a comprehensive literature review on work-life theories, the methodology for sampling six private universities, and a detailed analysis of findings concerning staff interference between home and work life.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as work-life balance, job performance, organizational policy, work-life conflict, and staff productivity in the Nigerian higher education sector.
How do organizational policies impact employees in Nigerian private universities?
The study finds that while some basic policies exist (such as creches or staff schools), their current implementation is limited and does not significantly influence overall job performance as much as other external stressors.
What unique role does gender play in this research?
The research highlights that female employees in Nigeria often perceive and utilize work-life balance policies differently than men, largely due to culturally imposed roles concerning childcare and family responsibilities.
Does taking work home improve performance?
The study finds that employees who take work home or work during transit often perceive themselves as working harder, but this does not necessarily translate into higher overall performance ratings and may actually contribute to work-life conflict.
What is the main conclusion of the author?
The author concludes that while work and personal life are inexorably linked, current policies in these private universities are insufficient, and more flexible work practices like job-sharing and tele-working are recommended to improve employee efficiency.
- Quote paper
- Ismail Olaoye (Author), 2012, Work-life balancing and job performance of workers in private universities in South-Western Nigeria, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/267275
