Assessing the influence of work-life balance dimensions among nurses in the healthcare sector

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shobitha Poulose ◽  
N. Sudarsan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of work-related factors, namely work overload and work support on work-life balance (WLB) dimensions and its significant impact on work satisfaction particularly among South Indian nurses in the healthcare sector. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out in the healthcare sector comprising of 182 nurses employed in various hospitals located in southern parts of India through a structured questionnaire. The study adopted Barron and Kenny’s mediated regression analysis. Findings Work satisfaction showed a significant negative relationship with work overload and a positive relationship with work support. WLB dimensions, namely work to personal life strains, personal life to work strains, work to personal life gains (WPLG) and personal life to work gains mediated the relationships between work support and work satisfaction. However, WPLG mediated the relationships between work overload and work satisfaction. Practical implications The present investigation directed toward the importance of work-personal life balance experienced by the nurses in the healthcare sector imperatively influence both work and personal life domains and the study suggests that support from the organization, superiors and peers can go a long way in helping the incumbents to attain improved organizational outcomes. Originality/value This study focuses on investigating the mediating role of WLB dimensions in the relationship between organizational-related factors and work satisfaction among nurses in the healthcare sector in South India.

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raminderpreet Kaur ◽  
Gurpreet Randhawa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of employee engagement and work–life balance in perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe perception of teachers on the constructs considered has been assessed by a survey using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from the teachers of private schools of Punjab, India, and 375 were valid number of responses. Parallel multiple mediated regression was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of perceived supervisor support on turnover intentions mediated through employee engagement and work–life balance.FindingsThe results reveal that the effect of perceived supervisor support on turnover intentions is indirect rather than direct. On the comparison of specific indirect effects, the results demonstrate that employee engagement and two dimensions of work–life balance (work interference with personal life and work–personal life enhancement) act as mediators in the perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions relationship.Practical implicationsSchool principals need to draft teacher-friendly policies for enhancing work–life balance and employee engagement so that teachers can feel satisfied with their work and can handle work and family demands. In this way, positive perceptions associated with high engagement and work–family balance can take place, which in turn can curtail the turnover intentions of teachers.Originality/valueThe use of employee engagement and work-life balance in the relationship of perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions is unprecedented. The study also considered three different dimensions of work–life balance and tested the model in an integrative manner. Since the study is based on an Indian sample, it also adds to growing literature on turnover intentions in nonwestern countries. The results are of great value to school managements, HR managers and policymakers who are seeking to develop practices that reduce employee turnover at workplaces.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 705-718
Author(s):  
Bhumika Bhumika

Purpose This paper aims to attempt to explore the nature of relationship between work–life balance and emotional exhaustion experienced by the employed individuals while working from home during the pandemic COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown in the Indian setting. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 180 working professionals in North India who were working from home during the lockdown. PROCESS macro developed for SPSS was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Findings depicted that in comparison to men, women felt more emotional exhaustion due to personal life interference in work during work from home period. Surprisingly, the relationship between work interference with personal life, and emotional exhaustion did not differ by gender. It was found that the participative leadership could contribute to reduction of work interference with personal life, and through such an influence, emotional exhaustion experienced by an employee could be reduced to some extent. Originality/value Many previous studies have explored the nature of the relationship between work–life balance and emotional exhaustion, but rarely any study could cover any Pandemic affected working scenario. This study attempted to investigate such a relationship when employees were obligated to mandatorily work from home during the countrywide lockdown.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 917-939
Author(s):  
Sana Shabir ◽  
Abdul Gani

Purpose This study aims to examine the linkage between work–life balance (WLB) and organizational commitment (OC) among women employees in the healthcare sector. Design/methodology/approach Using a quantitative methodology, this paper drew upon samples of 580 health-care sector employees working in the health-care sector of Jammu and Kashmir in India. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather the required information. Data were analyzed using SMART PLS and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, in which descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and structural equation modeling were conducted to achieve the objectives of the study. Findings Findings indicated a significant positive relationship between WLB and OC. Further component-wise analysis revealed a positive relationship between the WLB and affective and normative commitment. However, WLB demonstrated a negative association with continuance commitment. Originality/value The study also brought forth the causes and potential consequences of the work–life imbalance and stressed upon the role of organizational policies in managing the relationship between work and non-work domains and subsequently the development of OC among employees.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anushree Karani ◽  
Mitesh Jayswal ◽  
Rasananda Panda ◽  
Payal Trivedi

PurposeHealthcare is a vital sector in any economy, and the healthcare industry employees should be treated well. Work policies and practices shape the psychological contract (PC) of an individual. The purpose of this paper is to explore healthcare employees' PC fulfillment from the lenses of work practices and how it affects their ambidextrous behavior (explorative and exploitative activities).Design/methodology/approachThis study follows a mix-method research design. First, the authors conducted telephonic interviews to enlist the PC fulfillment items, and after checking the reliability and validity, the authors conducted the survey using a descriptive research design. The sampling method was snowball sampling, where 786 respondents from 6 hospitals were surveyed, and AMOS (analysis of a moment structures) 20 was used for the structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsFor the healthcare sector employees, a sense of belongingness has contributed the highest in exploration activities followed by work–life balance, rewards and managerial support. Work–life balance has contributed highest in exploitation activities, followed by a sense of belongingness, teamwork and managerial support.Research limitations/implicationsThe study offers important implications for researchers and employers of the healthcare sector and highlights the significance of the PC fulfillment, leading to the employees' ambidextrous behavior. There was no prior work that had empirically proved the relationship between PC fulfillment and ambidextrous behavior.Originality/valueIn the study, an attempt was made to identify the healthcare industry's work practices and how that is associated with explorative and exploitive ambidextrous behavior. The paper instigates the imperative deliberation on PC fulfillment and ambidextrous behavior for healthcare sector employees.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma Semlali ◽  
Abderrahman Hassi

Purpose The present study aims to understand how Moroccan women working in information technology (IT) perceive the roles they fulfill in both their private and professional lives and assess their Work–life balance (WLB). Design/methodology/approach Existing research about WLB in Morocco focuses mainly on the public sector. As the present study is the first of its kind to deal with the private sector and more specifically IT, it is exploratory in nature while adopting a qualitative methodology. Twenty Moroccan women working in IT companies in the city of Casablanca were interviewed. Collected data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. Findings It emerged from the data analysis that adhering to the cultural assumption of being the pillar of the household and to the culture of respondents’ organizations seems to be a key factor in employee WLB. Three main recommendations stemmed from the current research, namely, increased maternity leave duration, workplace nurseries and telework, may help IT female employees improve their WLB and well-being. Research limitations/implications First, the study participants were selected by one individual, which may create a “sampling bias”, where one specific profile of IT specialist could be selected. Second, only IT workers took part in the study and no IT employers were interviewed, which may yield having only “one side of the story”. Practical implications The results that emerged from the current study, particularly the three main recommendations made by the 20 interviewees (increase of maternity leave duration, workplace nurseries and telework) may be used by different IT companies in the hopes of improving female employees’ WLB and well-being. Overall, employers ought to put in place measures and accommodate employees to help them reconcile their work and personal life commitments. Social implications It has been documented that lack of WLB can result in increased stress, deleterious effects on psychological and physical well-being and increased family and marital tensions (Burchell et al., 2001; Lewis and Cooper, 1999; Scase and Scales, 1998). Therefore, various stakeholders, in addition to employers, such as the government and IT employees’ families should work collaboratively to implement meaningful WLB arrangements and, in turn, prevent the negative effects of work–life imbalance through, among others, government policy interventions. Originality/value The present study is the first of its kind that looked into the perception of WLB among Moroccan women operating in the IT industry. It offers valuable insights about how to assist female Moroccan IT workers to reconcile their work and personal life commitments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 999-1015
Author(s):  
Babatunde Akanji ◽  
Chima Mordi ◽  
Hakeem Adeniyi Ajonbadi

PurposeGiven the limiting conditions of the gender roles confronting professional working women and drawing on spillover theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of work-life balance with an emphasis on the causes of the imbalances, perceived stress, and coping techniques experienced by female medical doctors in an African context – Nigeria, a geographical location that is considered under-researched.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative data is based on one-to-one in-depth interviews with 52 Nigerian female medical doctors.FindingsBased on the findings of the thematic analysis, it is clear that time squeeze, as a well-known factor in the medical profession, exacerbates negative work-home interference. However, other themes, such as patriarchal proclivities and task-pay disparity, that affect female doctors but are rarely considered in studies on work-life balance also emerged as sources of stress and work-family conflicts, leaving these doctors to devise individual coping methods as mitigating strategies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study relies on a limited qualitative sample size, which makes the generalisation of findings difficult. However, the study contributes to the limited literature on the implications of stress and work-family incompatibilities facing women in a society that is not particularly egalitarian, with an extremely pronounced culture of masculine hegemony that is contrary to western cultures. The article unveils the socio-cultural difficulties of the work-life demands facing women specific to the Nigerian society and experienced with a different level of intensity.Originality/valueThe majority of the research on work-life balance has been undertaken in western countries and has focused on various professional groups and organisations, including the health sector. Nevertheless, work-life balance is a novel concept within the Nigerian work environment, where female medical doctors, as a professional group, are rarely studied. The article also provides valuable insights into the macro-contextual features influencing the work-life balance of Nigerian professional women.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilmante Kumpikaite-Valiuniene ◽  
Luisa Helena Pinto ◽  
Tahir Gurbanov

PurposeInternational business travelers (IBTs) face daily challenges pertaining to the frequency and duration of travel. Following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the study aims to draw upon the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and the literature on work–life balance (WLB) to examine how this crisis have disrupted IBTs routines and the implications for their WLB.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in April 2020 with an online survey answered by 141 IBTs from different locations. The first set of analyses examined the perceived change in job-demands (i.e. business travel and workload) including stress and work–life difficulties following the outbreak of COVID-19. The second set of analyses tested the hypotheses that the perceived change in workload and stress predict IBTs' work–life difficulties, which, in turn, affect their WLB.FindingsThe results show that the decline in job-demands (i.e. business travel and workload) after the outbreak of COVID-19 was not enough to reduce IBTs' stress and ameliorate their work–life difficulties and WLB. Only respondents who experienced a decrease in workload, including less relational difficulties, reported a superior WLB.Originality/valueThe study widens the scope and relevance of global mobility studies in crisis settings by timely reporting the changes in job-demands, stress and work–life difficulties among IBTs following the outbreak of COVID-19. Additionally, the research extends the use of the JD-R model in the international context by advancing our knowledge of the interplay between contextual demands and job-demands in affecting IBTs' stress, work–life difficulties and WLB.


2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Dolores Odriozola ◽  
Elisa Baraibar-Diez

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the participation of women in companies with financial performance. However, this relationship does not arise directly. The authors argue that the participation of women in the company’s staff has a positive effect on the creation of work-life balance (WLB) practices, due to women have traditionally assumed family responsibilities, and subsequently these practices positively affect financial performance. WLB practices are a tool to balance employees’ professional and personal goals.Design/methodology/approachThis study aims to determine whether WLB practices mediate in the relationship between female participation in the workforce and financial performance on large companies listed in the Spanish Stock Exchange Index during the period from 2008 to 2013.FindingsThe main finding is that female participation in the workforce positively affects to the availability of WLB practices, but WLB practices are not a mediator to increase financial performance.Originality/valueThe study is a new contribution for academics and practitioners, since the WLB has a role of moderating variable; and the positive joint effect of female participation and WLB practices is tested over the company’s outcomes, instead of over the individual employee behaviour like in previous literature. In addition, this effect is studied in a country with economic recession where corporate WLB practices have increased in the last decade.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Paul Cain ◽  
Lisa Nicole Cain ◽  
James A. Busser ◽  
Hee Jung (Annette) Kang

PurposeThis study sought to understand how having a calling influenced engagement, work–life balance and career satisfaction for Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) and Golf Course Superintendent of America (GCSA) professionals.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was used to examine callings among golf course supervisors and its impact on their engagement, work–life balance and career satisfaction. This study also explored the moderation effect of employees’ generalized or specialized role on the calling–engagement relationship. Surveys were collected from a single golf management company and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis.FindingsThe results revealed significant relationships among all of the variables, with the exception of the impact of having a calling on work–life balance. Additionally, the more having a calling increased, the more important it was for supervisors to have specialized roles to increase their engagement.Originality/valueThis study identifies important differences in factors that promote career satisfaction for golf course supervisors and extends current understanding of role theory.


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