CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

In organizations and on the home front, the challenge of work/life balance is

rising to the top of many employers and employees consciousness. In today/s fast-
paced society, human resource professionals seek options to positively impact the
bottom line of their companies, improve employee morale, retain employees with
valuable company knowledge, and keep pace with workplace trends. In society filled
with conflicting responsibilities and commitments work/life balance has become a
predominant issue in the workplace.

Today, in the fast running phase of life, people really find it difficult to
manage a balance between the pressures of work place and the duties of a home-
maker, be it a male or female. Their life hops at either end of a see-saw and often
ends up in a juggling life. This contemporary managerial issue has become a
challenging factor of not only the young corporate who had just started their family
life but also the young and middle-aged parents who needs to provide constant
attention to their children who are fast-growing students/young adults. Adapting to a
strategy where an emotional intelligence becomes the lead factor would help achieve
equilibrium of Work-Life Management.

The term "work-life balance" was first coined over 20 years ago in reaction to
the trend of the 1970s and 1980s when men and women began prioritizing work and
career goals over family, friends, community affairs, and leisure activities. Today,
there is an entire industry dedicated to this field.

The term work-life balance is commonly used as a more comprehensive

expression to describe policies that have been previously termed 'family-friendly',

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but are now extended beyond the scope of the family. Work-life balance refers to the
flexible working arrangements that allow both parents and non-parents to avail of
working arrangements that provide a balance between work responsibilities and
personal responsibilities. The term ‘work-life balance‘ was preferred due to the fact
that it encompasses the experiences and needs of parents and non-parents alike, and
is a more progressive theoretical framework in which to think about new ways of
living and working that are satisfactory to all. In practice, it involves ―adjusting
work patterns so that everyone, regardless of age, race or gender can find a rhythm
that enables them more easily to combine work and their other responsibilities and
aspirations‖ (Pillinger 2001: 1).

Drew, Humphreys and Murphy point out ―that personal fulfillment was
important inside work and that satisfaction outside work may enhance employees'
contribution to work‖ (2003:13). Thus, work-life balance is now the term of choice.

Work-life balance is an issue not just for individuals, but for employers, the market,
the state and society as a whole. The future workforce and consumer market is
dependent on women bearing, and parents raising children. The move from a single
male breadwinner family model to one where both parents participate in paid
employment has made it increasingly difficult to raise children while the workplace
continues to be modeled on male breadwinner workers.

―Work-family balance‖ evolved into ―work-life balance‖ partly in response to

workers without family responsibilities who felt that employees with children were
getting benefits that they were not. The term ―life‖ applies to any non-paid
activities or commitments. While the term does not generally include ―unpaid
work‖ when referring to work, it could be extended to cover that.

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 Work-life balance issues appear to affect some groups of people more than
others – those working long hours, those whose work spills over into the home as a
result of modern technology, those in non-standard employment such as shift work,
those on low incomes, those trying to juggle parenting and paid work, and those with
cultural obligations beyond the family and paid work.

In very past years, organizations looked at ―work‖ and ―life‖ as independent

domains. Employees were expected to place the organizations‘ interests ahead of
their own. In the past, organizations reacted that, what happens to employees outside
the office is their own business; what they do in the office is their business.‖ With
changing time, attitudes have changed. Organizations and managers today have
come to accept the impact that work-life has on personal life and vice-versa. Recent
years have seen a growing number of organizations operate under the assumption
that personal life and work life are complementary to each other and not competing
priorities. It helps employees balance their work lives with their personal life and
leads to positive outcomes for the employee and the organization.

Therefore, a growing number of organizations have begun to adopt ―work-

life (family) programs‖ or ―family-friendly practices‖. Work-life balance is the term
used to describe those practices at work place that acknowledge and aim to support
the needs of employees in achieving a balance between the demands of their family
life and work lives.

Work Life Balance can be defined as the perfect integration between work and
life both not interfering with each other. In the current business world, people and
organizations are working round the clock to meet the ever-growing demands. A
slight delay in meeting the schedules or expectations is considered to be an
organizational failure. To avoid delays and failures, employees are working hard and

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giving their heart and soul to achieve work-life balance which is creating an
enormous pressure on them and hence they are forced to finish their jobs irrespective
of time limit. The most-often used phrase among the employees is that they don‘t
have time or they have a hectic schedule. A day of 24 hours is no longer enough to
perform work-related and personal-related duties or responsibilities. The problem
seems simple but difficult to solve and handle. Employees who have to play another
role of daughter/son/spouse/parents are not able to manage their roles. Observing the
day-to-day lives of many employees, two main issues to be addressed to achieve
work-life balance are time and stress. Managing these two variables is the secret of a
perfect work-life balance. The HR department of the organization should assist the
employee to maintain a work-life balance. The HR manager must carefully identify
the issue and find a solution with the co-operation of the employer. Organization
must include providing work-life balance as an HR policy.

1.1 Definition of Work-Life Balance

Work/life balance, in its broadest sense, is defined as a satisfactory level of

involvement or fit between the multiple roles in a person‘s life. Although definitions
and explanations vary, work/life balance is generally associated with equilibrium, or
maintaining an overall sense of harmony in life. The study of work/life balance
involves the examination of people‘s ability to manage simultaneously the multi-
faceted demands of life.

Although work/life balance has traditionally been assumed to involve the

devotion of equal amounts of time to paid work and non-work roles, more recently
the concept has been recognized as more complex and has been developed to
incorporate additional components.

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 1. Time balance, which concerns the amount of time given to work and non-
work roles.

2. Involvement balance, meaning the level of psychological involvement in, or

commitment to, work and non-work roles.

3. Satisfaction balance or the level of satisfaction with work and non-work roles.

This model of work/life balance, with time, involvement and satisfaction

components, enables a broader and more inclusive picture to emerge. For example,
someone who works two days a week and spends the rest of the week with his or her
family may be unbalanced in terms of time (i.e. equal measures of work and life),
but may be equally committed to the work and non-work roles (balanced
involvement) and may also be highly satisfied with the level of involvement in both
work and family (balanced satisfaction). Someone who works 60 hours a week
might be perceived as not having work/life balance in terms of time. However, like
the person who works only a few hours a week, this individual would also be
unbalanced in terms of time, but may be quite content with this greater involvement
in paid work (balanced satisfaction). Alternatively, someone who works 36 hours a
week doesn‘t enjoy his or her job and spends the rest of the time pursuing preferred
outside activities may be time-balanced but unbalanced in terms of involvement and
satisfaction. Thus, achieving balance needs to be considered from multiple
perspectives.

The following is the summary of definitions on Work-Life balance given by various

authors:

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1.2 Work-Life Balance Policies

Work – Life Balance is concept with several connotations and varied

consequences within and among stakeholders. Over the past two decades the phrase
work – family and work – life balance have received significant attention from
employers, workers, politicians, academics and the media. The concept, dubbed a
‘barbecue-stopper‘ by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, has been described
as the ―biggest policy they have‖. Concerns about work – life balance have become
salient for a number of reasons. Demographic and social changes have resulted in
more women entering the workforce, working mothers becoming the norm rather
than the exception. Technological advancement (e.g., cell phones, e-mail, fax) have
made it easier for work demand to intrude into family and personal life.
Furthermore, the move towards global competition has increased pressure on
organizations and individual employees alike to be more flexible and responsive to
change.

However, it is in the context of current skill shortages and the prospect of an

ageing workforce that it is now imperative for organizations to embrace work/life
balance practices to attract and retain talent, not only from traditional sources but
also from untapped and diverse social groups. These are social groups whose
lifestyles can often demand greater attention to work/life balance: working mothers,
mature workers and some minority groups.

For future commercial sustainability, organizations need to ensure they not

just encourage but mandate a practical and workable work/life balance policy,
benefiting and meeting the needs of both the organization and its employees. And
importantly, organizations not providing real opportunity for employee work/life
balance are opening themselves up to increasing numbers of dissatisfied and

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unproductive employees and hence increased attrition rates. Merely creating a
work/life policy framework is not enough; fostering an organizational culture that
supports the use of available policies is also of great importance.

In the climate managing the boundary between home and work is becoming
more challenging. There is a need for employers and employees alike to find flexible
and innovative solutions that maximize productivity without damaging employees
well – being, their family relationships and other aspects of life. Furthermore, the
provision of work – life balance policies is likely to play a role in recruiting and
retaining good – quality employees and maintaining a competitive edge in a
demanding market place.

Work-life balance policies are often referred to in practice as 'flexible

working', and include the following different ways of working:

1. part-time working

2. job sharing

3. flexitime

4. term-time working

5. shift working

6. annualized hours

7. compressed hours

8. teleporting / e-working

9. home working

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 10.career breaks

11.study leave

12.zero hours contracts

13.V-Time

The general aim of such working time policies is to strike a balance between
employment and domestic commitments that is equitable and beneficial to both
employer and employee. The most successful of these policies are those that have
been implemented after a consultation process between employer and employee.

Some of the terms used in the literature on work-life balance are not
commonly used or may be unfamiliar, thus explanations and definitions are given
below:

WLB: Work-life Balance also referred to as family friendly work

arrangements (FFWA), and, in international literature, as alternative work
arrangements (AWA).

V-Time: This is voluntary overtime to meet production needs; extra hours are
'banked' and taken as time off or as extra pay. It differs from flexitime where starting
and finishing times are staggered, and can mean reduced or increased weekly
working hours over a period of time.

Zero hours contract: this is a flexible contract that does not specify the
amount of time a worker will spend per year on their employment, leaving it open to
meet demand.

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 E-working: the term used to describe flexible working that can be done from
any location using technologies such as laptops, wireless internet connection and
mobile phones.

Teleworking: This is where the location is flexible by using technologies to

complete work - this allows work to be done from home; also known as e-working.

Term-time working: This is when a parent is allowed to work only during

school term times, with all school holidays off. Payment can be calculated either by
usual payment, with no payment during holidays, or salaries can be spread out
across the year.

1.3 Factors influencing Work – Life Balance

In the global competitive world the term Work – Life Balance is gaining
importance and it is time for companies to start thinking strategically and come up
with innovative solutions, which provides better balance between work and life for
its employees. Some key factors influencing work – life balance are listed below:

1. A Balance of Family, Life and Work

2. Work/Life Conflict

3. The End of the Zero-Sum Game

4. Must Success Cost So Much?

5. Management Women and the New Facts of Life

6. What Do Men Want?

7. The new psychological contractz

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1.3.1 A Balance of Family, Life and Work

In recent years, the term work/life balance has replaced what used to be
known as work/family balance. Although the concept of family has broadened to
encompass extended families, shared parenting and a wide range of social and
support networks and communities, the semantic shift from work/family to work/life
arises from a recognition that care of dependent children is by no means the only
important non-work function. Other life activities that need to be balanced with
employment may include study, sport and exercise, volunteer work, hobbies or care
of the elderly. Eldercare in particular is becoming a growing issue for employers.
The timing of these care-giving responsibilities is important because, generally,
people are established in their careers before the issue arises. Hence, eldercare has
the potential to generate greater corporate interest and response than did childcare

1.3.2 Work/Life Conflict

Work/life balance is out of picture when the pressures from one role make it
difficult to comply with the demands of the other. This is known as work/life
conflict. This means that if the individuals do not feel they have a good mix and
integration of work and non-work roles, they may experience negative or conflicting
outcomes. This implies a bi-directional relationship where work can interfere with
non-work responsibilities (work/life conflict) and vice versa (life/work conflict).
Employees who experience increased stress due to work/life conflict are less
productive, less committed to, and satisfied with, their organization and more likely
to be absent or leave the organization. Individuals experiencing interference between
work and personal lives are also significantly more likely to suffer from reduced
psychological they‘ll-being and physical health. In one study, people who
experienced life/work conflict they‘re nearly 30 times more likely to suffer from a

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mood disorder (e.g. depression), 10 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder
and 11 times more likely to have a substance-dependence disorder (e.g., heavy
drinking), 3 times more likely to suffer from heart problems, infections, injuries,
mental health problems, and back pain and 5 times more likely to suffer from certain
cancer (Social Development Canada 2004). On the other hand, employees with
lower levels of work/life conflict report higher job satisfaction overall.

1.3.3 The End of the Zero-Sum Game

Most companies view work and personal life as competing priorities in a zero-
sum game, in which a gain in one area means a loss in the other. From this
traditional perspective, managers decide how their employees work and personal
lives should intersect and often view work-life programs as just so much social
welfare. A new breed of managers, however, is trying a new jack, one in which
managers and employees collaborate to achieve work and personal objectives to
everyone‘s benefit.

These managers are guided by three principles. The first is to clearly inform
their employees about business priorities and to encourage them to be just as clear
about personal priorities. The second is to recognize and support their employees as
a whole people, not only acknowledging but also celebrating their roles outside the
office. The third is to continually experiment with the way work gets done, looking
for approaches that enhance the organization‘s performance and allow employees to
pursue personal goals.

By following the principle mentioned above managers operate under the

assumption that work and personal life are not competing priorities but
complementary ones. In essence they have adopted a win-win philosophy.

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1.3.4 Must Success Cost So Much

Undeniably, many people who reach executive positions in organizations do

so at the expense of their personal lives. They spend long hours at difficult and
tension jobs and retreat to their homes not for comfort and substance but for a place
to hide and vent feelings left over a bad at the office. Yet other executives who
endure the same long hours and tension-filled jobs come home full of energy and
excited by the day. What distinguishes the two groups of people is the psychological
differences aside, the executives who successfully cross the line from job to private
life are able to do three things better than the other executives. They adapt well to
change in jobs, they find the right jobs for them, and they handle career
disappointments well. The potential negative emotional spill over; and how the
organizations might obstacles to coordinating one‘s private and professional lives
and the important points of discussion.

1.3.5 Management Women and the New Facts of Life

Women managers cost more to employ than men. Turnover is higher. So

companies are more likely to lose the money they invest in developing women
managers. The disparity in cost has two causes: maternity and tradition. Many
women take maternity leave and some find it difficult to return to work on schedule.
But even an extended maternity leave is a small portion of a whole career. The real
cost differential – lost investment in women is a result of the clash between male and
female expectations.

Smart competitive, career-primary women are effective managers and serve as

beacons for the younger women companies need. Career-and-family women on the
other hand are willing to trade ambition for the flexibility to raise their families. This

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willingness to forgo advancement but still give their best can greatly upgrade middle
management.

Opportunity, flexibility and family support are the keys to retaining the best
women and eliminating the extra cost of employing them. Opportunity means
judging and promoting ambitious women on the same terms as men. Flexibility
means allowing women to share jobs, work part-time, work from home while there
are young. Family support means principally, child care.

1.3.6 What Do Men Want

While there has been a lot of talk regarding the ―mysterious‖ needs of
women, there have been fewer questions on what men wanted especially in the
realm of work. After all, a man‘s profession and ability to bring home a pay check
have traditionally defined who that man was. And given that most men grew up
believing in the conventional symbols of manhood, status, there are still clear
emotional and financial costs involved in making other choices.

A new organization man has indeed emerged, one who wants to be an

involved father with no loss of income, prestige and corporate support and no
diminished sense of manhood. But since many companies still seem dedication to
career the sole marker of professional success, this new man may believe that he has
to hide his participation at home. Instead of taking advantage of his company‘s
parental leave policies, for instance he‘s likely to use sick days to watch over a new
baby. If the organizations do not develop suitable policies and strategies they also
lose their best and brightest men if they don‘t address the needs of the 1990s man.

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1.3.7 The New Psychological Contract

A great deal has been written about the changing psychological contract
between employees and employers (Cavanaugh and Noe, 1999). The rise in global
competition and advances in information technology are considered to be two of the
major forces behind the new contract (Schalk and Rousseau, 2001) In order to
determine what may have changed, it is important to understand the basis for
comparison. The old psychological contract was characterized by the paternalism of
employers towards their employees (Cavanaugh and Noe, 1999). Under the
traditional arrangement which is essentially non-existent today, employers offered a
lifetime career in a single organization in exchange for continued loyal service (Hall
and Mirvwas, 1996). Some have argued that the old contract was more mythical
than real. Today‘s psychological contract is characterized by recognition that the
employee and employer share responsibility for maintaining the relationship for as
long as it is mutually beneficial (Altman and Post, 1996; Sparrow, 2000).

The new psychological contract has created a canvas of commitment, but the
loyalty is still possible under the new contract. This can be achieved through
development opportunities and flexibility in exchange for performance and
adaptability and assume that individual employees are to be completely responsible
for their own career development. Employers unwilling to bear any of the
responsibility for employee‘s professional development are likely to find themselves
in violation of the psychological contract. Research shows that high levels of
violation of psychological contract have a number of potentially negative
repercussions, including increased likelihood of exit, neglect behaviors and
decreased demonstration of loyalty and organizational commitment.

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1.4 Work-Life Balance: An Imperative for Business

1.4.1 Skill Shortages

In the past, the provision of flexible work options is often viewed by the
organizations as an optional ‘fringe benefit‘. However in the present demographic
and economic climate, policies and strategies promoting work/life have become
crucial. Many developed countries are facing serious shortages of skilled workers
across industries. This is due to the ageing workforce that will grow proportionally
over the next 20 years. Research conducted by Australian Government Productivity
Commission (2005) shows one-quarter of Australians will be aged 65 years or more
by 2044–45, giving rise to economic and fiscal impacts that pose significant
challenges for organizations of all types and sizes. Drop in fertility levels in women
also contribute to this structural ageing. In 1996, the total fertility rate fell below
replacement level (2.1 births per woman) and a record low of 1.3 births per woman
occurred in 2005. From an organizational perspective, the adoption of work/life
balance practices can help ease the problem of skill shortages by attracting and
retaining previously untapped pools of talent – including mothers returning to the
labor market, mature workers and certain minority groups – by creating work
environments that would have been previously untenable.

1.4.2 Expensive Empty Desks

Work/life balance policies and practices can improve the employee experience
and hence help organizations to retain their staff. Turnover is a major issue for many
businesses because of the costs of hiring and training new personnel, as well as the
costs of not having departed employees working toward organizational goals. The
established link between the provision of flexible work options and reduction in
turnover means that work/life balance is now a strategic human resource issue.
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Research suggests that where employee‘s preferences for cultures and values are
consistent with actual organizational cultures and values, turnover is decreased. This
is known as person/organization fit. However, when priorities and goals are
incompatible, employees are more likely to seek consistent cultures elsewhere

1.4.3 Why Work Here?

In addition to staff turnover issues, organizations genuinely promoting and

supporting work/life balance policies often receive community recognition as good
corporate citizens, or employers of choice. Where skill shortages are evident or
where skilled applicants have a number of job offers, the willingness or otherwise of
an organization to accommodate employee‘s work/life balance may be a deciding
factor in accepting a job offer. In this war for talent it becomes very crucial for
employers to come up with attractive work – life policies and programs in order to
hire and retain their best talent. Environments that support employee‘s work/life
balance have been found to improve organizational commitment, higher job
satisfaction, less absenteeism and less inclination to leave the organization. directly
affecting the bottom line – defined as a belief and acceptance of organizational goals
and values, a willingness to put forth efforts toward these goals and a desire to
maintain organizational membership.

1.5 The gap between Work – Life Balance Policy & Practice

Despite an apparently widespread commitment to the principles of work/life

balance, the reality for many employees is not always consistent with the rhetoric.
Empirical studies show that the mere availability of extensive and generous
work/life policies does not necessarily result in widespread utilization by employees
or subsequent improvements in work/life balance and reductions in work/life
conflict. The low uptake in some organizations appears to be related to different
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organizational environments, also known as organizational work/life cultures, which
affect the extent to which flexible work options can be utilized and work/life balance
achieved. Five distinct aspects of work/life culture have been identified from
previous studies, all of which should be considered by organizations when
attempting to improve employee‘s work/life balance-

1.5.1 Managerial Support

Managers play an important role in the success of work/life programs because

they are in a position to encourage or discourage employee‘s efforts to balance their
work and family lives, where superiors enthusiastically support the integration of
paid work and other responsibilities, employees will be more likely to take up
available work/life programs. It has also been found that even in family-friendly
organizations managers discourage employees using available benefits and programs
contributing to increased work/family conflict and vice-versa. Hence managers play
a vital role in employee‘s decisions to use available benefits and programs.

1.5.2 Career Consequences

Another strongly associated factor with the under-utilization of work/life

policies is the perception of negative career consequences. There is a negative
perception that employees who use family-friendly policies are seen as less
committed to work and the organization, overlooked for training, promotions, fringe
benefits etc. This shows why family-friendly policies tend to be underused.
Importantly, participation by managers themselves in work/family programs
challenges the perception of work/life policy utilization and career progression as
being mutually exclusive paths within the organization.

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1.5.3 Time Expectations

The third factor that influences the use of work/life policies is organizational
time expectations the number of hours employees are expected to work. A
supportive work/life culture in terms of organizational time expectations has been
found to reduce work/family conflict, improve job satisfaction and increase
productivity. There is a false impression that, if an individual wants to succeed, one
has to be at work, one has to be there for long hours, and one has to continuously
commit to work as a top priority. Working long hours though, hinders the ability of
employees to meet conflicting responsibilities and subsequently forces some
employees to choose between achieving balanced roles and progressing in their
careers. However, a move from the traditional notion of long hours at the workplace
as the primary measure of productivity to performance-based assessment requires a
significant paradigm shift for some organizations. The shift to evaluating
performance on the basis of outputs rather than time spent physically at the
workplace is however an essential part of developing a culture that supports
work/life balance.

1.6 Antecedents of poor Work-Life outcomes

1.6.1 Multiple roles

It is generally agreed that work-life balance has become more difficult. Within
the past decade or so, the global workplace has seen increased numbers of working
women, dual-career and single parent families, and increased numbers of employees
with eldercare responsibilities; a decrease in job security; and a blurring of work-
family boundaries due to technological change (Brown, 2004; Duxbury & Higgins,
2001). Indeed, people hold various roles in their life, such as, for example, the role
of a student, worker, parent, or citizen. Each of these roles includes a line of
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expected behaviors. When formalized, these expected behaviors become norms.
Roles can be defined as the sum of behaviors, rights, and obligations that one has to
display in a given social situation (Sverko, et.al. 2007). In cases when the role
expectations of these two domains they‘re not compatible, most research has shown
that two separate types of conflict can arise (Frone et .al 1992): conflict due to the
disrupting interference of work to family life (work-to-family conflict) and conflict
due to the disrupting interference of family to work life (family-to-work conflict).
Individuals generally tend to fulfil expectations and satisfy norms, and therefore play
roles. In some stages of life individuals play multiple roles at once, but all these
roles are not equally important to them.

Usually two or three roles are the most prominent (salient), while others are
peripheral. Salient roles represent the essence of a person; they are the basis of
personal identity and are essential for life satisfaction (Super, et .al. 1996). When
they are held simultaneously, different roles interact and affect each other. Roles can
support or complement each other, but can also be in mutual conflict and become a
source of stress when the role demands are not compatible, or when they exceed the
capabilities of an individual.

1.6.2 Family-supportive culture

It has been argued that managers play an important role in the success of
WLBPs because they make implicit or explicit choices regarding the adoption of
workplace practices and are therefore, in a position to actively encourage or
discourage employees' efforts to balance their work and family lives (Thompson et
al., 1999). When supervisors are supportive, employees are likely to take up
available WLBPs. The fear of negative career consequences also discourages
employees to utilize WLBPs such as working flexitime. Co-workers perceive

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employees who utilize WLBPs to be less committed and that significantly influence
subsequent reward allocation, advancement opportunities and salary increases
(Allen, 2001).

For example, an employee might hesitate to use the full period of maternity
leave due to concerns of not being promoted. Such perceptions suggest compelling
reasons why WLBPs tend to be underutilized by employees. Another construct that
is reported to influence the utilization of WLBPs is, the 'time demands' or norms
concerning the number of hours, which employees are supposed to devote to work or
work- related activities (Thompson et al., 1999) and because of the strong norms of
'face time' and workaholic hours (Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2002).

1.6.3 Congruence between individual needs and organization’s solutions

Sometimes such programs may look impressive but in reality they might not
be of any help to employees who do not see any value in them. For example, hardly
efforts are taken to understand the needs of employees and design the programs
accordingly. Personal values may discourage employees from using WLBPs. An
ambitious employee may decide to concentrate on his/her career waiving the
advantages of these programs (Glass & Finley, 2002). Incongruence between
individual work and family values and organizational responsiveness towards work-
family issues is certainly a challenge to effectiveness of WLBPs.

1.6.4 Work-family climate

The construct of work-family climate, or how supportive an organizational

workgroup is of the integration of its employees' work and family lives, has been
referred to as culture (Thompson, Beauvawas, & Lyness, 1999; Warren &
Johnson, 1995), organizational perceptions (Allen, 2001; John, Thompson, &

20
Kopelman, 2003), and climate (Adams, Woolf, Castro, & Adler, 2005; Anderson,
Morgan, & Wilson, 2002; Hannigan, 2004). The climate of an organization
focuses on each individual's perception they have of the work environment, and
depending on their perceptions, this may influence (either improve or worsen) the
outcomes of performance in the workplace (Bochner, 2003). There is increasing
evidence that the ways employees perceive their work environment may influence
their behavior in ways that support the objectives and the goals of the organization
(Rósete, 2006). A supportive work-family climate is one in which organizations
understand and support that a person's family is their first priority, even above the
employee's work and the organization. Another dimension of the unsupportive work-
family culture/climate in Thompson et al.'s definition is the perceived negative
career consequences, implying that workers are indirectly penalized for utilizing
work-life benefits.

1.7 Outcomes of Work-Life Imbalance

Literature suggests that the absence of work-family balance, typically defined

in terms of elevated work-family conflict has been shown to affect important
organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction (Netemeyer et al., 1996),
organizational commitment (Wiley, 1987), employee turnover (Netemeyer et al.,
1996), absenteeism and tardiness (Goff, Mount, & Jamwason, 1990; Hammer,
Bauer, & Grandey, 2003; Thomas & Ganster, 1995), and job performance
(Aryee, 1992; Frone, Yardley, & Markel, 1997; Kossek, Colquitt, & Noe, 2001;
Wayne, Muswasca, & Fleeson, 2004).

1.7.1 Work life policies and job commitment

Friendly work life policies are required to reduce negative impacts of work
life conflict which is defined by (Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985) as an
21
incompatibility between responsibilities from the work and family. Recently many
researchers have attempted to highlight significance of work life policies. Family-
friendly policies should cater for the specific 'family' circumstances of all employees
(Lilley, 2004). In developed and developing countries, raising proportions of dual
earner families, increased female labor force participation and the growing number
of aged dependents means that a higher proportion of employees have family
responsibilities (Hall & Liddicoat 2005). Despite experiencing work-life conflict,
employees may maintain relatively high levels of organizational commitment
provided that they perceive the procedures used to plan and implement
organizational decisions are fair (Siegel et al, 2005). Spending more time at work
can be an outcome of employee commitment as (Lee & Hui, 1999) argues, "work
interference with family may be an indicator of how much devotion one has for
work." Some researchers consider organizational policies a source of work life
conflicts (Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002) argue that it is
possible that having a sense of being "trapped" in an organization is both stressful
for employees and a source of conflict in the home. (Roehling, Roehling & Moen,
2001) suggests "flexible-time benefits are associated with increased loyalty for men
and women at all life stages. Dockel (2003), in his study on high technology
employees, found that "work life policies have a strong and significant relationship
with organizational commitment".

1.7.2 Work life balance and performance

Most of the research conducted in different countries shows that there is a

negative relationship between personal life and employee performance. For instance
Frone et al. (1997) examined the impact of work-life conflict on performance and
reported a momentous relationship, he used a self reported scale to measure job
performance. Aryee (1992) reported that performance is related to job-parent
22
conflict but not to job-spouse conflict in his study. Blackhurst, Brandt &
Kalinowski (1998) have found that organizational commitment is negatively related
to family life of the persons which leads to low performance and hence high work-
life conflict. Jackson and Schüler (1985) and Aven (1988) wrote that the job
affects personal life of employees and vice versa. It is said that in terms of
commitment that work-life conflict affects it and ultimately the performance of
employee is reduced. The same was investigated by Allen and Meyer (1990). Work
to family conflict has negative impact on performance of people according to Lee
and Hui (1999), when work affects the family the performance decreases but it is a
good indicator of measuring dedication one has for his job. Work-family conflict is
drastically associated with organizational commitment, and if an employee loses
commitment then ultimately the performance is reduced as per Ali and Baloch
(1999). Netemeyer, Maxham and Pullig (2005), in their study on customer service
employees, customers and supervisors, found direct and indirect effects between
work-family conflict and employee performance where the performances are rated
by supervisor.. Brandt, Krawczyk and Kalinowski (2008) found that there exists a
conflict between life and job performance of employees. Relationship between
work-family conflict and performance ratings given to men and women have also
been studied by Butler and Skattebo (2004). The overall performance is found for
men who experienced work-family conflict than men who did not, but no difference
in overall performance ratings were given to women who experienced the work-life
conflict and women who did not. Work-family conflict and job performance is tested
by inadequate number of empirical studies, and many studies out of them have
produced conflicting results concerning to the relationship between the two
constructs i.e. work-life conflict and employee job performance (Allen et al, 2000).
Since there are number of studies that tend to support the negative relationship
between work-family conflict and job performance.
23
1.7.3 Work life balance and employee's turnover

Turnover intent is the cognitive process of thinking, planning, and desiring to

leave a job (Mobley et. al, 1979). According to Mobley (1982); Steers and
Mowday (1982); Black and Stevens (1989) intention to stay is significantly
negatively correlated with turnover. Mitchell, et al., (2000) pointed that it is easier
to measure turnover intent than voluntary turnover as administrative records may be
unavailable, incomplete, or inaccurate. In their analysis of occupational turnover,
Dalessio, Silverman, and Schuck (1986) stated: more attention should be given to
the direct and indirect influences of variables on intention to quit as opposed to the
actual act of turnover. From the employer" s standpoint, intention to quit may be a
more important variable then the actual act of turnover. If the precursors to intention
to quit are better understood, the employer could possibly institute changes to affect
this intention. However, once an employee has quit, there is little the employer can
do except assume the expense of hiring and training another employee. Work-life
balance has been described as the self-perceived, satisfactory integration of personal
time, family care, and work with a minimum of role conflict (Clark, 2000;
Ungerson & Yeandle, 2005).

1.7.4 Work life balance and job stress & burnout

According to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association in

Arlington, Virginia. 75-90 percent of physician visits are related to stress and,
according to the American Institute of Stress, the cost to industry has been estimated
at $200 billion-$300 billion a year. Steven L. Sauter, chief of the Applied
Psychology and Ergonomics Branch of the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, states that recent studies show that "the
workplace has become the single greatest source of stress" (Paul, 1963). It is clear

24
that problems caused by stress have become a major concern to both employers and
employees. Symptoms of stress are manifested both physiologically and
psychologically. Persistent stress can result in cardiovascular diseases, sexual health
problems, a weaker immune system and frequent headaches, stiff muscles, or
backache. It can also result in poor coping skills, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity,
exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating. Stress may also perpetuate or lead to binge
eating, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

1.7.5 Work life balance and social and economic costs (Peacock, 2007)

The 2002 OECD report which focused on work-family reconciliation in

Australia, Denmark and the Netherlands noted that a good work-family balance
results in families better able to stand the stresses of modern life, better child
development outcomes, less public expenditure and higher fertility (or at least
enabling families to have their desired number of children) (OECD 2002).
International studies show that poor work-life outcomes are associated with
significant health costs that occur across the labor market.

25
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

As there is relatively few published literature (studies) available on Work-life

balance of faculties for engineering & management institutes, so, researcher has
included studies of other nations and other occupations that are relevant to their
research.

This chapter is a documentation of the review of literature that has been

carried out. It contains empirical data that has relevance and significance to the
present study. The review contains studies on work – life balance.

2.1 What is Work?

The definition of work can be as narrow as paid employment or as broad as an

activity that involves effort. Porter (2004) suggests that ―the meaning of work has
varied across time and culture- a curse, a calling, a social obligation, a natural
activity, a means to a better life or simply what they do because they have to.‖
(Porter, 2004 p.425). The variety of meanings expressed demonstrates how
individual the concept of work is, and that it is strongly influenced by the
experiences of those defining it. The definition can be broad and inclusive as it
recognizes the wide variety of work situations that may be encountered.

In particular, (Lewis 2003) suggest that ―work is often defined in terms of

obligated time, whether paid or unpaid.‖ (p.344). This definition incorporates the
multiplicity of activities that people may consider are work related. It includes the
time one spends going out to paid employment, participating in volunteer activities,
to the time spent to performing household duties or obtaining education. Although it
is clear there are many activities that can be classified as work which do not involve
26
an individual being paid, for the purpose of this research, work will be understood to
paid work, as that provides a certain amount of clarity when distinguishing activities.
The benefit of using this narrow definition of work is that it will ensure subjects
interviewed in this study will be able to clearly differentiate work and life issues.

Individual perceptions about work will ultimately influence whether it is

viewed from a positive or negative perspective and whether this view will lead to
positive or negative outcomes for the organization (Douglas and Morris, 2006).
There tends to be an underlying assumptions expressed in some of the literature that
work is something the individual is compelled to undertake in order to earn an
income, and that it is more or less an intrusion into the activities in which he/she
would much prefer to participate (Eikhof, et al., 2007). It is this type of perception
that leads to a negative view of what work means in people‘s lives and can also lead
to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration which in turn lead to a loss of
productivity. Issues such as organizational design and work intensification (Savery
and Luks, 2000) can also put more pressure and stress on employees.

On the other hand there is a research that shows that work is a very positive
activity in the lives of many individuals. According to Eikhof et al. (2007), rather
than being an intrusion, work can be a source of self fulfillment and satisfaction.
People are able to come to work when there is a sense of purpose and clarity about
what they are aiming to achieve; there is a structure around what they are doing, and
there are often clearly defined goals against which they can measure their
performance and therefore be clear about what they have achieved.

One study conducted in the United Kingdom revealed that over 60 percent of
men and women are actually satisfied with their work situations and about 2.4
million workers prefer work to home (Wasles, 2004 in Eikhof et al., 2007)

27
indicating that work can provide a sense of purpose and happiness in people‘s lives.
Furthermore it could be suggested that the enjoyment of work has very positive
outcomes, as more motivated employees are less likely to suffer from stress induced
conditions leading to potentially leading to problems like absenteeism (Burke,
2000). This attitude will affect the way the people view the amount of time spent on
work as opposed to the time they had available for what could be considered life
activities.

2.2 What is Life?

The technological revolution is supposed to bring an increased time for leisure

(Lewis, 2003) and provide opportunities for individuals to pursue activities that gave
them variety in their lives. In fact, people are working longer hours than pre-
industrial revolution workers. (Evans, 2000)

Throughout history there have been changes in the way individuals allocate
their time, because the days were defined in terms of required activities. Typically
from the 1950‘s until the advent of more accommodating technology, workers would
travel to the actual place of employment, carry out their work requirements, and at
end of day return to their place of residence and undertake other duties or activities.
(Connell, 2005). This might have involved playing a sport, engaging in study, or
having dinner with the family or even extended family.

The weekend is a time when, unless employment required shift work, the
individual participated in what would be seen as leisure activities or family time
(Totheyrs et al, 2006). There is a clear distinction between ‘work‘ and ‘life‘.

With the introduction of technology and labor saving devices it has become more
difficult to distinguish between the two concepts (Lewis et al., 2003). The options

28
these technological devices provide have made it more of a challenge to determine
how they define a leisure activity. For the purpose of this research leisure can be
considered from two different perspectives. Firstly, there is an unallocated time they
have for the activities they freely choose to do, and then there is a time they spend
doing the activities they associate with enjoyment (Lewis, 2003). Thus, in terms of
this definition, the life component of work-life balance is what they do when they
are not committed to work schedule and when they freely choose to participate in
those activities.

For some the plethora of choices employees spend their time when they are
not working, include looking after family, enjoying a hobby, pursuing the many
options for ongoing education or seeking out opportunities to travel. The choices are
also expanded due to the vast number of entertainment options, surfing the readily
available information on the internet and communicating using the many new and
instantaneous methods available leading people to seek out the time to spend on
these activities. Thus, individual need to take the opportunity to make choices about
how they allocate the time available to maximize satisfaction from life. This broad
and inclusive view of leisure serves to provide a distinction from the work definition
minimizing ambiguity in the research.

2.3 Work-Family Conflict

Bloom and Van Reenen (2006) found that work family conflict can also have
negative impact on the organization, both financial and non-financial-issue. Based
on a study of 732 manufacturing firms in US, France, Germany and the UK.
Organizations which offer better work life balance practices enjoyed higher
productivity. As far as non-financial aspects of organizational performance is
concerned, research shows that firms that adopt more better work life balance

29
policies can improve the level of job satisfaction and increase organizational
commitment among their employees.

Burke & Greenglass, 1987; Evans & Bartolome, 1984; Lambert, 1990;
Payton, Miyazaki & Brayfield, 1976; Repetti, 1987; Staines, 1980; Zeddeck,
1992 there are number of mechanisms linking work & family: spill over,
compensation, segmentation, resource drain, congruence, and work-family conflict

Greehaus & Beutell (1985, p.77) Work family conflict, ―is a form of interrole
conflict in which the role pressures from work and family domains are mutually
incompatible in some respect.

The concepts Work-life balance and Work-life conflict have received much
attention in academic literature (Hayman, 2005; Moore, 2007; Peacock, 2005). The
terms work-life balance and work-family balance are often used interchangeably, but
generally are applied to the same concept (Hill, Hawkins, Ferris, & Theyitzman,
2001; Quick, Henley, & Quick, 2004; Reiter, 2007).

2.4 Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is a concept that deals with the ability of individuals,

irrespective of the age or their gender, to get into a flow that allows them to combine
the demands of work and other non-work responsibilities and/or activities (Hughes
and Bonzionelos, 2007).

2.4.1 Emerging concept

Much research has been conducted about work-life or work-family balance as

it has become an increasingly important issue for both individuals and organizations

30
(Ezzedeen, 2004; Ahmad, 2003; Noor, 2004). There are three significant
approaches to the way this concept

2.4.2 Company focused approach

These changes in society impacted on business and work organization and

hence work-life balance has become a matter of organizational concern over the last
few decades. The main impetus for the focus on this issue is the need for recruitment
and retention of employees (Lewis, 2003; Wise and Bond, 2003). Organizations
faced unacceptable levels of staff turnover as employees found it difficult to manage
the demands of work and family resulting from the changing attitudes to work and
life (Hill, Hawkins, Ferrwas and Theyitzman, 2001). The main emphasis of the
work-life balance interest in the early stages of policy development is the company
focused approach. This ―business case‖ (Tomlinson, 2004 p. 413) requirement of
work-life balance for an organization (for example attracting and retaining staff),
created a need within organizations to accommodate the employees‘

2.4.3 Family centric approach

Increasing awareness of the above trends led organizations to recognize

they‘re facing new challenges managing their workforces. This encouraged them to
introduce what are known as family friendly policies, designed with the intention of
assisting employees to create some balance between their work and family lives
(Bardwell, 2003).

2.4.4 Quality of life approach

Through recognition of the possibility the work-family policies could be

exclusive, the concept of work-life emerged in the 1990s. This is a term that is more
inclusive and gender neutral. It included the needs of men, women, those with or
31
without family responsibilities, and those who wanted to be involved in activities
beyond the limits of the workplace (Lewis, 2003). Hughes and Bozionelos (2007)
point out those men also experience issues with work-life balance, not necessarily
because they want to spend time on family matters but because they have hobbies,
sports or friends that require their time.

2.5 Trends of Research on Work-Life Balance

The literature of work – life balance is full of discussion about the lack of
effective policies, under utilization of work – life balance programs, job satisfaction,
performance management, organizational commitment, productivity and other
related concepts.

The most important form of flexible work arrangement used in organization is

four days a week. It supports mothers, but at a cost because of gendered
assumptions. The gendered construction of the ideal worker and ideas of competence
conflated with hegemonic masculinity, remain powerful. This, together with a
prevalent ―good mother‖ ideology, undermines both gender equity and workplace
effectiveness Lewis & Humbert (2010). Indian organizations have to do a lot to
treat work-life balance practices as strategic aspect of organizational performance
and effectively communicate about the availability of different work-life balance
practices, further family contributes extensively to work in terms of enhancing
performance and positive emotions at workplace Baral (2009). Firms that adopt
better work life balance policies can improve the level of job satisfaction and
increase organizational commitment among their employees Bloom and Van
Reenen (2006).

32
2.6 Work-Life Balance Policies

Morgan and Milliken (1992) suggest that there are three types of
work/family policies created to assist employees in balancing their work and family
lives; that is, the provision of careers‘ arrangements, alternative work arrangements
and offsite working arrangements.

Glass and Finley (2002) similarly identified three categories of policies.

Specifically, parental leave, alternative work arrangements and employer supported
child care.

2.6.1 Careers' Arrangements

Careers' arrangements refers to any form of benefit specifically designed to

accommodate employees with leave, facilities or flexibility to care for children,
elders or other family members. Careers' arrangements could be policies perceived
by individuals necessary to enhance their ability to achieve WLB (Glass & Finley,
2002), which found positive effects on productivity (Kossek & Nichol, 1992),
absenteeism, conflict reduction (Thomas & Ganster, 1995) job satisfaction and
turnover (Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2002).

2.6.2 Flexible work schedules

Den Dulk et al. (2014) write that flexible working arrangements allow
employees to adapt working hours or place of work to responsibilities outside work,
for instance to work from home in case in case of a sick child or other family
member.

33
2.6.3 Alternative work arrangements

For the purpose of this study 'alternative work arrangements' is referred to as a

work week of fewer than 5 days and flexibility to take time off without pay for hours
not physically at work. Eaton (2003) describes these types of flexible arrangements
as providing an alternative to working the 9-5, 5 days a week schedule, defining
alternative work arrangements as 'the ability to change the temporal and spatial
boundaries of one‘s job. Eaton (2003) also found that work/family policies they‘re
more important to employees where supervisors allowed more flexibility than the
formally provided policies by the employer, such as annual leave and sick leave.

2.6.4 Offsite arrangements

The current study defines 'offsite' as any form of work conducted during the normal
business hours performed outside the traditional workplace site that does not require
a physical presence in the workplace. Research confirms that offsite arrangements
enable increased autonomy in the scheduling of paid work, housework and childcare
responsibilities (Wise & Bond, 2003). Working from home has been reported to
improve home communications and help families save on food, clothing and
transportation costs (Kossek, 2005). Research shows that offsite policies are
correlated with increased motivation and job satisfaction, helping employees have
higher dedication and morale, and a higher energy level on the job due to
elimination of wasted time (Hill, Hawkins, & Miller, 1996; Kurland & Bailey,
1999).

34
2.7 Outcomes of Work-Family Balance

2.7.1 Employee Outcomes

Overall, a perceived satisfaction with work-family-balance leads to a higher

degree of satisfaction with family life and increased they‘ll-being and life-
satisfaction in general (Ayree et al., 1999: 505). Employees are happy with their
two domains.

Considering the work-related outcomes, employees who experience a low

work-family conflict and realize thereby a favorable work-family-balance, report
higher levels of job satisfaction (Thomas/Ganster, 1995: 10). A high level of
contentment with his or her own work-family-balance implies a higher level of
employee‘s loyalty for the firm (Kaiser et al., 2010: 245) and lower intentions to
change to another company (Anderson et al., 2002: 803). Furthermore, those
employees who are expected by their supervisors to be satisfied with their work-
family-balance advance faster in their career (Lyness/Judiesch, 2008: 798).

2.7.2 Company Outcomes

Several outcomes of work-family-balance are direct outcomes for the

employee and indirect outcomes for the company. Employees, who are loyal,
satisfied and committed, contribute to the overall objective and positive outcome for
the company, and that is improved business performance and better results. Healthy
employees are less vulnerable to diseases, both physically and psychologically,
which in turn decreases the absenteeism rate. This is a factor that is increasingly
becoming important, given the fact that especially psychological diseases cause long
periods of disability that is extremely expensive for the company.

35
2.8 Work-Life Balance related Measures

The measures which are offered by the employer are more popular than
individual related actions and can be divided into time-related, education-related or
financial related measures and direct services .

36
 CHAPTER 3

OBJECTIVES & RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

Research is a process involving a number of activities which could be carried

out either in a sequential or in parallel. The Research depends on various factors like
the person under taking the research, his ability, research topic time available and
budget allotted. The Present research is undertaken with the aim to study Work-Life
Balance of faculties management and engineering institutes in Mumbai & Pune.

The purpose of this chapter is to focus on the methodology of the study, the
process and methods according to which the research is executed. The outline of this
chapter includes the objectives of the study, Hypothesis to be tested, the type of
research design and related methodology i.e. tools and procedures which included
the population of the study, sampling procedure and sample size, conceptualization
of the main concepts, data collection techniques and data analysis techniques of the
study.

3.2 Problem Statement

Work-life balance has become a universal concern for organizations as they‘ll

as individuals in the fast paced digital age that they inhabit. Rise in the 365/24/7
Global Operations, coping with the time zones with more and more businesses
emphasizing on round the clock customer services the concern for work-life balance
for employees has become more essential. Ironically technology has added to the
speed of operation, rather than easing the work practice. Employees are expected to
work long hours and cope with tougher deadlines. Today‘s world literally doesn‘t go
to sleep.
37
With all the above mentioned concerns regarding work – life balance this study
focuses primarily on faculties of engineering and management institutes. Apart from
this, the research will also focus on the relationship between various demographic
factors like Age, Gender, and Location etc on different variables. The variables
selected for this study are: Level of Stress, Work amenities & provisions provided
by educational institution, Factors promoting & hindering Work-Life Balance and
Job Satisfaction.

3.3 Research Design

According to Kothari (2004), descriptive research studies are concerned with

describing the characteristics of a particular individual or a group with specific
predictions, comparisons and narration of facts. Since the present study focused on
the levels of stress as experienced by male and female management & engineering
teaching professionals describing their demographics in details in line with the
objectives of the study, it can be appropriately referred to as descriptive research
design.

3.4 Objectives of Study

The current research study is an attempt to understand the work life schedule
of Faculties of Engineering & Management institutes of Mumbai & Pune region.
Also, the study will highlight the relation between the level of stress and the
demographics of an individual. The present study is formulated with the following
objectives: The present study is formulated with the following objectives:

i. To study work life schedule of faculties of engineering & management institutions

ii. To study the level of stress among faculties of engineering & management
institutes
38
iii. To study the impact of demographic variables on work-life balance

iv. To study the existing Work-Life Balance policies in organizations

3.5 Hypothesis of Study

To pursue the proposed study, the following hypotheses are framed and their
validity tested through research techniques:

H01= There is no association between Work-Life Balance and demographic

variables (City, Course, Gender, Marital Status)

H11= There is an association between Work-Life Balance and demographic

variables (City, Course, Gender, Marital Status)

H02= There is no significant association between Work-Life Balance and

Employer‘s contribution to WLB

H12= There is a significant association between Work-Life Balance and Employer‘s

contribution to WLB

39
 CHAPTER 4
COMPANY PROFILE
SKS Group based out of Salem, TN started in the year 1987 has interests
in Healthcare, Automotive, Information Technology & Education with
over 1200 employees.Our core focus of Customer centricity, Good business practice,
Employee welfare & Sustainability will hold us in good stead as we move into our
4th Decade of operations. SKS Automobiles – Authorised Dealer, Mahindra &
Mahindra Auto Sector. SKS Automobiles started in 2005 as a 3S dealership in
Salem has grown over the years with Dealer branches
at Hosur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, Thiruchengode & Attur.

We cater to new vehicle Sales, Service, Body & Paint and Spares
requirements of Mahindra Personal & commercial range of vehicles.

SALES

Our Personal range of vehicles is showcased in our Flagship digital

Showroom in Salem, ‘World of SUV’. It leverages state-of-the-art VR & digital aids
to enhance the showroom experience.

Our Commercial vehicle showroom, adjacent to the Personal showroom,

offers multiple solutions for the entry to mid-level Freight industry

AFTER SALES

After sales requirements are catered to by the regions’ first multi-level

Workshop as well as a Express service facility‘ Compact Quik’situated in Salem city
and 6 Workshops spread across neighboring districts. All the workshops adhere to
M&M’s quality & customer service standards.

40
SPARES

Spares are stocked throughout our service network with the main Warehouse
situated in Salem.

SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

We take giving back to the society very seriously. Through our various group
concerns and in collaboration with other social organisations, we have been actively
involved in multiple projects of various types.

Our upcoming Solar facility will reduce energy requirements in our Salem
Dealership significantly, reducing impact on the environment.

TECHNICAL TRAINING

SKS Auto-Tech Industrial School was established in 2007. It is a Tamil Nadu

Government certified institute providing One Year and Two Year Automotive
courses with in-plant exposure in Multiple brands of dealerships.

41
 CHAPTER 5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

5.1 Methodology of Study

Methodology relates to plan of study, which includes Data collection, types of

Questionnaire, Processing of data and finally interpretation of data. Basically, the
data is collected from Secondary as they‘ll as Primary Sources. These classifications
are made according to the objective of the research. In some cases the research will
fall into one of this category, but in other cases research will fall into another
category.

5.1.1 Secondary Data:

Before going through the time and expense of collecting primary data, one
should check for secondary data that previously may have been collected for other
purpose but that can be used in the immediate study. Secondary data may be internal
to the firm, such as Business Development Strategy, In-House Research Team,
Documented Papers or many are external to the firm such as published data or
commercially available data. Secondary data has the advantage of saving time and
reducing data gathering costs. The disadvantage is that the data may not fit the
problem perfectly and that the accuracy may be more difficult to verify for
secondary data than for primary data.

Sources of secondary data for this research are: Websites, Articles,

Magazines, Publications, and Annual Reports, Journals as well as Thesis &
Dissertations and other project on the same or related topic.

42
5.1.2 Primary Data:

Primary data collection is necessary when a researcher cannot find the data
needed in secondary sources. Three basic means of obtaining primary data are
observation, surveys, and experiments. The choice will be influenced by the nature
of the problem and by the availability of time and money.

5.2 Research Instrument

For this study, the survey-questionnaire instrument was used to achieve the
main objective of the study. The questionnaire was designed after referring to
extensive literature available on same as they‘ll as related topic. A self-administered
questionnaire was distributed to the faculties. The questionnaire included 30
questions of open-ended, close-ended & Likert scale type of questions. The research
instrument is divided into three categories of Personal Information, Work related
Information & Information on Work-Life Balance.

5.3 Sampling

Sampling refers to the way that observations are selected from a population to
be in the sample for a sample survey. The sample related to the present study will
basically include the entire population of Faculties from Management & Engineering
institute all over India. But the potential respondents (element) are basically selected
from two cities of Maharashtra i.e. Mumbai and Pune. Judgmental Sampling was
used for this research and the sample included faculties from all genres like Lecturer,
Asst. Professors, Associate Professors, Professors, and Head of Departments.

43
5.3.1 Sampling Method

A Non-Probability Convenience sampling was used in this research. With

non-probability sampling methods, they do not know the probability that each
population element will be chosen, and/or they cannot be sure that each population
element has a non-zero chance of being chosen. Non-probability sampling methods
offer two potential advantages - convenience and cost. The main disadvantage was
that non-probability sampling method was that it does not allows to estimate the
extent to which sample statistics are likely to differ from population parameters. A
convenience sample was nothing but, was made up of people who are easy to reach.

5.3.2 Sample Size

The accuracy of a sample is based on its absolute size, not its proportion of the
total population. A larger sample will always be more reliable than a smaller sample
whatever the total size of the population. As a general rule, 200 is regarded a
minimum reliable sample size. Whatever the size of the customer base a sample of
500 would provide a very reliable result at the overall level. It is not a large
customer base that creates a requirement for a large sample but the number of
segments that the results need to be broken down into. As a rule of thumb, a sample
of 50 is regarded as the minimum per segment, and preferably 100. For the present
study 200 samples is selected.

5.4 Sampling Technique:

Random sampling can be used to select the individual units for better
productivity of the questionnaire.

44
5.5 Limitations of the study
 The time stipulated for the project is very short.
 Relevant papers and documents were not available sufficiently
 I am also less experienced in this regard.

45
 CHAPTER 6
DATA ANALYSIS& INTERPRETATION
6.1 How many days in a week do you normally work?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 LESS THEN 5 DAYS 0 0

2 5 DAYS 0 0

3 6 DAYS 90 90

4 7 DAYS 10 10

TOTAL 100 100

LESS THEN 5 DAYS 5 DAYS

0% 0%

7 DAYS
10%

6 DAYS
90%

46
Interpretation:
 90% of the employees are working 6 day in a week.
 10% of employees are working 7 days in a week.
From the above analysis we can know that most of the employees are working
6 days in a week and 10% of employees are 7 days a week. And they need some rest,
at least 2 Saturdays in a month to spend with their families.

6.2 How many hours in a day do you normally work?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 7-8 HOURS 15 15

2 8-9 HOURS 45 45

3 8-9 HOURS 25 25

4 8-9 HOURS 15 15

MORE THEN 12
5 0 0
HOURS

TOTAL 100 100

47
 MORE THEN 12
0%

8-9 HOURS 7-8 HOURS

15% 15%

8-9 HOURS
25%

8-9 HOURS
45%

Interpretation:
 15% of employees are working 7-8 hours per day.
 45% of employees are working 8-9 hours per day.
 25% of employees are 9-10 hours.
 15% of employees are 10-12 hours.
From the above analysis we can know that the maximum no of employees are
working more than 8 hours to reach their targets in time by setting goals and also
working more effectively and efficiently to increase the company standards in
quality. (For this, at least they should have the flexible staring time).

48
6.3 Do you generally feel you are able to balance your work-life?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 74 74

2 NO 26 26

TOTAL 100 100

NO
26%

YES
74%

Interpretation:
 37% of employees are saying yes.
 13% of employees are saying no.
From the above analysis we can know that maximum no of employees are
having the good work life balance, and 13 percent of employees are saying no.

49
6.4 How do you feel about the amount of the time you spend at work?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 VERY UNHAPPY 5 5

2 UNHAPPY 5 5

3 INDIFFERENT 25 25

4 HAPPY 55 55

5 VERYHAPPY 10 10

TOTAL 100 100

VERY UNHAPPY
UNHAPPY
5%
5%

VERYHAPPY
10%

INDIFFERENT
25%

HAPPY
55%

50
Interpretation:
 5% employees feel very unhappy.
 5% employees feel unhappy.
 25% employees feel indifferent
 55% employees feel happy
 10% employees feel very happy
From the above analysis we know that half of the employees are happy with
the time they are spending in office and 25% of employees are indifferent and rest of
them is unhappy.
6.5 How do manage if stress arising from your work?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YOGA 10 10

2 READING BOOKS 10 10

3 ENTERTAINMENT 80 80

TOTAL 100 100

51
 YOGA READING BOOKS
10% 10%

ENTERTAINMENT
80%

Interpretation:
80% of employees are in to entertainment. 10% are doing Yoga. 10% are
Reading books.
From the above analysis, we can know that 80 Percent of employees are in to
different entertainment programs to take out there stress and rest of them are doing
Yoga and reading books.

6.6 Does your company have a separate policy for work-life balance?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS
1 YES 10 10
2 NO 35 35
3 NOT AWARE 55 55
TOTAL 100 100

52
 YES
10%

NO
NOT AWARE
35%
55%

Interpretation:
55% of employees are not aware the separate policy for work life balance.
35% of employees have said no. 10% of employees have said yes.
From the above analysis we can know that half of the employees are not
aware of work life balance policy in company, 35 percent have said ‘NO‘ and 10%
have said ‘YES‘.

6.7 Does your organization provide you telephone for personal use?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 56 56
2 NO 44 44
TOTAL 100 100

53
 NO
44%

YES
56%

Interpretation:
From the sample size 20, 17 members have given the response for this
question Only 6% have got cells for personal use 44% have said ‘NO‘

6.8 Does your organization provide you counseling service for employees?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 81 81

2 NO 19 19

TOTAL 100 100

54
 NO
19%

YES
81%

Interpretation:
From the sample size 20, 16 members have gave response for this question.
19% of employees have the counseling service. 31% are saying NO they don‘t have
counseling service. From the above analysis we can know that maximum no of
employees are not taking part in counseling, very less percent of employees are
going for counseling.

6.9 Does your organization provide you Health programs?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 11 64.7
2 NO 6 35.3
TOTAL 17 100

55
 NO
35%

YES
65%

Interpretation:
From the sample size of 20, 17 members have gave the response. 32% are
saying YES they have the regular health checkup in office. 18% are saying NO.
From the above analysis we can know that there is a regular health checkup is going
on in office and some of the employees are not taking part in.

6.10 Does your organization provide you Parenting or family support

programs.?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 5 33.3
2 NO 10 66.7
TOTAL 15 100

56
 YES
33%

NO
67%

Interpretation:
From the sample size 20, 15 members have responded for this question. 17%
of employees have agreed there are family support programs. 33% of employees
have disagreed for this. From the above analysis we can know that very less no of
employees are taking part in family day and other programs

6.11 Does your organization provide you Exercise facilities?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS
1 YES 4 25
2 NO 5 31.25
3 YES BUT NO TIME 7 43.75
TOTAL 16 100

57
 YES
25%

YES BUT NO TIME

44%

NO
31%

Interpretation:
25% of employees are saying ‘YES‘. 44% of employees are YES but no Time
31% of employees are saying NO. From the above analysis we can know that there
is a facility provided by company but there is no time for them to go.

6.12 Does your organization provide you Relocation facilities and choices?

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 YES 4 28.6
2 NO 10 71.4
TOTAL 14 100

58
 YES
29%

NO
71%

Interpretation:
From the sample size 20, 14 have responded for this question. 14% of
employees have said yes there is relocation facility. 36% of employees have said no.
From the above analysis we can know that maximum no of employees have said
there is no relocation facility and choices in company.

6.13 Education Course

SL. NO.OF
ATTRIBUTES PERCENTAGE
NO RESPONDENTS

1 Engineering 10 10

2 Diploma 55 55

3 Management 35 35

TOTAL 100 100

59
 Engineering
10%

Management
35%

Diploma
55%

The basic objective of the study is to identify the Work-Life Balance of

Faculties belonging to different background i.e. Engineering & Management. These
two educational courses were selected basically to examine the significance of
Work-Life Balance with respect to graduation & post graduation field.

Above table indicates, that out of total sample of 200, there is an equal
distribution of Sample for both educational courses which are engineering &
management. This information is presented using Pie diagram as shown below:

60
 CHAPTER 7
FINDINGS, SUUGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION
7.1 FINDINGS:
 From the table 1&2, it is inferred that weekly most of the employees are
working more than regular timings.
 From the table 3, it shows that employee work life balance in SKS
AUTOMOBILES is good, with the policies and procedures.
 From the table 4, the working environment is very good and the employees
are not feeling stress in office with that they are not feeling its again Monday.
 From table 5, most of the employees are going for entertainment programs
 From table 6, can know that there will be no separate work life balance in any
company but have to balance the employees work life with company policies
and procedures.
 From table 7, company is providing Health programs, family support
programs, exercise facilities, relocation facilities & choices but no
transportation.
 From table 9, the policies for work life balance should be customized to
individual needs.
 From table 11, most of the employees are not aware of welfare programs.
 From table 12, the response goes from HR department is very quick.

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7.2 Suggestions
As a result of the data analysis and interpretation, here are some suggestions
to improve the Employee work life balance at SKS AUTOMOBILES. The
effective employee work-life balance has better organizational commitment which
leads to better production output and minimum employee turnover.
 Continue with the environment and sanitation hygiene facilities as the
employees are very much satisfied with them.
 Quality of food in the canteen of the company must be improved so that it will
satisfy the employee tastes.

7.3 Conclusion
From the study it is clear that employee work life balance in SKS
AUTOMOBILES is good, But there is a small gap from employee satisfaction to
company. Work-life balance programmes offer a win-win situation for employers
and employees. While the employee may perceive work-life balance as the dilemma
of managing work obligations and non-work responsibilities, work-life balance from
the employer‘s point of view encompasses the challenge of creating a supportive
company culture where employees can focus on their jobs while at work. In
whichever way it is viewed, the existence of effective work-life balance programmes
in an organisation will do both the employee and employer good. For the employer,
work-life initiatives create positive employer branding, promote being an employer
of choice, foster organizational citizenship, and support diversity initiatives. For the
employee, there is lesser stress, increased happiness, motivation, and productivity,
and a better chance of reaching both personal and career goals satisfactorily. The key
role of HR therefore, is to understand the critical issues of work-life balance,
integrate it into the organization‘s HR policy, and champion work-life balance
programmes.
62
REFERENCES
1. Blair-Loy, M., & Wharton, A.S. (2002). ―Employees‟ use of work-family
policies and the workplace social context‖. Social Forces, 80, 813-845.
2. Blood, R.O., & Wolfe, D.M. (1960). Husbands and wives. New York:
Macmillan.
3. Champoux, J.E. (1978). ―Perceptions of work and non-work: A
reexamination of the compensatory and spillover models‖. Sociology of Work
and Occupations, 5, 402-422.
4. Clark, S.C. (2000). ―Work/family border theory: A new theory of
work/family balance‖. Human Relations, 53, 747-770.
5. Elloy, D.F. & Smith, C.R. (2003). ―Patterns of stress, work-family conflict,
role conflict, role ambiguity and overload among dual career couples: An
Australian study‖. Cross Cultural Management. 10(1): 55-66.
6. Epie, C. (2006). ―Family-responsive policies in the Nigerian environment‖.
Paper presented at the ACREW Conference 2006 on socially responsive
approaches to employment and work. London.
7. Lockwood, N.R. (2003). ―Work-life balance: Challenges and solutions‖.
Society for Human Resource Management Research Quarterly, Alexandria,
VA.

63
QUESTIONNAIRE
1. How many days in a week do you normally work?

2. How many hours in a day do you normally work.

-8 HOURS
-9 HOURS
-10 HOURS
-12 HOURS

3. Do you generally feel you are able to balance your work-life?

4. How do you feel about the amount of the time you spend at work?

HAPPY
5. How do manage if stress arising from your work.

6. Does your company have a separate policy for work-life balance?

64
7. Does your organization provide you telephone for personal use?
YES

8. Does your organization provide you counseling service for employees

9. Does your organization provide you Health programs?

10. Does your organization provide you Parenting or family support programs.

11. Does your organization provide you Exercise facilities?

12. Does your organization provide you Relocation facilities and choices?

65