CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

The core purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of work life balance on employee
job satisfaction in Norvic International Hospital. Work life balance is the state of
equilibirium in which demand of personal life, professional life and family life are equal.
In other words work life balance is a term commonly used to describe the balance that a
working individual needs between time allocated for work and other aspects of life. Work
life balance is a satisfactory level of involvement between the multiple roles in a person’s
life. Although definition and explanation vary, work life balance is generally associates
with equilibrium or maintaining an overall sense of harmony in life (Clarke, 2004).

Lockwood (2003) explained work life balance as a process of managing work and
personal responsibilities. In considering the impact of work life balance on employee job
satisfaction it is at the core of issues central to human resource development. It is a
measure of how happy employees are with their job and working environment. Keeping
the morale high among employees can be of tremendous benefit to the company, as
employees would be more likely to produce more, take fewer days off, and stay loyal to
the company. The current work scenario is marked by intense pressure, constant
deadlines, changing demographics; fast pace of change, increased use of technology and
the virtual workplace.

There are many factors found in improving and maintaining high employee satisfaction,
which institutions would do well to implement. Job design aims to enhance job
satisfaction and performance; methods include job rotation, job enlargement and job
enrichment. Other influences on satisfaction include the management style and culture,
employee involvement, empowerment and autonomous work groups, pay, work
responsibilities, variety of tasks, promotional opportunities the work itself and co-
workers. Under work life balance other terms that are used to refer to this domain
include, work-family conflict, work-family integration, and family friendly policies.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Many professionals are unable to balance their work life and personal life which may
directly or indirectly hamper business organization. As a result the performance of the
professionals gets affected that gradually decreases the efficiency and effectivity of the
organization. Most of the employees fail in balancing employment responsibilities with
their personal life beyond the workplace. Many businesses and organizations fail to
understand the importance of working environment for employee job satisfaction and
thus face a lot of difficulties during their work. To meet the standards of organization,
employees need a working environment that allows them to work freely without
problems that may restrain them from performing up to the level of their full potential. It
is therefore important for Norvic International Hospital to have a conductive working
environment enhancing the work, human, technical, and organization elements crucial for
improving the organization’s competitive position in attracting qualified human asset.

Companies that implemented the work life balances programs recognize that employee
satisfaction could be increased by work life balance which leads to improve overall
productivity and efficiency. The purpose of this study was to illustrate the impact of work
life balance on employee satisfaction and also tests the relationship among these variables
within Norvic International Hospital. So the problem statement for this research was:
“What is the impact of work life balance on employee satisfaction”.

1.3. Objective of the study

The objective of this study is to determine the influence of work life balance on job
satisfaction among employees of the Norvic International Hospital. The other specific
objectives of the study are:

 To know the possible benefits of work life balance at Norvic International

Hospital
  To identify the factors which influence the employee work-life balance and the
job satisfaction
 To find out the level of work life balance and job satisfaction and make measures
to eliminate them by management decisions.
1.4. Significance of the Study

Work life balance has different benefits to the organization as well as to the individual.
Organization benefits are increased productivity, commitment and better team work.
Individual benefits have more value, balance in daily life and work and reduce stress.
This study could be helpful for students, researchers, policymakers to properly
understand the concept of employee work satisfaction and work life balance. This study
helps the managers of organization to understand the importance of effective
implementation of work life balance policies.

This particular study could provide crucial information to management of Norvic hospital
about their current overall work life condition and level of employee satisfaction.
Furthermore it would be easier for management to take effective plans and policies in
order to balance work life and improve employee satisfaction level.

1.5. Introductory review

This research focuses on analyzing the work life balance and employee satisfaction in
Norvic hospital. The basic purpose of literature review is to guide in further
accomplishment of the research project. Work Life Balance is a broad term for measuring
work hours, accessibility and leave policies. Literature review shows various factors that
determine the Work Life Balance of employees.

[ CITATION Loc69 \l 1033 ] explained that the concept of job satisfaction has been
developed in many ways by many different researchers and practitioners. One of the most
widely used definitions in organizational research is that job satisfaction is defined as
“the pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job as achieving or
facilitating the achievement of one’s job values”.
Luthans (1973) defined job satisfaction as “a pleasurable or positive emotional state
resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experience.” It is determined based on
how well results meet or exceed expectations. He proposed five important characteristics
of jobs, which are viewed as highly important by employees. These include: “work
itself”, “pay”, “promotion opportunities”, “supervision” and “co-workers”.

[ CITATION Gre03 \l 1033 ] defined work-life balance as the “extent to which an

individual is equally engaged in and equally satisfied with his or her work role and family
role”. Work-life balance consists of three components: time balance, psychological
involvement balance, satisfaction balance. Time balance refers to equal time being given
to both work and family roles; involvement balance refers to equal levels of
psychological involvement in both work and family roles; and finally, satisfaction
balance refers to equal levels of satisfaction in both work and family roles. All these
components should be considered when studying work-life balance. Evidence from the
case studies of Nigeria showed that the task of combining multiple roles was very
difficult for Nigerian female doctors. It has been identified that, when women doctors
found the occupational workload of the medical profession, they became fatigued and
drained and were unable to perform their family responsibilities at the closing of their
daily shifts.

(Mott DA, Doucette WR, Gaither CA, Pedersen CA, 2003) confined that the work
environment has become stressful and there is an increase in workload day by day in
pharmacy profession.

Valcour and Hunter (2005) argued that position in the organization is another factor that
affects the involvement of employees at work and at home. Managers in the key positions
of organizations tend to have a high level of psychological involvement with their jobs
than the bottom line employees. Furthermore, use of communications technologies such
as email, instant messaging, telecommuting, internet, and social media increased the
inclination of these managers to spill over from one sphere of their lives to the other.
Hence, the boundary between work and home does not exist for them. Job involvement is
positively associated with work family conflict among employees at upper levels of
organizational hierarchy.

Raduan et al. (2006) in a study to determine the level and relationship between qualities
of work life (Quality of Work Life) with career-related variables revealed that the three
exogenous variables are significant such as career satisfaction, career achievement and
career balance with 63% of the variance in Quality of Work Life. The respondents
appeared to be satisfied in respect to the level of Quality of Work Life (49.5%), career
achievement (70.3%), career satisfaction (63.8%), but less so for career balance (36.6%).
These findings contribute to an understanding of ways by top management in attempts to
attain a career fit between the needs of the employees and the needs of the organization.

Dargahi et al. (2007) conducted a study to provide the processes used to investigate and
implement a pathway for improving of Quality of Work Life as an approach model. The
results from the survey showed that the perceived strongest areas among 12 categories
developed by Quality of Work Life Strategic Planning Committee that employees agreed
to improve on their Quality of Work Life were Organizational Commitment, trust,
support, monetary compensation, non-monetary compensation, leadership, attendance
management, communication between managers and employees, Communication
between managers and managers, overall communication, respect and recognition. This
committee evaluated the outcomes of Quality of Work Life managers and employees
teams to improve the employees’ Quality of Work Life. The Quality of Work Life
Strategic Planning Committee also recommend a new approach model to suggest the
ways which impressive on the employees' improving Quality of Work Life.

Mayo et al. (2008) discussed three attributes- number of subordinates, travel time and
time spent at work places. The research found that the managers with more flexibility of
time able to contribute in home related work than less flexibility of time. Similarly
less travel time also helps in balancing more in work life balance as compared to those
needs more time for travel for discharging the job. Similarly less number of subordinates
and more job autonomy help in managing proper work life balance.
(Eden M, Schafheutle EI, Hassell K,2009) found out that the community pharmacists
were the ones influenced more by increased workloads as compared to others in health
care profession.

(Malik, Gomez, Ahmed, Saif, 2010) examined the effect of work-life balance and job
satisfaction on turnover intention of doctors. Finding showed that doctors who were
better able to manage the work and personal life were more satisfied with their job and
had less intention to leave their job.

1.6 Research Methodology

Research Design

A research design is the set of methods and procedures used in collecting and analyzing
measures of the variables specified in the problem research. A particular research can be
studied form a smaller number of people that can generate information about a large
group. This research comprises of descriptive research design to know the overall work
life balance and employee satisfaction at Norvic hospital. The various methodologies
undertaken in this research would be structured questionnaire, sampling, data collection
from various resources and data analysis technique to know the overall satisfaction of
employees and overall work life balance within Norvic International Hospital.

Questionnaire

In order to know about customer’s perception, questionnaires were distributed among 42

respondents of different age group and gender. Data collection tool included self-
structured questionnaire of 18 questions included the question based on employee
satisfaction and work life balance variables determining the overall situation of the
participants regarding the topic. The questionnaire was based on 5 points as strongly
agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree. All the questions were described to
participant in their understandable language.

Sample Size

Sample size measures the number of individual samples measured or observations used in

a survey or experiment. The sample size is an important feature of any empirical study in
which the goal is to make inferences about a population from a sample. Sample size is the
observational feature of any study in which the motive is to make a conclusion based on
evidence and reasoning about a population from a sample. Focusing on this research in
total 18 questions would be asked to the 42 respondents regarding their work life balance
and satisfaction level.

Data Collecting Techniques

The primary method applied in this survey research is questionnaire. In order to know
about employee’s perception, questionnaires would be distributed among 42 respondents
of different age group and gender. Data collection tool included self-structured
questionnaire of 18 questions included the question based on employee satisfaction and
work life balance variables determining the overall situation of the participants regarding
the topic. Data Analysis has been done using MS Excel with the use of appropriate
statistical tool like Percentage to analyze the relation between work life balance and job
satisfaction of employees at Norvic hospital.

Study Area

The overall study area of this research project includes the random survey of part time
employees of Norvic hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. This research includes employees of
different gender, age, work level, ethnic background within Norvic hospital to collect
effective data.

Data Collection Sources

This study has been carried out with both primary and secondary sources of information.
Firstly a theoretical framework regarding work life balance and employee satisfaction has
been prepared. In primary method, questionnaire would be prepared to get information
and opinions from different people. In secondary method, information was collected from
articles, reports and internet. The research begins with the collection of necessary data,
facts and figures related to the study. The data and information that are collected are
studied carefully and presented and analyzed systematically to meet the objective of
report. All of the data and information presented in the study are checked thoroughly and
the search design was planned. For this study the likert type scales was used to design the
questionnaire.

Data Presentation and Analysis

After collecting all the responses from the respondents, the data would be placed in
different statistical format in order to conduct the further analysis. Descriptive analysis
would be done Apart from the analysis in some of the variables, pie charts, bar graph and
tables were used to analysis the data collected for the purpose of research. A sample size
of 42 Norvic hospital employees gathered through random sampling has been the basis
for analysis.

WORK LIFE BALANCE AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION IN NORVIC

INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

BY

Sakar Thapa

Symbol No. : 17030094

PU Reg. No. : 2016-2-03-0331

A Project Work Report submitted to Pokhara University in partial fulfillment of the

requirement for the degree of

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

At the

Apex College

Pokhara University
Mid-Baneshwor, Kathmandu

March,2020