Running head: WORK-LIFE BALANCE 1

Work-Life Balance

Research Title: Influence of Work Life Balance on Job Satisfaction of Employees: The case

of the Retail sector in the United Kingdom

WORK-LIFE BALANCE 2

ABSTRACT

Work-life balance exists when there is a split of time and energy between the work and other
essential faculties of life. It means that the worker can perform in his or her job, while at the
same time getting time for community participation, friends, family, personal growth,
spirituality, self-care, and other activities that are necessary for a successful life. In recent years,
there has been immense change in the UK workforce due to the worldwide recession, recent
economic downturns, and the Brexit. Consequently, there is more pressure on business
organizations to perform, and for workers to be more productive. Most companies have put in
place some tough measures to deal with declining economic times, such as by decreasing their
staff levels, cutting on expenditure, and increasing workload for the remaining workers.
Although many studies have been conducted on WLB and wellbeing of workers in the United
Kingdom, there is little research on the influence of WLB on job satisfaction and employee
retention.
An exploratory research based on quantitative approach was used in this study. The population
under study is the employees in the retail sector in UK. 100 participants were chosen for the
study, 50 male and 50 females. Data was collected through the use of a survey questionnaire that
had questions which assessed the variables; WLB and job satisfaction. Data analysis was
conducted by using SPSS software, and Excel to a smaller extent. The specific aims of the
research were: [i] To investigate the contribution of WLB on job satisfaction among employees
in the retail industry in the United Kingdom; [ii]To compare the impact of WLB practices on
male and female workers, and [iii]To assess the influence of WLB on the well-being of workers
in the retail industry. Results show that [i] WLB contributes to job satisfaction; [ii] female
workers are more impacted than male workers; and [iii] the well-being of workers is improved
by WLB practices.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 3

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................6

Background Information..............................................................................................................6

Problem Statement.......................................................................................................................9

Research Question........................................................................................................................9

Hypotheses...................................................................................................................................9

Objectives...................................................................................................................................10

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................11

Theoretical Framework..............................................................................................................11

Discrepancy Theory...............................................................................................................11

Compensation Theory............................................................................................................11

Theoretical Literature.................................................................................................................12

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs................................................................................................12

Work-life Balance and Job Satisfaction.................................................................................13

Influence of Work-Life Balance on Employee turnover and its impact on the organization.13

Empirical Literature...................................................................................................................16

CHAPTER THREE: STUDY DESIGN........................................................................................18

Overview....................................................................................................................................18

Research Philosophy..................................................................................................................18

Research Design.........................................................................................................................18

Sampling....................................................................................................................................19
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 4

Participants.................................................................................................................................20

Research Strategy.......................................................................................................................20

Validity and Reliability..............................................................................................................21

Job Satisfaction Scale.................................................................................................................22

Work-life balance scale..............................................................................................................23

Ethical considerations................................................................................................................24

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS........................................................................25

Overview....................................................................................................................................25

Reliability...................................................................................................................................25

Job Satisfaction.......................................................................................................................25

Work-life balance scale..........................................................................................................26

Participant Characteristics..........................................................................................................26

Job Satisfaction Analysis...........................................................................................................27

Organizational Work Life Balance............................................................................................28

Inferential Statistics....................................................................................................................29

Correlations............................................................................................................................29

Hypothesis One......................................................................................................................29

Hypothesis 2...........................................................................................................................30

Hypothesis Three....................................................................................................................31

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.................32

Discussion..................................................................................................................................32

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................32

Recommendations......................................................................................................................33
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 5

References......................................................................................................................................35
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 6

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background Information

The study is based on the assumption that demands of work often intrude into the other

aspects of lives. It assumes that each faculty of live has demands that must compete with the rest.

The study, therefore, seeks to explore how work-life balance impacts on job satisfaction of

employees. According to related literature, conditions of work are increasingly getting stressful

(Azmi & Irfan, 2015). This stress has huge implications in the life of the employee, including his

or her health by affecting the immune system, blood pressure, and emotions among others.

People now spend more work on the job that it used to be before. It is obvious that people

are now being overworked, which often leads to home-work conflict due to incompatibility of

work and family domains. Many employees are getting concerned about the amount of time

spent on work (Brandt & Orkibi, 2015). Most are now getting to appreciate the value of ideal

work-life balance (WLB) as the pointer of success. In this paper, work-life balance is defined as

the individual perception that work and non-work activities are not in conflict, and they can

compatibly promote growth in relation to the person’s current life priorities.

The management of any company should focus on work-life balance. This benefits

individual employees and impacts organizational performance and productivity (Cummings &

Worley, 2015). It is the responsibility of the organization to develop policies that encourage

work-life balance in its employees. When employees are satisfied in their personal life, they

become more successful as workers, benefiting the company. Suranji and Thalgaspitiya (2016)

observed that the changing trends in the workplace make it necessary for organizations to design

interventions for helping employees manage the demands of family and work lives. The benefits

include provision of more benefits and policies, enriched job, social support, and family –
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 7

friendly culture. The interventions have been proved to have positive outcomes such as job

satisfaction, employee retention, and improved commitment to organizational goals (Suranji &

Thalgaspitiya, 2016).

In the United Kingdom, there is an increased focus on balancing multiple facets of life,

including creating harmony between family and work roles. Numerous domains have been

identified on how to achieve WLB, including leisure, financial resources, friendship, dwelling

and neighborhood, and social participation. In an effort to balance all spheres of life, employees

often get burnout. Many organizations, in a bid to minimize such issues, have come up with

policies such as flextime, on-site childcare, and various benefits to ensure that the employee’s

family life progresses smoothly. Some of these policies have been shown to minimize pressure

and burnout, thereby improving the quality of life for the worker. WLB is an interesting topic in

business practice as well as academic research. IT is now a popular research area in sociology,

human resource management, organizational development studies, and gender studies. Adisa,

Osabutey, and Gbadamosi (2016) noted that in the past five decades, WLB and Work-Family

Conflict (WFC) has dominated public discourse.

WLB is a growing core attribute of organizational development which is supported by a

number of research studies such as Abbort (2013), Lewis et al. (2007), and Chandra (2012).

WLB programs date back to the 1930s when they were first introduced as part of organizational

culture. Companies started implementing flexible time programs as a way of increasing

employee morale, production, and satisfaction. Uracha et al (2015) noted that the Celtic Tiger

meltdown in the United Kingdom and Ireland forced companies to implement WLB programs

and be more flexible. Work satisfaction is a global issue which has been widely explored in both

developed and developing countries (Sattar, 2014).

WORK-LIFE BALANCE 8

Work-life balance exists when there is a split of time and energy between the work and

other essential faculties of life. It means that the worker can perform in his or her job, while at

the same time getting time for community participation, friends, family, personal growth,

spirituality, self-care, and other activities that are necessary for a successful life (Meenakshi,

Subrahmanyam, & Ravichandran, 2013). Work-life balance is essential for the employees

because it reduces stress and anxiety. It also prevents burnout, which occurs as a result of the

stressful working environment. When an individual spends a lot of his or her time on the job, he

or she does not get time for self-care. The effect is that he or she reduces output and productivity.

Therefore, employers should help their staff members achieve the balance through actions,

procedures, and policies that will make it easier for them. According to Meenakshi et al. (2013),

long hours spent on the job lead to burnout and stress. There are many adverse effects of the

work-life conflict that that companies should avoid. It is not fair to expose staff members to

physical and mental health problems by giving them an overload of tasks. Studies have shown

the importance of providing employees the flexibility to split time between work and life.

Studies have related WLB to various aspects of the organiation. Examples include WLB

and personal lives, WLB and the organization, and WLB and Human Resouce Management

among others. This study seeks to explore how WLB affects job satisfaction. Job satisfaction can

be defined as the employee’s perception of his or her work based on a set of intrinsic and

extrinsic factors (Bozionelos & Kostopoulos, 2010). Although the dominant research is on the

impact of WLB on personal life, there are some studies that have focused on job satisfaction. In

general, the consensus among various scholars is that WLB improves job satisfaction. Most

employees feel committed and happy, in turn increasing their productivity. Therefore, both the
WORK-LIFE BALANCE 9

organization and the employee benefits from WLB. According to Mas-Machuca et al. (2016),

those workers who commit more time to their work lead more dissatisfied personal lives.

Problem Statement

In recent years, there has been immense change in the UK workforce due to the

worldwide recession, recent economic downturns, and the Brexit. Consequently, there is more

pressure on business organizations to perform, and for workers to be more productive. Most

companies have put in place some tough measures to deal with declining economic times, such

as by decreasing their staff levels, cutting on expenditure, and increasing workload for the

remaining workers. Due to fears of job security, the remaining employees feel compelled to work

for longer hours to meet family expenses and keep their jobs. The study recognizes that poor

WLB among United Kingdom employees is caused by lack of work schedule flexibility and

excessive working hours.

The UK workforce has seen an increase in female workers, with many of them staying in

the workforce even after getting married. Also, the workforce is aging. Statistics show that in the

next ten years, the old population in England will increase considerably. The effect is that there

will be more dependency, causing increase in WFCs. Literature shows that more than 30% of

workers need childcare and eldercare support, but they do not get them. Although many studies

have been conducted on WLB and wellbeing of workers in the United Kingdom, there is little

research on the influence of WLB on job satisfaction and employee retention.

Research Question

The study is informed by the following research question:

How doe work-life balance influence job satisfaction of workers in the retail industry in the

United Kingdom?
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
10

Hypotheses

1. Work life balance contributes to increased job satisfaction for employees in the retail

industry.

2. Female workers are more impacted by the WLB than their male counterparts.

3. Work-life balance contributes to improved well-being of workers.

Objectives

1. To investigate the contribution of WLB on job satisfaction among employees in the retail

industry in the United Kingdom.

2. To compare the impact of WLB practices on male and female workers.

3. To assess the influence of WLB on the well-being of workers in the retail industry.
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
11

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Theoretical Framework

In this section, various theories are examined to inform the research on the influence of

WLB on job satisfaction. Two main theories that guide this study are the Discrepancy theory and

Compensation theory.

Discrepancy Theory

The theory was first proposed by Wilcock and Wright (1991). It is also referred to as the

value-percept disparity model. The theory hypothesizes that satisfaction depends on the extent to

which the outcomes sought are derived from the work. It has three essential elements which are

the perception of some aspect of the work, a value standard, and a conscious or subconscious

judgment of discrepancy. In the view of Rode (2004) the most important conditions or values in

respect to job satisfaction are: Work that is not physically challenging, mentally challenging

work that one can easily cope with, personal interest for the job, high self-esteem, and agents in

the workplace who assist the employee to attain personal and professional goals. As such, job

satisfaction is the expression of positive or negative attitudes to work.

Compensation Theory

Compensation theory focuses on the effort aimed at countering negative experiences in

one aspect by increasing the positive experiences in another. For example, a dissatisfied worker

can focus more on his or her family and personal life, hence affecting productivity. The theory

points to an attempt at making up for deficits in one area with higher engagement in the other

(Edwards and Rothbard, 2005). In some cases, an individual can get absorbed in the work-life

due to negative experiences in non-work life, such as in family life. Guest (2002) noted that
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
12

compensation is either reactive or supplemental. Supplemental compensation is a situation where

there are insufficient positive experiences in the workplace and so must be sought at home. On

the other hand, reactive compensation relates to negative work experiences which lead to

positive home experiences. The compensation theory proposes that the relationship between

work and life is inversely proportional.

Theoretical Literature

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is the leading theory for this thesis. Maslow (1943)

categorized human needs into five areas which form a pyramid that begins with basic needs and

ends with higher-level needs. They are arranged in order from the bottom to the top as

Physiological Needs, Safety Needs, Love Needs, Esteem Needs, and Self-Actualization Needs.

The figure in Appendix 1 shows the arrangement of the needs to form a pyramid.

Physiological needs are at the bottom of the pyramid. They include all the fundamental

requirements that are necessary for human existence, such as food, air, water, sleep, and clothes.

In the view of Maslow, people must first fulfill these needs before they progress to the next level.

The second level has safety needs which include the environment and personal welfare (Maslow,

1943). When there is uncertainty about future events, or during turbulent times, there is a lack of

safety in society. The third level contains the need for love. The fourth level is characterized by

the need for self-esteem which is attained through confidence, achievement, freedom, and

independence. Finally, at the top there is the need for self-actualization. This level is the ultimate

desire for every human being, and it is only attained when an individual reaches his or her

maximum capacity (Jerome, 2013).

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
13

Maslow’s theory is mature since it has been used in many areas of study. The approach is

a foundation of many other theories and models used by various researchers worldwide. The

theory has been used in many cultures, including in America where it helped to map

individualism, high masculinity, and avoidance of uncertainty by Hanif, Khalid, and Khan

(2013). Maslow’s theory sets out needs from which motivation and satisfaction can be derived.

According to Asare-Nuamah (2017), motivation and satisfaction have become popular in many

fields, and a lot of studies have been conducted on the two related elements.Chen, Huang, and Su

(2012) did empirical research on work motivation, job satisfaction, and work stress in Taiwan.

They examined workers who had recently graduated from various institutions. They concluded

that there is a difference between the workers; expected and perceived job satisfaction. The

present study builds on their research findings by exploring the job satisfaction in relation to

WLB.

Work-life Balance and Job Satisfaction

According to Berridge and Cooper (2003), there are typical indicators of work-life

balance. They are job satisfaction, work role ambiguity, job involvement, work role overload,

work role conflict, and job stress. The focus of the present study is on job satisfaction. There are

many factors that influence job satisfaction. They include satisfactory salary, working condition,

work-output, promotional opportunities, and co-workers relationship. As noted by Guest (2002),

WLB is a concern for many professionals due to its relation to quality of life in general.

Influence of Work-Life Balance on Employee turnover and its impact on the organization

Employee turnover is the process of terminating organization membership for an

individual who has been taking material yield from it (Zhang, 2016). This can be both

advantageous and disadvantageous to the organization. On the positive side, it can help in
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
14

replacing low quality employees, and it can improve adaptability, flexibility, and creativity. On

the other side, it increases organizational costs related to recruitment, compensation, and

training, as well as hidden costs such as damage, loss of opportunity, and reduction in enterprise

reputation. There are two kinds of employee turnover, voluntary and involuntary. The thrust of

this paper is how to reduce voluntary turnover rates and the costs to the organization.

Organizations make large investments in their employees in terms of training and

development, and so it is their desire for them to remain in the company for a long period of

time. In most cases, turnover has negative consequences to the organization. It disrupts the

routine of the company, and generates direct turnover costs. Also, it leads to indirect costs, in

addition to demoralizing employees who remain in the company. Therefore, efforts should be

made to reduce the turnover rates. Herein, the factors that contribute to turnover and

countermeasures to mitigate then are presented.

There are a number of WLB-related factors that lead to employee turnover. They include

enterprise prospect and benefit, culture and system, salary, relationships, promotion, worker

engagement, organizational justice, and work attitude (Zhang, 2016). Organizational culture

influences turnover in the same that when a new staff member comes to the firm, his or her

expectations and value orientation take time to break-even with the management mechanism in

place. As such, the consistency between the two can indicate whether the employee will stay in

the company for a long period of time. When personal goals and organizational objectives are

matching, the likelihood of leaving is reduced. Also, when an organization is performing well, it

gets economic benefits which attract individuals into it. Employees’ welfare and benefits are

increased, hence reducing the incidences of turnover.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
15

Thirdly, there are social and economic factors such as labor market conditions,

development level, job opportunities, employment system, housing, enterprise property, cost of

living, and quality of life (Zhang, 2016). The intention for employee turnover is accelerated by

industry factors such as high personnel demand, job opportunties, and a relatively good

employment situation. Those employees who work in government institutions are more likely to

quit as compared to those in private enterprises.

Human resource is the life blood of any organization, and it is difficult for an enterprise

to compete successfully in today’s business environment if it does not have competent and loyal

personnel. Loyal employees lead to increased productivity and organizational development.

However, it has become challenging for Human Resources to retain top talent due to issues

related to job satisfaction (Khan & Aleem, 2014). Job satisfaction is influenced by the nature of

work, supervision, compensation, career development opportunities, and organizational culture.

Turnover is generally not good for a business, and it should not be the right decision for

any organization. Despite this, there are organizations that have built their systems in such a way

that employees leave in less than a year, even after doing a good job, as exemplified by

McDonald’s (Conerly, 2018). In order to ensure successful retention, organizations need to first

determine turnover costs. Employee turnover should not be just considered as a matter of the

Human Resources as it has the potential of affecting different operation units in the enterprise.

One an employee leaves, there are costs of clearance and data recording to be used in

compensation and benefits processing. Then the organization advertises the position, reviews

applications, and schedules interviews. After the hiring process, there is the orientation and

training program, and enrollment to benefit and remunerations. These are costs that can be
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
16

quantified and estimated. However, there are other costs that may not be quantified. For instance,

the effect on the work unit where the new employee is to be placed has to be considered.

It should be remembered also that once a position falls vacant, there are co-workers who

divert from their usual place to work on it for a time, hence leading to overtime payments. In

some cases, the work may not be done, thereby affecting productivity. Once the employment has

been established, on-job training is done, and the manager or supervisor takes his or her time to

guide the new worker. There are also other staff members who assist by answering questions and

giving guidance, and so their own productivity may be reduced (Conerly, 2018). Moreover, the

productivity of the new worker is not the same as for an experienced person, but in terms of

input and output. These costs are difficult to measure, although a good analyst can give rough

estimates. Normally, employee turnover is expressed as a ratio which is calculated on a yearly

basis. It is the number of employees who leave during the year; divide by the total number at the

beginning of the period.

Empirical Literature

Documented literature has related WLB and job satisfaction as a vital relationship,

especially on the effects both can have on each other, positively and negatively. Employees feel

prouder and more positive when they gain an equal and flexible balance. Consequently, their job

satisfaction increases leading to more productivity. A study by Mas-Machuca (2016) found out

that organizations that implement WLB contribute to employee job satisfaction and benefits to

the companies. Smith et al. (2014) found out that when a WLB is well executed, all employees

achieve a health level of job satisfaction. Kaliannan et al. (2016) conducted a study on doctors

and WLB. They found out that doctors had a poor WLB due to their workload. The results also
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
17

showed that doctors who have worked for longer have attained a healthier WLB than the

newcomers. Brandt and Orkini (2015) linked employee satisfaction to WLB.

There exists a large body of empirical literature on personal characteristics that contribute

to WLB issues. Edwards and Rothbard (2005) noted that work and family are closely

interconnected domains of human experience. Many factors that contribute to stress which upset

s the balance between work and family life, including marital status, gender, parental status,

personal differences, age, and educational level.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
18

CHAPTER THREE: STUDY DESIGN

Overview

This section of the research report explains the methods used to collect and analyze data.

It includes the research design, sampling procedures, target population, instruments, procedures,

and data analytic tools. There are two main types of data, primary and secondary. Primary data is

generated by the researcher through various strategies that help to assess the research problem.

On the other hand, secondary data comes from knowledge already documented from other

sources. The method that a researcher uses for conducting the research determines the type of

data. For this present study, both primary and secondary data have been utilized. However, the

main analysis depends on primary data which is commonly used to gather information.

Research Philosophy

Research philosophy means the belief and opinion of how studies and research should be

carried out and the theories that inform data collection procedures (Mkansi & Acheampong,

2012). The two main research philosophies are posivitism and interpretism. In the present study,

the researcher chose to use posivitism perspective because it is the best philosophical approach to

address the research question.

Research Design

Research design is a framework that informs collection and analysis of data by following

a detailed plan. In this study, a descriptive survey design was adopted. The design is fit in

collecting data by use of sampling to assess needs, demand, and impact. Quantitative approach

was selected as it emphasizes the evaluation of data through analysis in its numerical form for a

precise description. Quantitative research focuses on procedure, methodology, and statistical

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
19

measures to make predictions and test hypothesis. Furthermore, quantitative research relates to

positivism philosophy due to its structured data collection. The extensive literature review

conducted formed the basis of data collection. There are various variables identified and studied.

Variables were numerically measured using different scales. The results obtained were analyzed

and reported in the discussion section of the report.

A research methodology provides a piece of research the assumptions and values that

form the basis of the investigations and standards utilized for interpreting data and making

inferences (Almalki, 2016). Research methods are the tools and instruments employed in the

study, depending on the specific objectives of the study. The research design depends on the

practical constraint of money, time, and location. Creswell (2014) noted that the three main types

of designs are qualitative, quantitative, and mixed. Quantitative research uses the deductive

approach for conducting the investigation. Qualitative research seeks to explore and understand

by drawing meaning from individuals’ perspectives. The approach aims to understand issues by

investigating them in their own context. It is, therefore, an inductive form of study. Mixed

methods involve the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Sampling

According to Sanders et al (2008), sampling helps to identify a specific group of individuals

that represent the whole population. The researcher benefits from sampling because it saves on

cost and time. It is not possible to collect information from all the members of the population.

For this particular study, the population include employees in the retail sector in the United

Kingdom. For convenience, sampling was done by focusing on employees who work in the retail

sector, specifically on a leading children’s toy retailer (the name of the company is not revealed

in this study due to the confidentiality consent signed by both parties). The individuals who
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
20

participated were current and past workers. As Sanders et al. (2008) noted, surveys and

probability sampling are the most commonly used strategies for collecting specific data.

Probability sampling is divided into four stages as shown below

1. Look for a suitable sampling area that can generate data relating to the objective. For this

study the sample frame is workers in the retail sector in the UK.

2. Determine the sample size. When the sample size is large, the probability of error is

minimized. The researcher settled on 100 sample cases

3. The selection of the most appropriate sample and sampling technique. There are five

different sampling techniques that were considered: simple random, Cluster, systematic,

multi-stage, and stratified random. The researcher settled on stratified random sampling

which involves dividing the population into smaller units and collecting data based on the

strata.

4. Ensuring that the sample represents the entire population. This involves the determination

of whether the data obtained is consistent with prior knowledge about the population.

Participants

All the participants in this study come from one organization which is a leading retailer in the

United Kingdom. Participants were employed on either part-time or full-time contracts and they

had varied years of experience. The organization under study has 80 stores in United Kingdom

and 30 in Ireland. The workforce is not consistent in all the stores, and it keeps on varying

depending on the season. For instance, more people are employed during the Christmas period.

Each store has different units such as customer service, nursery, software, and sports. Each

participant worked in a different area with distinct duties.

Research Strategy
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
21

Surveys often employ questionnaires. Self-completion surveys consist of both on-line copies and

hard copies. Both are answered independently without the need for supervision by the researcher.

The questionnaire used in this research had two sections, each with more than ten questions. All

questions were answered through a Likert scale of more than five points. In designing the

questionnaire, two basic requirements were followed, accuracy and relevancy. To make it

relevant, only useful information was targeted. Accuracy relates to high reliability and accuracy.

The researcher distributed a self-administered questionnaire which has many advantages that

include low costs, careful consideration, and sample accessibility. The theoretical literature

presented in the previous sections formed the basis of designing the questionnaire items. Both

hard and online copies were available, and the participant had the freedom to choose the one he

or she was comfortable with. According to Rowley (2014), a lot of effort should be put in the

design of a questionnaire so that sufficient data is collected to answer the research question. This

view is summarized in the flow chart below

Figure One: Flow Chart showing importance of effective questionnaire design.

Validity and Reliability

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
22

Consideration should be given to reliability and internal validity when designing a questionnaire.

Internal Validity refers to the degree to which data findings can be attributed to the process and

not the flaws in the design (Saunders et al., 2008). In questionnaire design, it means that the

questions measure what the research seeks to find out. Reliability allows the research to get

consistent findings at different periods using different subjects.

The concept means that the generated data should be accurate and verifiable. Its main concern is

to depict whether the findings really reflect what they purport to. Validity can be internal or

external. External validity relates to how the findings can be generalized across times, persons,

and settings. On the other hand, internal validity gives the researcher the ability to measure what

he or she aims to. Therefore, the results should give legitimacy to the research process and no

doubt should be raised by any individual or institution, either in the present or in the future. The

methods used for data collection are clear, and the study can be replicated since items in the

instrument were reviewed by experts nationally before they were used. In addition, an

exploratory factor analysis was used to construct their validity, and internal consistency tested

using Cronbach’s reliability estimate.

Reliability means the Steadfastness of research instruments to give consistent results . In this

study, reliability of the instruments was assessed through a pilot study in two firms. Cronbach's

Alpha then was computed using SPSS version 23 to establish the coefficient of reliability of the

variables. As a rule of thumb, it is required a reliability of 0.70 or higher before an instrument is

used. Since Cronbach’s alpha gives an average of the possible coefficients (split half) that result

from the various ways that scale items can be split, its values range

Job Satisfaction Scale

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
23

A five-point Likert scale was used for job satisfaction scale. It ranges from strongly disagree to

strongly agree. The following questions were asked:

1. Despite everything, I find satisfaction in the work that I do

2. I find meaning in the work I do

3. I am bored of my job

4. I feel I am well compensated for my efforts

5. The management treats me well.

Next, the following questions were put to the participants with response options ranging from

very dissatisfied to very satisfied in a Likert scale:

6. How is your satisfaction about the tasks you perform?

7. Are you okay with the pay?

8. Are you satisfied with the way you collaborate with other workers?

9. Are you okay with the amount of work you are given?

10. In general, how satisfied are you with your current employment?

Work-life balance scale

The focus here was on how the participants viewed their own WLB experiences in their

workplaces.

The following questions were asked:

1. Your well-being requires a balance between work and personal life

2. The employer provides sufficient WLB practices

3. Do you consciously manage WLB daily?

4. You keep work separate from family?

5. There is no enough time for family and other responsibilities due to your job
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
24

6. Little energy remains for family responsibility due to work

7. Positive WLB practices improve my personal well-being

8. Are you satisfied with the way you divide time between work and family?

9. Do you have a chance to perform your work and yet do home-related duties sufficiently?

10. How do you divide time between home and work?

11. Of the following factors, which one impacts WLB the most? Management, work

colleagues, work practices, weekend shifts, hours.

Ethical considerations

Confidentiality is the primary concern for both the researcher and the participants. All

participants volunteered to give information without any coercion or intimidation. There was no

need for participants names and other sensitive personal details. Age was not given, but they

were supposed to choose an age bracket they belonged to. The organization requested that its

name should not be revealed.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
25

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Overview

As noted in Chapter One, the aim of the study is to investigate the influence of WLB on job

satisfaction of employees in the retail sector in the United Kingdom. The main variables of the

study are WLB, job satisfaction and the impact of WLB on job satisfaction. The hypothesis were

tested using the Computer Software tool known as Statistical Package for Social Sciences

(SPSS) to create diagrams and tables presented in the sections below. First, the researcher

presents the reliability test for each set of questions. According to Kilic (2016), Cronbacks Alpha

is a useful reliability test for assessing internal reliability. A scale of 0.70 or more is considered

reliable.

Reliability

Job Satisfaction

Table 1 below represents the results of SPSS analysis for job satisfaction scale. As it is evident, the

questions are not reliable because they have a low score of 0.528. Therefore, the research did the test

again by removing those questions that were most unreliable through the SPSS. Table two gives a score

of six questions after removing questions 3,4,7, and 8. Only reliable questions will be used for the

analysis in the remainder of the document.

Cronbach’s Alpha Number of items

0.528 10

Table 1: Reliability statistics- Job satisfaction- Cronbach’s Alpha for 10 questions

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
26

Cronbach’s Alpha Number of items

0.708 6

Table 2: Reliability statistics- Job satisfaction- Cronbach’s Alpha for 6 questions

Work-life balance scale

Just like in the job satisfaction scale, the questions asked did not reach the threshold of 0.70. the

researcher assessed each question manually until the 0.70 was obtained and the reliable questions were

used for analysis. Three questions were discarded.

Cronbach’s Number of

Alpha Items

0.725 7

Table 3: Reliability statistics- WLB-Cronbach’s Alpha for 7 questions

Participant Characteristics

Greater insights into the participants was gained through descriptive statistics. The sample size

consisted of 50 female and 50 males for a total of 100 individuals. SPSS software was used to

develop Table 4 below which shows that the mode age range is 18-24.

Table 4: Age Contribution

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
27

In the category of job type, the descriptive statistics indicate that full-time workers constituted 62

members while only 38 worked as part-time (Table 5)

Table 5: Part-time and Full-time Contribution

Job Satisfaction Analysis

SPSS statistical tool was used to assess job satisfaction in the retailer company. The data

generated two histograms that are summarized in Table 6 below. As it is evident, males are more

dissatisfied compared to the female. There is no effect of job category (full-time or part-time) in

this respect.

Table 6: Job Satisfaction Analysis

Microsoft Office (2019) Excel was used to generate pie charts for specific questions. In the

figures below, the pie charts correspond to two questions. Pie chart one is in regard to the

question about the meaningfulness of work; and pie chart two shows responses to satisfaction to

the work load.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
28

Chart 1: Pie chart about the question on meaningfulness of work. 30% strongly disagree, 35%

disagree, 20% are neutral, 10% agree, while only 5% strongly agree.

Chart 2: Pie chart showing responses to the question on Workload satisfaction. 15% strongly

disagree, 45% disagree, 10% are neutral, 25% agree, and 5% strongly agree.

Organizational Work Life Balance

The bar chart below shows the general agreement among participants that a positive WLB is

important in the organization. 98% strongly agreed while 2 percent agreed.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
29

Graph 1: Employee perception about importance of WLB.

Inferential Statistics

Correlations

The correlations used in this study are based on the variables which are WLB, job satisfaction,

and the influence of WLB on job satisfaction. In respect of these, three hypotheses were

proposed. For hypothesis 1, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient ( r ) was used. For

hypothesis two, data was measured to create graphs. Display of results for the third hypothesis

was done by using Mann-Whitney U test. Fouladi and Steiger (2008) recommended that the data

obtained form Pearsons coefficient be considered significant when p < .05. the relationship is

considered as follows: small when r ranges from 0.10 to 0,29; moderate 0.30 to 0.49, and

significant above 0.50 (Fischer et al., 2014).

Hypothesis One

H1: WLB practices lead to increased job satisfaction

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
30

WLB and job satisfaction scales were used to analyze the relationship between the two variables,

using Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results show that there is a moderate

relationship (r=-.484). Therefore, WLB practices influence job satisfaction for workers in the

retail industry. As such, Hypothesis one is retained.

Table 7: Correlations. The data presented in the table was generated in SPSS and exported to

the report.

Hypothesis 2

H1: Female workers are more influenced by WLB than their male counterparts

By using a Mann-Whitney U test, the independent variable WLB was analyzed with two

independent variables females and males. The table 8 below represents the data for Skewness

and Kurtosis values for both groups. There is a normal distribution for both male and female

participants.
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
31

Table 8: Skewness and Kurtosis

The table shows that females are more impacted than Males. Hypothesis two is supported.

Hypothesis Three

H1: Work-Life Balance contributes to the well-being of employees.

After measuring the data collected from participants using SPSS, it was found that all of them either

agree or strongly agree that WLB is important for well-being. Therefore, Hypothesis three is supported.

Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree

Importance 0 0 0 2 98

of WLB

WLB 0 0 0 1 99

improves

well-being

Table 9: Response of the participants to the contribution of WLB to improvement of well-being.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
32

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Discussion

The purpose of the study was to demonstrate that WLB influences job satisfaction for employees

in United Kingdom’s retail industry. The study design was developed to establish the

relationship between the two variables. Three hypotheses were proposed after an extensive

literature search. SPSS and Excel analyses have been used to analyze the data obtained from the

participants.

Hypothesis one was about impact of WLB on job satisfaction. The hypothesis has been

supported by a moderate correlation (r = 0.484). It means that should work-life balance practices

be implemented properly; employees’ job satisfaction will improve. This finding is supported by

previous studies, such as the one by Mas-Machuca (2016). Therefore, employers need to

implement effective WLB practices so that their staff members can gain a balance in their lives.

As Smith et al (2014) noted, employees gain a positive and healthier level of job satisfaction

when their companies implement WLB practices.

Hypothesis two noted that female employees are impacted by WLB more than their male

counterparts. This hypothesis was also supported. Previous studies, such as Harris et al. (2007)

and McKie et al. (2009) have reported that women are in a greater need for WLB due to their

commitment to personal life duties. The third hypothesis is that WLB contributes to the well-

being of employees. As with the rest, this hypothesis was supported by the collected data. The

SPSS analysis clearly and precisely supports this claim.

Conclusion
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
33

As presented in the previous sections, the aim of the study was to investigate the influence of

WLB on job satisfaction, with a particular emphasis on the retail sector in UK. This was broken

down into three objectives and corresponding hypotheses that have been supported by the

findings. The study has confirmed that Work-life balance improves job satisfaction. Also, it has

shown that women are more impacted than men. Additionally, the well-being of employees is

improved when the organization implements effective WLB policies. As such, the findings of

these study can provide useful insights to many organizations, not only in UK but also around

the world.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher makes a number of recommendations.

1. Organizations should introduce wellness programs as a way of improving the mental and

physical well-being of employees who are affected by negative WLB. For instance,

companies can consider giving discounted gym membership.

2. Human resource management should be improved across all areas of the organization.

Employees who dedicate their time to their work should be well compensated, including

getting benefits such as healthcare and retirement packages. This is an effective way of

achieving job satisfaction and retaining the best talent.

3. The company can consider offering benefits at minimum in comparison with competitors

so that extra benefits tips the scale. For instance, a phased retirement plan can be

implemented as a way of helping employees who are changing their work.

4. In this study, only quantitative research was conducted. It is recommended that future

studies use qualitative approach to gain deeper insights into the phenomenon. Also,

mixed studies can be used. The method of mixed approach is the triangulation design in
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
34

which complimentary yet distinct data about the phenomenon under study is gathered and

integrated for analysis and interpretation. The main strength of this method is on its

sensibility. By utilizing different sources to gather information, it enriches the research

and makes it more efficient. The researcher relies on a large-scale survey to test the

hypotheses quantitatively, while at the same time doing case study analyses to provide

greater insight into the mechanisms underlying the numerical results.

5. The present study was a basic research. It is proposed that future studies on the same

phenomenon be applied studies to offer practical solutions. Applied research develops

practical solutions to real social problems in the world by using high quality methods of

conducting research in a systematic manner. Any study that is carried out with the aim of

developing solutions to specific problems in everyday context is referred to as “applied.”

The methodology differs from basic research since it works on multiple questions at a

time, often dealing with inadequate resources and a tight deadline. According to Creswell

(2018), qualitative and quantitative methods help create a deeper understanding of the

phenomenon being explored in the study. The main purpose of applied research is to

answer practical questions that address the needs of a specific client in a real-world

situation. The understanding implies that within the context of the research, respondents

can provide different natures of information which must be applied in creating an

understanding of the concept (Maxwell &Reybold, 2015; Maher &Dertadian, 2018). By

understanding the nature of the problem being explored, the researcher is able to interpret

observations, interviews, survey responses, or literature analysis and relate the

information to the research questions.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
35

References

Abbort, P. (2013). Work/life balance . Accountancy , 44-45.

Adisa, T., Osabutey, E., & Gbadamosi, G. (2016). Understanding the causes andd consequences

of work-family conflict. Employee Relations, 38(5), 770-788. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-

11-2015-0211.

Asare-Nuamah, P. (2017). International students' satisfaction; Assessing the determinants of

satisfaction. Higher Education for the Future, 4(1), 44-59.

Azmi, F., & Irfan, A. (2015). Antecedents and outcomes of work-life balance. The international

Journal of Business & Management, 3(1), 1-5.

Berridge, J., & Cooper, C. (2003). Stress and coping in U.S. organizations : the role of employee

assistance program. Work and Stress, 7, 89-102.

Bozionelos, N., & Kostopoulos, K. (2010). What accounts for job satisfaction differences across

countries? Academy of Management Perspectives, 24(1), 82-84.

Brandt, I., & Orkibi, H. (2015). How positivity links with job satisfaction: Preliminary findings

on the mediating role of work-life balance. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(3), 406-

418.

Chandra, V. (2012). Work-life balance: Eastern and Western perspectives. The International

Journal of Human Resource Management, 41(3), 1040-1056.

Chen, T., Huang, M., & Su, T. (2012). Work motivation, work stress, and job satisfaction in

between Taiwan and China: An empirical study. International Journal of Psychological

and Behavioral Sciences, 6(8), 2256-2260.

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
36

Conerly, B. (2018). Companies need to know the dollar cost of employee turnover. Retrieved

from Forbes : https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2018/08/12/companies-need-to-

know-the-dollar-cost-of-employee-turnover/#35bb8de9d590

Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. (2015). Organizational development and change. South-

Western: Thomson.

Edwards, J., & Rothbard, D. (2000). Complementary and supplementary fit: a theoretical and

empirical integration. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 822.

Fischer, D. (2014). Generalized Mann-Whitney Type Tests for Microarray Experiements.

Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, 41(3), 672-692.

Guest, R. (2002). New model of job design: Motivating employees' performances. Journal of

Management Development, 25(6), 572-587.

Hanif, A., Khalid, W., & Khan, T. (2013). Relating Maslo's hierarchy of needs with employee

turnover and retension. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 25(10), 85-89.

Harris, L., Foster, C., & Whysall, P. (2007). Maximising women's potential in the UK's retail

sector. Employee Relations, 29(5), 492-505.

Hoffmann-Burdzinska, K., & Rutkowska, M. (2015). Work life balance as a factor influencing

well-being. Journal of Positive Management, 6(4), 87-101.

Jerome, N. (2013). Application of the Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory: Impacts and

implications on organizational culture, human resource, and employee's performance.

International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 2(3), 39-45.

Khan, A., & Aleem, M. (2014). Impact of job satisfaction on employee turnover: An empirical

study of autonomous medical institutions of Parkstan. Journal of International Studies,

7(1), 122-132.
 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
37

Lewis, S., Gambles, R., & Rapoport, R. (2007). The constraints of a 'work-life balance'

approahc: an international perspective. International Journal of Human Resource

Management, 18(3), 360-373.

Malik, M., Difang, D., Akbar, A., & Naseem, M. (2014). The role of work life balance in job

satisfaction and hob benefit. Journal of Applied Business Research, 30(6).

Maslow, A. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychologican Review, 50, 350-369.

Mas-Machuca, M., Mirabent, J., & Alegre, I. (2016). Work-life balance and its relationship with

organizational pride and job satisfaction. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 31(2), 589-

602.

McKie, L. (2009). Autonomy, control, and job advancement: the case of low paid women

working in food retail. Work, Employment, and Society, 23(4), 787-794.

Meenakshi, S., Subrahmanyam, V., & Ravichandran, K. (2013). The importance of work-life

balance. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 14(3), 31-35.

Mkanzi, M., & Acheampong, E. (2012). Research philosophy debates and classifications:

Students' dilemma. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods, 10(2), 132-140.

Rode, J. (2004). Job satisfaction and life satisfaction revisited \: A longitudinal test of an

integrated model. Human Relations Journal, 57(9), 1205-1230.

Rowley, J. (2014). Designing and using research questionnaires. Management Research Review,

37(3), 308-330.

Sattar, A. (2014). Job satisfaction of district officers: A global perspective. Global Journal of

Management and Business Research, 14(6), 1-10.

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2008). Research methods for business students . Essex:

Pearson Education Limited .

 WORK-LIFE BALANCE
38

Suranji, D., & Thalgaspitiya, U. (2016). Impact of perceived organizational support for work life

balance on the job outcomes of the dual career couples in the private sector banks in

Colombo, Sri Lanka. Advances in Economics and Business Management (AEBM), 3(5),

463-467.

Uracha, A., Prouska, R., & Lewis, S. (2015). Work-life balance can benefit business during

financial crisis and austerity. Human Resource Management International Digest, 23(3),

2-23.

Wilcock, A., & Wright, M. (1991). Quality of work life in the Knitwear sector of the Canadian

textile industry. Public Personnel Management, 20.

Zhang, Y. (2016). A review of employee turnover influence factors and countermeasures.

Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability Studies, 4, 85-91.