Work- Life Balance Practices and Employee Performance in Telecommunication Firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya
Alice Nangila Ndombi, Dr. Kadian Wanyonyi Wanyama and Dr. Robert Wafula
Abstract
Many employees usually experience difficulties in balancing between employment, family life and social life. This causes stress and consequently results to employee burnouts and poor performance at work. Some reviewed literature on work-life balance practices and employee performance conducted on banks and other organizations show that work-life balance practices lead to increased employee productivity, improved employee performance, and that there is significant correlation between work-life balance practices and employee performance. However, there seems to be few studies done in Kenya especially in Telecommunication firms and that is why the researcher intended to carry out a study on work-life balance practices and employee performance in Telecommunication Firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya namely Safaricom, Airtel and Orange Limited Companies. The main objective of the study was to determine the effect of work-life balance practices on employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were to: determine the effect of flex time schedule on employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya, examine the effect of telecommuting on employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya, determine the effect of employee assistance programs on employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya and to determine the effect of leave policy on employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret Town, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The target population consisted of 151 employees. Stratified random sampling technique was used to sample out to ensure that employees with different responsibilities like managers, technicians, sales representatives and customer care representatives were catered for. A sample size of 45 employees was used. Data was collected by use of questionnaires personally administered which contained two sections: section one, demographic and section two, objectives. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Section one was analysed using frequencies and percentages. Section two was analysed using Pearson correlation technique and regression analysis. Data was presented in form of frequency tables. The first hypothesis indicated a correlation score of r = .612, P <0.05) with 95.0 % confidence. The findings showed that relationship between flex time schedule and employee performance is positive and statistically significant. The second hypothesis indicated a correlation score of r = .335, p <0.05) with 95.0% confidence level. The findings showed that relationship between telecommuting and employee performance is positive and statistically significant. The third hypothesis indicated a correlation score of r = .898, p <0.05) with 95.0% confidence level. The findings showed that relationship between Employee assistance program and employee performance is positive and statistically significant. The fourth hypothesis indicated a correlation score of r = .970, p <0.05) with 95.0% confidence level. The findings showed that relationship between leave policy and employee performance is positive and statistically significant. From the findings, the researcher concluded that all work-life balance practices had significant effect on the employee performance in Telecommunication firms in Eldoret town in Kenya. The researcher recommended that work-life balance practices would be useful to telecommunication firms and other business organizations in Kenya. Human resource managers should design human resource programs that may improve employee performance. The government should consider making appropriate work-life balance legislation too. The researcher also recommended that researchers in the field of human resource management should carry out similar study in addition to the existing literature on work-life balance practices and employee performance.
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