i
A STUDY ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE AMONG WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN SERVICE SECTOR OF CHENNAI CITY.
BY C.JASMINE SHEELA
Roll No: 1415MBA0316 Reg.No: 68514100092
A PROJECT REPORT Submitted to the
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
CENTRE FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION ANNA UNIVERSITY CHENNAI 600 025
March -2016
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ANNEXURE II BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
Certified that the Project report titled
“A STUDY ON WORK -LIFE -LIFE
BALANCE
AMONG WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN SERVICE SECTOR OF CHENNAI CITY” is
the bonafide work of MS. C.JASMINE SHEELA who carried out the
work under my supervision. Certified further that to the best of my knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any other project report or dissertation on the basis of which a degree or award was conferred on an earlier occasion on this or any other candidate.
Signature of the Student
Signature of the Guide
Name: C Jasmine Sheela
Prof. M Ramani M.A., M.A, M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Phil., Ph.D., Visiting Faculty – Dept Dept Of Management Studies, Anna University, College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai -32
Roll No: 1415MBA0316 Reg.No: 68514100092
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ANNEXURE III
Certificate of Viva-voce-Examination Viva-voce-Examination
This is to certify that Ms. C. JASMINE JASMINE SHEELA SHEELA (Roll No.1415MBA0316 ; Register No.68514100092) has been subjected to Viva-voce-Examination on ........................(Date) at .................(Time) at the Study centre................................................ centre......................................................................... ................................................ .............................................. ................................ ......... .................................................................................(Name and Address of the Study centre).
Internal Examiner
External Examiner
Name :
Name :
Designation:
Designation :
Address :
Address :
Coordinator Study centre
Name
:
Designation
:
Address
:
Date :
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ABSTRACT
Work-life balance of women in Service sectors is gaining the domain place in highly discussed topics. Family – work work conflict and work – family family conflict are more likely to exert negative influences in the family domain, resulting in lower life satisfaction and greater internal conflict within the family. Variables such as the size of family, the age of children, the work hours and the level of social support impact the experience of Work family conflict and Family work conflict. It is also significant to note the success level gained by women in career and family inspite of all the stress they undergo at work place. It is also important to consider the consequences these variables have on psychological distress and wellbeing of the working women.
This study is based on descriptive research and the primary data has been collected from 152 women employee as respondents working in Service sector in Chennai. The main objective of this research is to identify the perception of women employees towards work-life balance and to find out their benefits and challenges in work life. The findings findings of this project gives gives us an idea about the changes in current trends in family type, type, salary and motivational factors and their influences on worklife balance among women employees in service sector.
C. Jasmine Sheela
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thank ALMIGHTY GOD for his guidance, support and constant presence throughout the study. M.A.,M.A.,M.B.A.,M.Phil.,Ph.D. My sincere thanks to my guide Prof. M.Ramani M.A.,M.A.,M.B.A.,M.Phil.,Ph.D.
Visiting Faculty, Department Department of Management Studies, Anna University, College of Engineering, Guindy, Guindy, Chennai-25 for his valuable guidance and wish counsel counsel and constant encouragement throughout the project. My thanks are extended to all the participant respondents of this study for extending their kind cooperation and for making this study possible. Their interest in the topic and their generosity and openness in providing insights into their work/life balance strategies made the data collection phase a pleasure. I thank my family members and all my friends who have extended their support and helped in many ways throughout t hroughout this study.
C.JASMINE SHEELA
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CONTENTS
SL. NO.
TOPIC
CHAPTER 1: INTODUCTION OF CONCEPT (Work life Balance) 1.1
Origin of Work- Life balance
1.2
Statement of the problem
1.3
Need for the study
1.4
Objectives of the study
1.5
Scope of the study
1.6
Deliverables of the study
PAGE NO.
1
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE SURVEY 2.1
Review of Literature
2.2
Research Gap
4
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLGY 3.1
Research Methodology
3.2
Research Design
3.3
Data collection Method
3.4
Sample Method
3.5
Sample Size
3.6
Questionnaire Design
3.7
Statistical Tools Applied
3.8
Method of analysis
7
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 4.1
Data Analysis – Descriptive Statistics and Inference Analysis
10
vii
SL. NO.
4.2
TOPIC
PAGE NO.
Hypothesis Testig
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS 5.1
Summary
5.2
Findings
5.3
Determinants which impact the issue of work life balance.
5.4
Practices followed by women Employees to Manage WLB
5.5
Organizational practices addressing work life issues
5.6
Impact of work-life imbalance
5.7
Benefits of work life balance
5.8
Barriers or Challenges to work Life Balance
5.9
Suggestions & Recommendations
5.10
Limitations & Future Scope
5.11
Conclusions
APPENDICES
26
43
Appendix 1 - QUESTIONNAIRE USED FOR THE STUDY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
48
REFERENCES
49
viii
LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO
TABLE TITLE
PAGE NO
4.1
Age of Respondents
10
4.2
Educational Qualification of Respondents
12
4.3
Marital Status of Respondents
13
4.4
Industries of respondents working
14
4.5
Working experience of Respondents
15
4.6
Income level of working women
16
4.7
Family type of working women
17
4.8
Reasons for picking up a job by respondents
18
4.9
Balance of work and life by working women
19
4.10
Factors motivating women employees to work
20
4.11
Balance of Work and Life factor for hypothesis test I
21
4.12
Marital status factor for hypothesis test I
21
4.13
Observed frequency table for hypothesis test I
21
4.14
Expected frequency for hypothesis test I
22
4.15
Table for calculation of hypothesis test I
22
4.16
Balance of Work and Life factor for hypothesis test II
23
4.17
Marital status factor for hypothesis test II
23
4.18
Observed frequency table for hypothesis test II
24
4.19
Expected frequency for hypothesis test II
24
4.20
Table for calculation of hypothesis test II
24
5.1
Table for classification of determinants of WLB:
28
organizational and individual factors
ix
LIST OF CHARTS
TABLE NO
CHART TITLE
PAGE NO
4.1
Age of Respondents
11
4.2
Educational Qualification of Respondents
12
4.3
Marital Status of Respondents
13
4.4
Industries of respondents working
14
4.5
Working experience of Respondents
15
4.6
Income level of working women
16
4.7
Family type of working women
17
4.8
Reasons for picking up a job by respondents
18
4.9
Balance of work and life by working women
19
4.10
Factors motivating women employees to work
20
1
CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCTION
1.1 ORIGIN OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE :
Work - li fe balance has emerged as a hot topic in recent years – fuelled in part by
changing trends in women’s social roles. Whilst labor market participation has increased for women of all ages, women continue to shoulder the main responsibility for organizing and undertaking unpaid caring work. In India, it is taken for granted that economic activities are exclusively the prerogative of males while domestic work, child bearing and child rearing are the sole occupations of women. Historically, women in India have not enjoyed a good status in workplace settings whether in managerial or operative roles. Since times immemorial, women have been burdened with work of all sorts all through their lives. From reproduction to all household chores and outside, their role as worker is significant, unique and burdensome. But they are discriminated and exploited all over.
In the traditional era, the women were confined to household work like cooking, washing, cleaning, taking care of children, etc. They were considered as home makers and were deprived of the right or opportunity to go outside home. But now the story is different. Apart from home maker role, they also have a significant role to engage even outside the home. With the increase in cost of living on one hand and the improved education and employment opportunities on the other Changes in the social, political and economic fabric of societies have influenced and continue to influence both the nature of employment and its relationship to life outside work .
The Services Sector constitutes a large part of the Indian economy both in terms of employment potential and its contribution to national income. The Sector covers a wide range of activities from the most sophisticated in the field of Information and Communication Technology to simple services pursued by the informal sector workers,
2 for example, vegetable sellers, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, etc. Among fast growing developing countries, India is distinctive for the role of the service sector. The changing economic conditions and social demands have changed the nature of work throughout the world . The concept of Work life balance is becoming more and more relevant in an ever dynamic working environment.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
There is presence of work life imbalance among female employees working in service sector in Chennai city. 1.3 NEED FOR THE STUDY:
Work-life balance has always been a concern in the quality of working life and its relation to broader quality of life. In the present scenario, due to many changes happening in the work place and family systems, a vast majority of women are finding it difficult to achieve a desired Work-Life Balance even this has lead to many unexpected turns like Divorce in married life, suicides, psychological issues, etc. In comparison with men, women have more responsibilities at home. Though there are studies on Work- Life Balance, relatively there are fewer studies on work-life balance of women employees. Therefore there is a need to study how women are balancing their work and family life in Services sectors.
1.4 OBJECTIVES : 1.4.1 Primary objective:
To find the perception of women employees towards work life balance policies provided by the organization. To identify the challenges of women employees in work-life balance.
1.4.2 Secondary objective:
To identify the benefits of work -life balance of Women Employees.
To learn the current practices followed by women employees for work-life balance.
To suggest some recommendations to women employees and organizations to balance work-life
3
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
The present study is confined to women employees in Chennai city. Chennai city is one of the developed cosmopolitan cities in India. Women employees who have been working in different organizations in Service Sectors like Banking, Insurance, Advertising, Education, IT, BPO and Health care were considered for the purpose of the study.
1.6 DELIVERABLES OF THE STUDY:
Work life balance is a person's control over the conditions in their workplace. It is accomplished when an individual feels dually satisfied about their personal life and their paid occupation. It mutually benefits the individual, business and society when a person's personal life is balanced with his or her own job. The idea of this study on work life balance to the point is: "Work to live. Don't live to work."
4
CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE SURVEY
2.1 REVIEW OF LITERATURE :
Number of studies has addressed this issue in different perspectives. Some of the papers related to this subject are reviewed.
J.Sudha (2014) research has identified the various aspects such as career advancement, Work Stress, Career aspiration, Work Family Conflict and Family Work Conflict, Child care in context with Work Life Balance (WLB) and its practices and has revealed the overview of the various challenges and issues faced by Women employees to achieve WLB.
Sahana Maiya and Dr.M.M.Bagali (April 2014) have revealed the picture of difficulties faced in balancing the work demand and the life (family) responsibility as there was high correlation between the difficulties faced and the balancing act to be performed. The study also defined certain specific HRM inter ventions for better work-life balance.
Prof.K.Thriveni Kumari & Dr.V.Rama Devi (2013) addressed the Work life balance as one of the most challenging issues being faced by the women employees in the 21st century because of the type of roles they play at home and the spill over of personal life over work life.
Prof. K.Santhana Lakshmi
(March 2013) have examined that the Educational
institutions should address the Work Life Balance related issues among their staff, specifically women and take a holistic approach to design and implement the policies to support the teaching staff to manage their WLB.
5 Professor S.Padma and M.Sudhir Reddy (May 2013) article was to find the impact of family Support on Work life Balance and revealed that Women with the responsibility of elder parents‟ health need to be given a helping hand to balance their personal and professional works. A.Jerina Bee, K.Baskar & V.Vimala (2013)
has reported in their Indian Streams
Research Journal about Family – work conflict (FWC) and work – family conflict (WFC) are more likely to exert negative influences in the family domain, resulting in lower life satisfaction and greater internal conflict within the family. Studies have identified several variables that influence the level of WFC and FWC. Satinder Singh (2013) literature identifies its effect on various quality life conditions i.e Job Satisfaction, Work Stress, Career Growth, Turnover, Absenteeism, Appreciation and
competitive
environment
in
context
with
Work-life
Balance
and
its
practices/policies. In this paper, an endeavor has been made to provide an overview of various aspects of Work-Life Balance through the review of existing literature. T.S.Shanthi & Dr.K.Sundar (January 2012) research measures the level of satisfaction as perceived by the women-respondent employees on the varied determinants of work life balance, to identify the major factors that influence the work life balance among various categories of women employees in I.T. Industry and to measure the overall work life balance of women employees irrespective of cadres. Prof. Sobia Shujat,Prof.Farooq-E-Azam Cheema & Prof.Faryal (2011)Bhutto study has analyzed the impact of work life balance on employee job satisfaction in private banking sector of Karachi. Factors involved are job satisfaction and work life balance with respect to flexible working conditions, work life balance programs, employee intention to change/leave job, work pressure/stress and long working hours. N.Krishna Reddy et al, (2010) concluded that the married women employees indeed experience Work Family Conflict (WFC) while attempting to balance their work and family lives. Thus, Organization needs to formulate guidelines for the management of WFCs since they are related to job satisfaction and performance of the employees.
6 Niharika and Supriya (2010) have studied the work based factors and family related factors that are considered to contribute to work life balance. Work based factors are flexi time, option to work part time and freedom to work from home and the family related factors are child care facility and flexibility to take care of emergencies at home. Rincy V.Mathew and N. Panchanatham (July 2009) identified the significant differences in the level of WLB issues faced by the various categories of women entrepreneurs. The study also provides recommendations for human resource professionals, management consultants, academicians and women entrepreneurs themselves to deal with the major WLB issues faced by Indian women entrepreneurs. Carol Emslie and Kate Hunt (January 2009) did a qualitative study of gender and work – life balance among men and women and the ways in which both men and women in mid-life negotiate the intersections between paid work and other ar eas of life. Ms.Lakshmipriya and Ms. Neena.S (April 2008) highlights the various values, attitudes & beliefs of women regarding job anxiety in their formal work organizations & particularly balancing their work & personal life. Gregg Schoenfeld (April 2005) examines the work-life balance achieved by recent MBA graduates and discusses underlying factors associated with personal perceptions of balance and imbalance. Work-life balance issues are brought to the forefront as a part of the annual MBA Alumni Perspective Survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®) in April 2005.
2.2 RESEARCH GAP :
As seen in review of literature, there are so many studies conducted on Work-life imbalance in common and among women in general. This study purely focused on women employees in service sector of Chennai only. And the previous studied have concentrated in other field like IT but have not given the importance in Service Sector, so this study has focused on service sector women employees.
7
CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem. It may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically as research methodology has many dimensions and research method to constitute a part of it.
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN:
A research design is a plan of the proposed research works, it is the arrangement of conditions for collections and analysis of data r elevant to the research purpose. This descriptive study proceeds with formulation of objectives and to give directi on to what type of data would be necessary to reveal the characteristic.
3.3 DATA COLLECTION METHOD :
The data collection method used for the analysis of this s tudy are : Primary – Data
in this study are collected through Questionnaire method, by
filling questionnaire from women employees. Secondary – Data
collected from journals, magazines, books, newspapers, online
resources etc.,
3.4 SAMPLE METHOD :
The method adopted for the sample size of this research is convenient random sampling technique.
3.5 SAMPLE SIZE:
Sample size taken for the study is 152 women employees from 6 Segments of Service Sector viz Advertising, Banking and Financial Services, IT & ITES , Hospitals, Education and Others.
8 3.6 QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN:
The study was conducted using structured questionnaire, questions belong to closed ended patterns, these closed ended questions are framed using the following type such as Multiple Rating
choice
scale
3.7 STATISTICAL TOOLS APPLIED :
The statistical tools applied for the analysis of data are Tabulation Bar
diagram
Pie-diagram Chi-square
test
3.8 CHI-SQUARE TEST :
The Chi-Square test is one of the simplest and a widely used non-parametric test in statistical work. It is used to make comparison between theoretical population and actual date when categories are used. F ormula :
Chi-Square = (O – E) 2 / E O - Observed frequency E - Expected frequency Steps for computi ng Chi – Squar e test
First the expected frequencies E are computed the expected frequency for any data can be calculated. E = RT * CT N RT = Row total CT = Coloumn total N = Number of frequency
9 Then find out the difference between observed (o) and expected(E) frequencies . Difference between (O) and(E) are squared that is the interval estimate (O-E) 2 is calculated. Square difference between frequencies (O-E) 2 are divided by respective expected frequencies. (O-E) 2/E The degree of freedom is calculated from the frequencies table by using formula. Degree of F r eedom (D.F) = (C-1)* (R-1). C = N umber of cell fr equencies in Column s R = N umber of cell fr equencies in Rows.
In case of anyone Chi-Square, The degree of freedom (D.F) = (N-1) N = Number of frequencies Then the calculated value is then compared to the tabulated value of
10
CHAPTER 4 – DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Two Hundred and ten questionnaire were distributed to different types of
organizations falling under service sector viz Advertising, Banking and Financial services , Hospitals , IT & ITES and Education and other . After eliminating the invalid questionnaires , 152 valid questionnaires were used for further analysis .
4.1 DATA ANALYSIS – DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS AND INFERENCE ANALYSIS :
Table- 4.1 AGE OF RESPONDENTS
S. No
Age in Years
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Below 25 years
40
27
2
From 25 to 35 years
52
34
3
35 to 45 years
31
20
4
Above 45 years
29
19
Total
152
100
11 Chart- 4.1 - AGE OF RESPONDENTS
60
50
52
40 40
30
34 27
No.of Respondents
31
29 20
20
Percentage 19
10
0 Below 25 years
From 25 to 35 years
35 to 45 years
above 45 years
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 27% of respondents belong under the age of 25, 34 % belong between 25 to 35 years, 20% belong between 35 to 45 years, 19% belong above 45 years of age.
12 Table- 4.2 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS
S.No
Educational qualification
No.of Respondents
Percentage
1
Diploma
17
11
2
UG
62
41
3
PG
63
42
4
Others
10
6
Total
152
100
Chart - 4.2 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION OF RESPONDENTS
70 60 50
41
42
40
No.of Respondents
30
Percentage
20
11 6
10 0 Diploma
UG
PG
Others
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 11% of Respondents have done diploma, 41% have done under graduation, 42% have done Post graduation and 6% of the respondents belong to others.
13 Table-4.3 MARITAL STATUS S.No
Marital status
No.of Respondents
Percentage
1
Married
76
50
2
Unmarried
68
44
3
Divorced
8
6
152
100
Total
Chart- 4.3- MARITAL STATUS
80
76 68
70 60 50 No.of Respondents
40
Percentage
30 20 8 10 0 Married
Unmarried
Divorced
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 50% of respondents were married 44% of respondents were unmarried 6% of respondent were divorced
14 Table-4.4 Industry in which women employees are working S. No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Industry Advertising Banking or Finance Education Travel & Tourism Hospitality IT & ITES Others Total
No.of Respondents 25 32 27 23 12 17 16 152
Chart - 4.4 Industry in which women respondents are working Industry of Respondents 11%
16%
11%
8%
21%
15% 18% Advertising Travel & Tourism Others
Banking or Finance Hospitality
Education IT & ITES
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 16% of respondents work in Advertising field. 21% of respondents work in Banking or Finance field. 18% of respondent work in Education field. 16% of respondents work in Travel & tourism field. 8% of respondents work in Hospitality 11% of respondents work in IT & ITES 10% of respondents work in other fields.
Percentage 16 21 18 16 8 11 10 100
15 Table- 4. 5 Working Experience of women employees
S.No
Years of Work experience
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Less than a year
26
17
2
1 year to 5 years
52
34
3
5 years to 10years
43
28
4
More than 10years
31
21
152
100
Total
Chart- 4.5 Working Experience of women employees
60 52 50 43 40
34 31
30
28
26
21 20
17
10
0 Less than a year
1 year to 5 years No.of Respondents
5 years to 10years
More than 10years
Percentage
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 17 % of Respondents work experience is less than a year, 34% is between 1year to 5 years, 28% is between 5years to 10 years and 21% is more than 10 years.
16 Table- 4.6 Income level of working women respondents
S. No
Income Level
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Rs.10,000 - Rs.15,000
52
34
2
Rs.15,000- Rs.20,000
35
23
3
Rs.20,000- Rs.25,000
32
21
4
> Rs.25,000
33
22
Total
152
100
Chart – 4.6 Income level of working women respondents Income level of respondents
60 52 50 40 30 20
35
33
32
34
No.of Respondents Percentage 23
21
22
10 0 Rs.10,000 - Rs.15,000- Rs.20,000- > Rs.25,000 Rs.15,000 Rs.20,000 Rs.25,000
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 34 % of Respondents income level is between Rs.10,000 to Rs.15000, 23% of respondents income is between Rs.15000 to Rs.20,000, 21% of respondents income is between Rs.20,000 to Rs.25,000 and 22% of respondents income is above Rs.25000
17 Table- 4.7 Family type of women employees S.No
Family Type
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Joint family
42
27
2
Nuclear Family
110
73
Total
152
100
Chart -4. 7 Family type of women employees
120 110 100
80
73
Joint family
60
Nuclear Family 42 40 27 20
0 No.of Respondents
Percentage
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 27% of Respondents belong to Joint family type and 73% belong to Nuclear family .
18 Table- 4. 8 Reasons for picking up a job by working women S. No
Reasons for working
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Independent
36
23
2
Career
23
15
3
Use of education
26
17
4
Overcome boredom
11
8
5
For Dependents
24
16
6
Financial requirement
32
21
Total
152
100
Chart -4.8 Reasons for picking up a job by working women
Reasons for working of respondents
21%
24%
16%
15% 7%
Independent Use of education For Dependants
17%
Career Overcome boredrom Financial requirement
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 23% of Respondents go to work to be independent, 15% for career growth, 17% for use of education, 8% to overcome boredom, 16 % to take care of dependents and 21% to meet their financial requirements.
19 Table- 4.9 Balance of work and life by working women S. No
Balance of work and Life
1
Strongly agree
2
Agree
3
Neutral
4
Disagree
5
Strongly Disagree
No. of Respondents 25
Total
Percentage 16
34
22
16
11
36
24
41
27
152
100
Chart - 4.9 Balance of work and life by working women
27
Strongly Disagree
24
Disagree
11
Neutral
Percentage No.of Respondents 22
Agree
16
Strongly agree
0
20
40
60
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that 16% of Respondents strongly agree that they balance their work and life, 22% agree, 11% say neutral, 24% Disagree and 27% Strongly disagree.
20 Table- 4.10 Factors motivating women employee to work S. No 1
Factors Motivating employee to work
Personal satisfaction
No. of Respondents 38
Percentage
25
2
Financial Independence
44
29
3
Support from family
59
39
4
Constructive Utilization of time
11
7
Total
152
100
Chart – 4.10 Factors motivating women employee to work
Factors motivating employee to work
7% 25%
Personal satisfaction Financial Independence
39% Support from family 29%
Constructive Utilization of time
Inference:
From the above table, it has been interpreted that personal satisfaction, 29 % by financial independence, 39 % by support from family, and 7% by constructive utilization of time motivates 25% of Respondents.
21 4.2. HYPOTHESIS TESTING : 4.2.1. HYPOTHESIS TEST NO: 1 CHI-SQUARE TEST Aim : To test the significant relationship between work-life balance and marital status of the
respondents. Hypothesis of the study : Null Hypotheses (H0) : There is no significant relationship between work-life balance
and marital status of the women employees in service sector. Alternative Hypotheses (H1) : There is a significant relationship between work-life
balance and marital status of the women employees in service sector Table 4.11: Balance of work and life by working women S. No
Balance of work and Life
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Strongly Agree
97
64%
2
Strongly Disagree
55
36%
Total
152
100%
Table 4.12: MARITAL STATUS S. No
Marital status
No. of Respondents
Percentage
1
Married
89
58%
2
Unmarried
63
42%
Total
152
100%
Table 4.13: OBSERVED FREQUENCY Work-life balance
Marital status Married
Unmarried
Total
Strongly Agree
54
43
99
Strongly Disagree
35
20
55
Total
89
63
152
22 Table 4.14 : EXPECTED FREQUENCY
Work-life balance
Marital status Married
Unmarried
Total
Strongly Agree
60
40
100
Strongly Disagree
40
12
52
Total
100
52
152
Table 4.15 : Calculation of the value Observed frequency (O) 54 35 43 20 TOTAL
Expected Frequency (E) 60 40 40 12 152
(O – E)
(O – E)2
(O – E)2/ E
-6 -5 3 8
36 25 9 64
0.6 0.625 0.225 5.33 6.78
FORMULA:
Chi -square (x^ 2) = £ (O-E) ^ 2 E WHERE, O = Observed frequency. E = Expected frequency. E = Row total X Colum total Grand total DEGREE OF FREEDOM
= (R-1) X (C-1) = (2-1) X (2-1) = 1x1 DF = 1 Tabulated value at degree of freedom at 5% of significant level = 3. 5 Calculated value of chi- square = 6.78 Here, Calculated value > tabulated value (i.e.) calculated value is higher than tabulated value.
23 So, H1 is accepted and HO is rejected.
Hence, there is a significant relationship between work-life balance and marital status of the working women .
4.2.2 HYPOTHESIS TEST NO: 2
Aim :
To test the significant relationship between work life balance and marital status of the respondents.
Hypothesis of the study Null Hypotheses (H0) : The work-life balance is not influenced by family type
Alternative Hypotheses (H1) : The work life balance is influenced by family type
Table 4.16: Balance of work and life by working women S.No
Balance of work and Life
No.of Respondents
Percentage
1
Strongly Agree
97
64%
2
Strongly Disagree
55
36%
Total
152
100%
Table 4.17: Family type of working women employees S.No
Family Type
No.of Respondents
Percentage
1
Joint family
42
27%
2
Nuclear Family
110
73%
Total
152
100%
24 Table 4.18 : OBSERVED FREQUENCY
Work-life balance
Family type Joint family
Nuclear family
Total
Strongly Agree
34
62
96
Strongly Disagree
25
31
56
Total
59
93
152
Table 4.19 : EXPECTED FREQUENCY
Work-life balance
Family type Joint family
Nuclear family
Total
Strongly Agree
30
60
90
Strongly Disagree
23
39
62
Total
53
99
152
Table 4.20 :
Observed frequency (O) 34
Expected Frequency (E) 30
25
(O – E)
(O – E)2
(O – E)2/ E
4
16
0.533
23
2
2
0.086
62
60
2
2
0.033
31
39
-8
64
1.641
TOTAL
152
2.293
25 FORMULA:
Chi -square (x^ 2) = £ (O-E) ^ 2 E WHERE, O = Observed frequency. E = Expected frequency. E = Row total X Colum total Grand total
DEGREE OF FREEDOM
= (R-1) X (C-1) = (2-1) X (2-1) = 1x1 DF = 1
Tabulated value at degree of freedom at 5% of significant level = 3. 5 Calculated value of chi- square = 2.293
Here, Calculated value < tabulated value (i.e.) calculated value is higher than tabulated value.
So, H0 is accepted and H1 is rejected.
Hence, there is no significant relationship between work-life balance and family type of the working women in current trend.
26
Chapter 5 – CONCLUSIONS
5.1 SUMMARY :
The findings of this survey reinforce the perceived importance of balance between both work and personal aspects of one’s life to enable greater success to be achieved in every area of life – including professional matters. With increasing working population and changes in perceived company commitment and loyalty, Work and Personal Life balance is a real issue for employers and employees alike. Employers can benefit from these policies too as they can help to develop a more committed and productive workforce. The findings are based on analysis of primary data as well as review of literature. The primary data is collected through structured questioner addressed to women employees. These findings based on a survey of female’s employees in service sector of Chennai City reveals some interesting facts about worklife balance of the respondents .
The finding of the undertaken research adheres to the following 8 questions :
1. What are the Reasons / Need for female employees to take up the jobs ? 2. Is there imbalance between personal and work life ? 3. What are the determinants of Work Life Balance ? 4. What are the practices followed by women employees to manage professional and personal life ? 5. What are the organizational practices addressing work life issues of employees ? 6. What is the impact of Work Life Imbalance ? 7. What are the benefits of Work Life Balance ? 8. What are the barriers or challenges to Work Life Balance ?
27 5.2 FINDINGS :
Most of the employees do agree in balancing their work and life in service sector, in Chennai city.
Marital status of employees highly influence their work-life balance as 50% of respondents were married mostly and 44% of respondents were unmarried and rest 6% of respondents were divorced.
Past financial experiences ,Present financial requirements ,future financial requirements ,use of educational qualification ,overcome boredom at home ,career orientation ,taking care of dependents, independence are the reasons being identified for taking up the job.
Practices followed by majority of female employees to manage professional and
personal life are Time Management ,Use of personal vehicle for commuting ,Proper planning well in advance , participating in social networking .
The current trend of working in Banking or Finance field has slightly increased as compared to IT, advertising, Education and other fields of service sector due to the increase in pay and other facilities. Major percentage of respondents are working in Banking or Finance field.
It is also found that, in recent years family type ei ther joint or nuclear doesn’t af fect the work life balance of women employees, 73% of respondents belong to Nuclear family and 27% belong to Joint family.
28 5.3 FOLLOWING DETERMINANTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WHICH IMPACT THE ISSUE OF WORK LIFE BALANCE. Table 5.1 Classification of Determinants of Work Life Balance Organizational factors
1.
Present annual income of employee
2.
Tenure in the present organization
3.
Department in which an employee is
Individual Factors 1.
Age of an employee / Life Stage Of Employee
2.
Marital Status
3.
No Of Members of family
4.
Type of Family
5.
No Of Dependents
6.
Educational Qualification
7.
Mobility from native place.
8.
Attitude and values of employee
organization
9.
Psychological factors
8.
Term Of Contract
10.
Support from family members
9.
Situational factors
11.
Energy Levels of employee
10.
Support from employer and
12.
Self High Expectations
working 4.
Type of organization
5.
Nature of Job
6.
No of years of previous experience
7.
Level of hierarchy in the
management 11.
Support from colleagues
12.
Policies of organization
13.
Technology and its use
14.
Long Working Hours
29 5.4 PRACTICES FOLLOWED BY WOMEN EMPLOYEES TO MANAGE PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE :
1. Time Management : Majority of female employees agree with the statement that
they do all the basic preparation of next day on previous night .
2. Use of personal vehicle for commuting : Majority of the female employees prefer
to use their personal vehicle for commuting from their residence to their work places as against organization transport .This helps them to do small domestic work like purchasing grocery , vegetables or any other on their way home. This saves their time .
3. Proper planning well in advance : All the female employees agree with the
statement that try to start 10 to 15 minutes before the stipulated time so that I reach on time comfortably.
4. Seeking support of parents and in-laws in case of emergency at workplace.
5. Using Crèche facility for KIDS : Majority of married female employees prefer to
keep my kids in crèches rather than keeping with my in-laws
6. Seeking support from seniors : Majority of female employees agree that they
seek support of their seniors when the their personnel attention to family is required .
7. Networking with the community members : All the female employees agree that
they network with the members of the community who can help me in alternative arrangements.
30 5.5
ORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES ADDRESSING WORK LIFE ISSUES
OF EMPLOYEES :
The range of Work Life Balance initiatives by the organizations available can be grouped into 4 main areas:
1. Leave provisions (such as parental and family leave) : Facilities like Carriers
Leaves , Opportunity for leave if Care arrangements for children or other dependents breakdown, Study / training leave, Career Breaks, Cultural / religious leave, Bereavement leave, Pooling of leave entitlements are offered by many organizations to the female employees to manage the work life issues . Maternity and Parenting policies like Unpaid maternity / paternity and adoption leave, Paid maternity leave, Paid paternity leave, Paid adoption leave, Opportunity to return to the same job after maternity / paternity and adoption leave, Safety at work during pregnancy (e.g. changing the work of pregnant women to avoid long periods of standing or lifting heavy objects ), Pre-natal leave ( e.g. time for pregnant women or their partners to attend medical appointments during working hours , either using additional leave or sick leave ), Staggered return to work after pregnancy ( employees being able to negotiate a temporary reduction in hours of work when they return to work ) etc. are adopted by many organizations to address the issues of work life balance .
2. Flexible hours provisions : Flexible work arrangements like job sharing, flexible
start and finish times , Telecommuting, Cap on overtime, Opportunity to negotiate parttime work for full time employees, Time Off in lieu and roistered days off are offered by many organizations .
3. Additional work provisions : Telephone for personal use , Counseling services for
employees, Referral services for employees personal needs, Health programs, Parenting or family support programs, Exercise facilities, Relocation or placement assistance, Equal access to promotion , training and development are some of the other provisions by the organizations to support the work life issues of female employees in service sector .
31 5.6 IMPACT OF WORK LIFE IMBALANCE :
It can be tempting to rack up hours at work, especially if you're trying to earn a promotion or manage an ever-increasing workload. Sometimes overtime may even be required. If you're spending most of your time working , though, your home life will take a hit. Consider the consequences of poor work-life balance :
1. Fatigue or Low Energy Levels : When you're tired, your ability to work
productively and think clearly may suffer — which could take a toll on your professional reputation or lead to dangerous or costly mistakes. At the same time when employees feel fatigue due to tiresome work at professional front , when they return home they are left with no energy to interact wit h family members .
2. More pressure on household work : Due to excessive pressure at home front
female employees complaint getting late very frequently to job .
3. Unable to spend quality time with friends and loved ones . - If you're working too
much, you may miss important family events or milestones. This can leave you feeling left out and may harm relationships with your loved ones. It's also dif ficult to nurture friendships if you're always working.
4. Increased expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more
responsibility. This may lead to only more concerns and challenges.
The various roles we occupy as parents, partners and employees or employers bring with them different obligations which need to be reconciled. Balancing work, family and lifestyle commitments is often difficult and sometimes the different demands can be overwhelming and incompatible. The consequences include increases in juvenile crime, more drug abuse, a reduction in care of the community and in community participation and less willingness to take responsibility for care of elderly relatives and for the disadvantaged. While steps to redress these concerns transcend
32 work and employment, it is nevertheless argued that the demands of work contribute to a reduced participation in non-work activities resulting in an imbalance.
The result of work life imbalance at the workplace can be that employees:
are less productive
are absent more often, or for longer
disguise the real reasons for their absence
have lower levels of morale
are more stressed
are more likely to leave a workplace unsupportive of work-life bala nce issues
5.7 BENEFITS OF WORK LIFE BALANCE :
Work-life balance is an essential part of Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporations are increasingly recognizing that an inadequate work-life balance can have detrimental impacts on staff performance, satisfaction and retention. When employers target good work-life balance, they can see that reducing stress and frustration resulting from poor work-life balance can be beneficial to both parties.
Furthermore the adoption of work-life balance policies and practices can improve an organization’s ability to respond to customers’ demands for increased access to services and deal with changes in a way that can be satisfactory to both employers and employees.
Helping individuals and families achieve a balance between their work, family and lifestyle commitments by introducing work-life balance policies (i.e. policies that help people meet the needs of their work life and personal life) can provide benefits for both employees and employers.
33 5.7.1 BENEFITS TO THE INDIVIDUAL :
Recognized benefits of work-life balance policies for employees include:
1. Improved work-life balance – a reduction in the impact of work on home and family life . 2. Reduced stress levels . 3. Control over time management in meeting work-life commitments . 4. Autonomy to make decisions regarding work-life balance. 5. Increased focus, motivation and job satisfaction knowing that family and work commitments are being met. 6.Increased job security from the knowledge that an organization understands and supports workers with family responsibilities. 7.Decreased Health Care Costs and Stress-Related Illnesses : With increasing company focus on the high cost of health care, work/life programs are becoming an intelligent choice to help lower the number of health care claims.
5.7.2 BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATION
The benefits of work-life balance policies are not restricted to the employees using the policies, but also to the employer providing them. Recognized benefits for introducing work-life balance policies for employers include:
1. Reduced Staff Turnover Rates & increased Employee Retention :The cost of
employee turnover and accompanying loss of valuable company knowledge can be significant. Work/life programs offer a solution to retention woes. The highest performers are the most likely to consider their ability to balance work and personal responsibilities in a decision to stay with the company.
2. Lower recruitment and training costs, associated with reduced turnover :
Getting and keeping the right staff can be achieved through good work life balance policies. Finding and keeping good staff can be difficult especially in a tight labor
34 market. Employers who can offer work-life balance and flexible work options are likely to have the competitive edge, gain access to a wider recruitment pool, and are more likely to hold onto existing staff. As a result of the flexible working arrangements and other work-life initiatives, many companies have increased retention of graduates and women returning from parental leave.
3. Becoming a good employer or an employer of choice :
Being an ‘employer of choice’ can give you the competitive edge for attracting talent. Employees who are positive about their workplace help to foster a positive attitude in the wider community. Increasingly businesses are adopting practices that make a positive difference for the environment and society. Staff are a vital business resource, so it makes sound business sense to develop and protect this resource. Work/life initiatives create positive employer branding, promote being an employer of choice, foster organizational citizenship, and support diversity initiatives.
4. Increased return on investment in training as employees stay longer : Good
WLB initiatives by organization improves the retention rate .5. Reduced absenteeism : Research has documented that work/life programs can reduce absenteeism .
6. Reduced use of sick leave : Good WLB initiatives from the organization promotes
the health of the employees in turn reduced use of sick leave .
7. Reductions in worker’s stress levels : WLB policies and its use reduces the level of
stress among the employees of the organization.
8. Improved morale or satisfaction : Poor work-life balance can lead to stress and
absenteeism, and low output. Helping employees achieve work-life balance is integral to their general health and wellbeing, increasing their work satisfaction and motivation. They are likely to be more committed, more flexible and more responsive to the business and customers’ needs. Research indicates that company commitment to work/life initiatives is closely aligned with employee motivation and productivity .
35 9. Greater staff loyalty and commitment : Good work life balance policies in the
organizations wins the loyalty and commitment from the employees .
10. Improved productivity : Getting and keeping the right staff and getting the best
from them will help to increase productivity. Costs associated with recruitment, training and absenteeism will reduce and employees will be more engaged motivated and committed.
11. Better teamwork and communication : Good work life balance policies
encourages teamwork and good communication
5.8 BARRIERS OR CHALLENGES TO WORK LIFE BALANCE :
1. Time Consuming : Implementing a WLB strategy takes time . Timescales for a. implementation need to be realistic.
2. Lack of Team Work : Introducing, operating and implementing work-life balance requires collaborative working and is very much an holistic process .
3. Lack of communication : Communication about work/life programs is essential. Although an organization may offer a rich menu of work/life benefits, the desired effect — yielding positive business results — is unlikely to occur if employees do not know about the programs or understand them.
4. Only paper work no implementation : Many organizations have the policies only on paper .There is very less concern for the implementation of the policies .
5. Support of management : Work-place initiatives of any sort are likely to fail if they do not have the full support of all levels of management. Supporting and training managers in the application of WLB is imperative. Early engagements with Senior Managers results in a higher level of commitment
36 6.
Early Awareness : Early awareness raising sessions for managers on the work-life
concept could have helped alleviate initial concern.
7. Delays in decision making: Over dependence on working groups delaying decision making .
8. Difference in interpretations : Informal flexible working practices can lead to different interpretations leading to inconsistency of approach . Performance Management has to be dealt with in the appropriate way and not through WLB.
9. Isolated Vs. bundled WLB practices : There is something of a puzzle about why family-friendly policies and practices do not appear to improve work-life balance to the extent we might expect. Isolated family-friendly practices will have little impact but that a comprehensive bundle of practices are associated with superior ratings of corporate performance . While their focus is on corporate performance, there may be similar implications for their impact on employees. One interpretation of the presence of a bundle of practices is that they have become embedded in the organizational culture whereas isolated practices operate on the margin. This would reinforce the importance of considering organizational culture/climate as a key unit of analysis as much as the specific practices.
5.9 SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Work-life balance has always been a concern of those interested in the quality of working life and its relation to broader quality of life. People achieve success when they have the flexibility to meet the demands of their professional lives and accomplish personal goals outside their offices . Whenever you focus too much on one at the expense of the other then you risk putting your entire s ystem in distress for an employee , balancing a challenging career with life outside work is a complex task . Work life and personal life are the two sides of the same coin. Maintaining a reasonable balance between both is very important .
37 The suggestions made in this chapter pertaining it WLB issues are divided in three parts : 1. Suggestions to the women employees 2. Suggestions to the organizations
5.9.1 SUGGESTIONS TO THE WOMEN EMPLOYEES :
As long as you're working, juggling the demands of career and personal life will probably be an ongoing challenge. Use following strategies to help you find the worklife balance that's best suits for you . 1.Time Management : Rather than thinking of the number of hours of work, think of
the effective time spend at work. Many people spend a long time at work yet don't seem to accomplish their high impact activities. Track your activities and the amount of time you spend on them. Watch out for some common traps. Some of these include the constant use of email or blackberries.
2. Drop activities that sap your time or energy : Many people waste their time on
activities or people that add no value -- for example, spending too much time at work with a colleague who is constantly venting and gossiping. Take stock of activities that aren't really enhancing your career or personal life and minimizing the time you spend on them. 3. A little relaxation goes a long way : Don't get overwhelmed by assuming that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Setting realistic goals, like trying to leave the office earlier one night per week. Slowly build more activities into your schedule that are important to you . Maybe you can start by spending an hour a week on your hobby or planning a weekend getaway with your family once a year . Even during a hectic day, you can take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. Take a bath, read a trashy novel, go for a walk, or listen to music. You have to make a little time for the things that ignite your joy. As happiness has direct relation to productivity one must need to think of the things which make them happy.
38 4. Set your priorities : Work life balance can’t be achieved without effective priority setting . Many people spend long hours at work without knowing the effective time they spend actually working . Set you priorities and arrange your time at the office according to that .
5. Social Networking : It is recommended that women should integrate themselves into
various social network and high levels of social support, as this will greatly improve their mental health outcomes.
6. Learn to say no : Whether it's a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child's teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it's OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you do only out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.
7. Leave work at work : With the technology to connect to anyone at any time from
virtually anywhere, there may be no boundary between work and home - unless you create it. Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When you're with your family, for instance, turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer .
8. Manage your time : Organize household tasks efficiently, such as running errands in
batches or doing a load of laundry every day, rather than saving it all for your day off. Put family events on a weekly family calendar and keep a daily to-do list. Do what needs to be done and let the rest go. Limit time-consuming misunderstandings by communicating clearly and listening carefully. Take notes if necess ary.
9. Bolster your support system : At work, join forces with co-workers who can cover
for you — and vice versa — when family conflicts arise. At home, enlist trusted friends and loved ones to pitch in with child care or household responsibilities when you need to work overtime or travel.
39 10. Nurture yourself : Eat healthy foods, include physical activity in your daily routine
and get enough sleep. Set aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy, such as practicing yoga or reading. Better yet, discover activities you can do with your partner, family or friends — such as hiking, dancing or taking cooking classes
11. Seek help of Counselors : Everyone needs help from time to time. If your life feels
too chaotic to manage and you're spinning your wheels worrying about it, talk with a professional — such as a counselor or other mental health professional. If your employer offers an employee assistance program (EAP), take advantage of available services.
12.. Don't over book :This may seem unusual to people who try to crowbar as much as
possible into every workday. The problem is: Things rarely go according to a prearranged agenda. That means a lot of time falling through the cracks chasing down appointments, unreturned phone calls and other items that simply aren't going to happen. Don't try to plan on doing too many things.. Assume that only 50% of the things you plan on doing today will actually get done. If you don't, you'll just waste valuable time trying to find out why things didn't happen.
13. Use of technology : Although personal habits and practices can do wonders for
time management, don't overlook technology as yet another weapon to make the most effective use of your workday Sticky notes are one of the worst things in the world. You should live by your database. That way, nothing is ever forgotten .
14. Organize : Bringing your time into line isn't just a matter of scheduling. The
mechanics of how you operate can be every bit as important. That means organizing most every element to allow as smooth a workflow as possible. Everything in your business should be set up using logical systems so anyone needing anything can find it when they need it. Eliminating clutter and the chaos it causes will give you a gift time of many hours every year.
40 15. Use the facilities available for WLB in organizations : WLB initiatives give
employees flexibility and help ensure that dependents are cared for whilst employees are at work. Both work-to-family conflict and family-to-work conflict can be reduced when employees use WLB initiatives but not all employees make use of the initiatives that are available to them even when those initiatives would be helpful. Remember, striking a healthy work-life balance isn't a one-shot deal. Creating work-life balance is a continuous process as your family, interests and work life change. Periodically examine your priorities — and make changes, if necessary — to make sure you're keeping on track. 5.9.2 SUGGESTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION : 1. Integration : Integrating work life balance issues into the organization’s
management development program is advisable if not essential ‘One size’ does not fit all, the process of introducing, operating and implementing work life balance has to suit the organization. Collaborative approach between management and Trade Unions assists with the process of introducing new initiatives. Embed the WLB agenda into the HR strategy. 2. Offer Flexibility :
Work Life Balance initiatives can assist employers and
employees to be productive and healthy in their work and community lives. Organizations can give employees greater flexibility in how they work . 3. Childcare Centers at workplaces : A further recommendation is to establish
nurseries and child activity centers at workplaces, which would offer timetables adapted to workers’ needs, along with high-quality services and competitive prices. it is envisaged that such services would offer an important source of assistance to working parents. 4. Women-friendly workplace : Organizations need to develop policies that create a
women-friendly workplace environment. Removing core hours and implementing selfroistering – demonstrating trust. Assisting managers to manage remote workers by agreeing targets and deadlines . Promoting core team meetings where time off is negotiated and agreed between all staff .
41 5. Parental Leave : As regards parental leave, it is proposed to increase the duration of
leave from the 13 weeks to which working mothers or fathers are currently entitled to 13 months each. Another suggestion is to pay beneficiaries parental leave benefits equal to unemployment benefits, since at present parental leave is granted without pay and this acts as a disincentive to those entitled to such arrangements. 6. Training Programs : Employers need to establish training programs for women,
such as mentorships, career guidance and leadership development. Train Managers and staff in the use of WLB policies 7. Promote awareness : Promote awareness initiatives that highlight the value of
female employees . Early buy in by senior management to the strategic benefits of work-life balance is essential, as is a willingness to take risks by senior members of the organization . 8. Women participation in strategy making : Elicit input from women employees
regarding policies, promotion and performance review processes. Involve staff at all levels of discussions and encourage ownership. Organizations need to ensure that policies are sustainable. The involvement of staff is the key to the success of any policy. A good place to start is to find out what problems staff have with their current working arrangements and ask what options would help staff balance work and home lives. 9. Commitment during hiring : Organizations should have a true commitment to hire
and promote women and include women in the annual business strategy. Avoid as far possible the long hours of work for employees : Long hours are not just potentially damaging to the individual employee but also to the company itself. Companies need to understand that long hours may lead to lower motivation, morale, turnover and productivity of employees and reputation in the labor market. There has long been a recognition that happy employees are more productive and less likely to leave. However, the reality is that there is often an assumption amongst some employers that simply getting staff to work longer hours will increase their work output
42
5.10 LIMITATIONS & FUTURE SCOPE :
The undertaken research is only related to work life balance issues of women employees employed in service sector only . It excludes the women who are employees in other sectors viz Manufacturing or agricultural sector . It excludes the male employed population .The survey excludes the unemployed and the self-employed, so the level of imbalance in the population as a whole may vary . The study is with reference to Women employees in Chennai City only .There is future scope for doing a research on wider basis viz for whole state of Tamilnadu or India or on international basis .
Future research must focus on a wider sample in order to get more generalized results. Moreover, it must be directed at understanding individual differences so that employee specific initiatives to improve work life balance could be initiated by organizations. The size of the sample used to determine the dimensions of the scale was small. As a result, the stability of the results is uncertain.
5.11 CONCLUSIONS :
The results of this research indicate that a large proportion of people lack awareness of work – life balance issues and the laws governing them. The respondents’ answers show that both the state and employers are in a position to enhance work – life balance by providing benefits and proper information in this regard. The researcher recommend that the proposals to be put forth for debate and intervention by organized groups, especially by the social partners, for the creation of a targeted policy aiming to strengthen work – life balance.
There was a time when the boundaries between work and home were fairly clear. Today, however, work is likely to invade personal life — and maintaining work-life balance is no simple task. Still, work-life balance isn't out of reach. Start by evaluating your relationship to work. Then apply specific strategies as mentioned above to help you strike a healthier balance.
43 APPENDICES Appendix 1 - QUESTIONNAIRE USED FOR THE STUDY
Work-Life balance among Working Women
Dear employees, I am Jasmine Sheela C; doing MBA (HRM) final year in Anna University, Centre for Distance education. As a part of curriculum we have to submit a project. “ A study on Work -life balance among Women employees in Service Sector of Chennai city” is my project title and to enhance the value of my project I would kindly request you fill this questionnaire given to you. QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Name of the employee: ________________ 2. Age:
a) Below 25 years [ ]
b) from 25 to 35 years [ ]
c) 35-45 years [ ]
d) above 45 years [ ]
3. Sex:
a) Male
[ ]
b) Female
[ ]
4. Educational Qualification:
a) Diploma [ ] b) Undergraduate [ ] c) Postgraduate [ ] d) others [ ] 5. Marital Status:
a) Married [ ]
b) Unmarried [ ]
c) Divorced [ ]
6. What industry does your company belong to:
a) Advertising [ ]
d) Travel & tourism [ ]
b) Banking or Finance service [ ]
e) Hospitality industry [ ]
c) Education [ ]
f) IT & ITES(BPO) [ ]
g) Others [ ] 7. Your work experience:
a) < 1 year [ ]
b) 1year-5years [ ]
c) 5 years -10 years [ ]
d) >10 years [ ]
8. Your income level:
a) 10,000 -15,000 [ ]
b) 15,000-20,000 [ ]
c) 20,000-25,000 [ ]
d) > 25,000 [ ]
44 9. Family Type :
a) Joint family [ ]
b) Nuclear family [ ]
10. For which of the following reason you have picked up the job: Reasons
Tick any one
To be independent. Career orientation Use of educational qualification To overcome boredom at home. To take care of dependents. To meet your past, present and future financial requirements. 11. I work for long hours or overtime and even on holidays.
Always
Most of the time
About half the time
Once in a while
Never
12. I do balance my work and personal life ?
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
13. Does your organization take any of the following initiatives to manage worklife balance of its employees? Initiatives taken by Organization . Provide flexible Work timings
. Provide leaves to manage work life . Provide job share option . Allow work from home . Provide child care provision or assistance . Provide health care benefits and social policy for its employees
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
45 14. Does the following factors at work place cause any challenges to your work-life balance? Factors
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
i. Long working hours ii. Lack of team work iii. Lack of communication iv. Time consuming formalities in work v. Work on holidays vi. Travelling distance from home to work vii. Negative attitude of supervisors iii. Relationship with peers ix. Disapproval of leaves for urgent personal work. 15. Do you feel any of the following problems due to work pressure ?
Problems
i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi.
vii.
Physical health Emotional Psychological or Depression Negative impact on marital relation Lack of parental responsibility Unable to spend quality time with family and friends. Unable to do household work.
To a great extent
To some extent
Not at all
46 16. Rank the following from1- 6 ( 1 being the highest priority and 6 being the least) according to your importance in balancing work life:
Factors
Rank
More Flexible hours Work from home Time off during school holidays Time off during emergencies & events Support from family members Support from supervisor/colleagues 17. Do you agree with the following benefits of work life balance policies for employees provided by your organization: Benefits
Strongly Agree
Agree
Reduced stress levels Control over time management Increased focus Increased job security Reduction in the impact of work on home and family life Decreased health care cost.
18.Tick the factor that motivate you to work:
Personal Satisfaction
[ ]
Financial Independence [ ]
Support from Family
Constructive Utilization of Time [ ]
Any other : Specify :
[ ]
------------------------
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
47 19. Do you follow any of the following practices to manage professional and personal life. Practices
i. ii. iii. iv.
To great extent
To some extent
Not at all
Time Management Use of personal vehicle for commuting Advance and proper planning Participating in social networking
20. List out other practices apart from above, that you follow to balance work and family.
…………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….… ………………………………………………
21. Your suggestion on what could Organizations do to help you balance your work and family life?
…………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….… ………………………………………………
22. FEEDBACK:
…………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….… ………………………………………………
Thank you for completing the survey!!!
48
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I.BOOKS :
a)
A.N.Agarwal ,"Indian Economy -Problems Of Development & Planning" ,34th Edition , New Age International Publishers .
b)
Aditya Khanna (2005) ,”Why Indian Firms are struggling with gender Diversity”, HRM Review , ICFAI Universtiy , September 2005.
c)
C.R.Kothari ,"Research Methodology-Methods and Techniques",2nd Edition , New Age International Publishers
d)
Jennifer Smith , Dianne Gardner (2007) , “ Factors Affecting Employee Use Of Work Life Balance Initiatives” , New Zealand Journal Of Psychology , March 2007 .
e)
Naresh Malhotra, "Marketing Research-An Applied Orientation" , 4th Edition , PHI Publication
II. JOURNAL :
a)
Hema Subramaniam (2008) , “Work Life Balance” ,The Hindu , Sunday, Jan 20 , 2008IANS (2007 ) , Wednesday, 07 March 2007 .
b)
TNN ( 2009) , “Julia's work life balance” , Times Of India , Sep 21, 2009 Ujvala , Swati Smita (2004 ) , “Tracing a Timeline for Work and Family Research in India” , Economic and Political Weekly , April 24 , 2004
c)
V.P.Michael , "Research Methodology in Management" , 5th Edition , Himalaya Publication .
d)
Vikas Shrotiya ( 2009) , “Balancing See Saw of Work and Life” , ICFAI journal of HRM Review , June 2009 ,Page:42-45
III. WEBSITE LINKS : a)
http://www.indianmba.com/Occasional_Papers/OP183/op183.html
b)
www.citehr.com
c)
www.wikipedia.com
d)
http://humanresources.about.com/od/ glossary/g/balance.html
e)
http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Indian_women_overtake_men_in_emplo yment-nid-35225-cid-TNI.htm
49 REFERENCES :
1. Carol Emslie and Kate Hunt (2009) article on “Live to work or work to live?” A qualitative study of gender and Work-life balance among Men and Women in Mid life in Gender, Work and Organisation Vol.16 No.1 January. 2. Gregg Schoenfeld (2005 ) in Work life balance Among MBA graduates - MBA alumni report by in GMAC Research reports .RR-05-09 • October 3. Jerina Bee, K.Baskar & V.Vimala (2013) in Organisational Culture on Work-Life balance among married women employees and productivity By an Indian Streams Research Journal 4. Sudha .J (2014) has done a study on Work Life Balance of Women Employee by identifying the various characteristics of married women in facing the challenges and achieving WLB in International Journal of Management Research & Review August 2014/ Volume 4/Issue 8/Article No-3/797-804 5. Sahana Maiya & Dr. M.M. Bagali (2014) - An Empirical investigation on Worklife balance among working mothers: Emerging HRM Interventions in International Journal of Business and Administration Research Review, Vol.1, Isue.5, April-June, 2014 6. Professor K.Thriveni Kumari & Dr.V.Rama Devi (2013) Work life balance of women employees – a challenge for the employee and the employer in 21 st century in Pacific Business Review InternationalVolume 6, Issue 6, December 2013 7. Santhana Lakshmi K, Sujatha Gopinath S (2013). Work Life Balance of Women Employees with reference to Teaching faculties. International Monthly Refereed Journal of Research in Management and Technology 2013; II. 8.
T.S.Shanthi & Dr.K.Sundar (2012) has done research to measure the level of satisfaction of women employees with reference to Work life balance of women Employees in IT industry in ZENITH International Journal of Business Economics & Management Research Vol.2 Issue 1, January 2012, ISSN 2249 8826.
9. S.Padma and MSudhir (2013) Reddy in “Role of Family support in balancing Personal and work life of women Employees” with reference to Bank sector employees In Andhra Pradesh By IJCEM International Journal of Computational Engineering & Management, Vol. 16 Issue 3, Ma y 2013 10. Satinder Singh (2013) Work life balance in Global Journal of commerce and Management perspective published by Global institute for Research and Education in Vol2(3) 2013.
