Integrity Values In Employees' Work-Life Balance Towards ... · Integrity Values In Employees' Work-Life Balance ... The respondent consisted of 49 employees among ... employees’

1

ISBN : 978-967-0582-32-0

Integrity Values In Employees' Work-Life Balance Towards Work Motivation

Khairunnisa Binti Mahya, Nurfaezah Binti Jaim Fakulti Psikologi dan Pendidikan, Universiti Malaysia Sabah

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between employees’

work-life balance as independent variable with job working motivation as

dependent variable in an organization and the differences of work-life balance

across gender in organization. The respondent consisted of 49 employees among

one of the federal organization in Kota Kinabalu Sabah. Comparisons of the

work-life balance measures by instrument has been develop by Draft CO service

wide survey 2000, LCD survey 1999, DH staff survey 1998 and Work-

motivation Questionnaire develop by Aspina’s Learning Resourse. Correlation

and one simple t-test revealed that analysis will be used by researcher to examine

the relationship between both variables and to identify the differences of work-

life balance across gender by using Statistical Package Social Sciences (SPSS)

21.0. Result show that there are not significant between employees’ Work Life

Balance towards employees’ Work Motivation. For H2, the result shows the

differences between employees’ Work-life balance across gender. Therefore there

is no significant difference between employees work-life balance across gender.

Recommendations and implication of the study discussed and it is hope that this

research will be give benefit to the employee and organization towards work-life

balance in increasing working motivation.

Key words: Work-life Balance (WLB), Work Motivation (WM), Gender

Presenter:

Khairunnisa Binti

Mahya

Session :

2.30 – 4.30 Ptg

BS 5

2

INTRODUCTION

For introduction of this study, the concept of work-life balance is based on the notion that paid work

and personal life should be seen less as competing priorities than as complementary elements of a full

life. A lack of work-life balance affects an employee’s attitude. Unhappy workers are typically less

efficient and can destroy morale. There are often two main aspects associated with work-life balance,

the first is lack of time and scheduling conflicts, and the other is feeling overwhelmed, overloaded or

stressed by the pressures of multiple roles. According to a major Canadian study conducted by Lowe

(2005), 1 in 4 employees experience high levels of conflict between work and family, based on work-

to-family interference and caregiver strain.

Background to the Study

From this research, the researcher will find out staffs’ work-life balance towards work motivation.

Normally, people tend to mix their personal problems into their work which can affect their

performances. This research is expected to prove that staffs who can balance their personal life with

their working life will have higher working motivation rather than those who cannot. Some of the

larger multi-national corporations (MNC) in Malaysia do have work life balance programs in place.

These include flexible working hours, allowing telecommuting, as well as extensions for family-care

needs and personal time off. Some offices have gym facilities to enable their employees to literally

work off steam and stay fit. Others have recreation clubs which organize social events for employees

and their families and friends.

Statement of the Problem

The problem statement of this study is to identify what are the relationships between work-life balance

towards employees’ motivation and are there differences of work-life balance across gender. The

work-life balance has a relationship in increasing employees’ motivation in workplace. This can be

proven based on the research said that it is common knowledge that Nigerian patriarchal system is

essentially one of the major reasons employees are subjected to serious work stress as well as work-

life imbalance that affects their motivation and commitment to work; this in final analysis impinges on

the productivity and performance of Nigerian organizations as a consequence (Aluko, 2009; Mordi et

al, 2010). The fragility of family and community institutions caused by factors no time and work

constraints have to be taken note of. lack of attention to family members and neighbors, coupled with

the practice of greeting each other with a pilgrimage and visiting neighbors, practice civility and

courtesy increasingly overlooked cause many problems that exist. Respect, trust among family

members and neighbors who faded to arouse suspicion, discord and division. Changing lifestyles of

modern society and the race for wealth and selfishness lead a pure life in the family and neighborhood

eroded.

Research Objectives The main objective in this research is to investigate the level of work-life balance and work motivation

among employees. The specific objective is:

1. To identify the relationship between employees’ work-life balance towards work motivation.

2. To investigate the difference between employees’ work-life balance across gender.

Research Questions

The purpose of research question is to create questions based on the issue that will form the basis of

this study. The research question of this study is:

1.4.1 What is the relationship between employees work-life balance towards work

motivation?

1.4.2 What is the difference between employees’ work-life balance across gender?

3

Hypothesis H1: There is no significant relationships between work-life balance in improving an employee’s work

motivation.

H2: There is no significant differences between employees’ work-life balance across gender.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to bring the knowledge of work-life balance towards work motivation

for employees. This study should provide guidance and information about definition of work-life

balance and its relationship with increased motivation. The concept of work-life balance also includes

the priority that work takes over family, working long hours, and work intensification. Therefore, the

employees can learn which type of problems associated with the failure to balance their daily lives

with their life career resulting in decreasing their performance or motivation.

Definition

Work-life Balance

According to a Clark (2000), work-life balance is about the interaction between paid work and other

activities, including work that is not paid within the family and community, leisure, and personal

development. Balance work and life of productive work culture in which the potential for tensions

between work and other parts of human life can be reduced. This means a provision of suitable

employment in the place, and systems that support the organization and management that support

them. Work and life of someone who has the 'right' combination of participation in paid work (defined

by hours and working conditions) and other aspects of their lives.

Work Motivation

According to Pinder (1998), "Work motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as

well as beyond an individual's being, to initiate work-related behavior, and to determine its form,

direction, intensity and duration."Pinder (1998) describes work motivation as the set of internal and

external forces that initiate work-related behavior, and determine its form, direction, intensity, and

duration. Work motivation is a middle-range concept that deals only with events and phenomena

related to people in a work context. The definition recognizes the influence of both environmental

forces (e.g., organizational reward systems, the nature of the work being performed) and forces

inherent in the person (e.g., individual needs and motives) on work-related behavior. An essential

feature of the definition is that it views work motivation as an invisible, internal, hypothetical

construct (Pinder, 1998).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Past Study

According to Rabia Aslam, Sadaf Shumaila, Mahwish Azhar and Shama Sadaqat( 2011), this journal

describe that family-work conflict is a conflict between the roles that have emerged from the

conflicting roles required by the organization and from the family of a person. According to Pranav

Naithani (2010),this journal describe about the author say there are more than six last decade of work

life has emerged as aspects of human resources management that are important to employers. At the

global level, all sorts of facilities, a wide range of work-life provided by large organizations.

According to a journal review article work life balance by Delecta, P ( 2011), this journal describe that

it has potential to enable people who work to consider the stand point them in the work-life balance

and executives to gain a new perspective to address this problem. What perhaps changed this way of

thinking about employees was research, referred to as the Hawthorne Studies, conducted by Elton

Mayo from 1924 to 1932 (Dickson, 1973). This study found employees are not motivated solely by

money and employee behavior is linked to their attitudes (Dickson, 1973).

4

Gap In Knowledge

There is a previous study mention mainly on issues of work-life balance and work motivation example

the research from International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences (2012)

and the title is “The Impact of Work-Life Balance on the Commitment and Motivation of Nigerian Women Employees”.

This research is focusing on the impact of work-life balance on the commitment and motivation employees especially

women in Nigerian. The main thrust of this study is to articulate how Work-Life Balance affects these

variables women’s commitment and motivation in bringing about better organizational performance

particularly. Difference from the previous research, the researcher are focusing on relationship of

employees’ work-life balance towards work motivation in federal organization in Kota Kinabalu

Sabah and not only focusing on women but both between men and female employees in that

organization. Therefore, the researcher is interested to investigate the differences between employees’

work-life balance across gender.

Theories Theory of Work-life balance - Clark’s 2000

Clark’s (2000) theory offers a set propositions relating to the strength and weakness of borders and the

similarity and differences of domains. It contends that borders and domains must work in tandem for

balance to take place and those changes to borders (e.g. flexibility) require analogous changes to the

domain culture and value accountability, deadlines, support. Other propositions are that control and

influence within a domain increase control over borders, and level of in domain support increase work

life balance.

Theory of Work Motivation- Herzberg's Motivation and Hygiene Theory

(Two Factor Theory)

To better understand employee’s attitudes and motivation, Frederick Herzberg performed studies to

determine which factors in an employee's work environment caused satisfaction or dissatisfaction. He

published his findings in the 1959 book The Motivation to Work. Herzberg found that the factors

causing job satisfaction (and presumably motivation) were different from that causing job

dissatisfaction. He developed the motivation-hygiene theory to explain these results. He called the

satisfiers motivators and the dissatisfiers hygiene factors, using the term "hygiene" in the sense that

they are considered maintenance factors that are necessary to avoid dissatisfaction but that by

themselves do not provide satisfaction (Herzberg’s and Hygiene theory 1959).

5

Theoretical Framework

Figure of 2.3.1 shows the theoretical framework of the work life balance.

Figure of 2.3.2 shows the theoretical framework of work motivation.

Conceptual Framework

Figure of 2.4.1 shows the conceptual frame between the work life balance and work motivation.

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

WORK

MOTIVATION

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

WORK LIFE BALANCE

The level of employees work

life balance and work

motivation

CLARK’S THEORY OF WORK-

LIFE BALANCE

HERZBERG’S MOTIVATION -

HYGIENE THEORY

(TWO FACTOR THEORY)

Work life balance refers to the effective

management of multiple responsibilities

at work, and home

Explains how individuals manage and

negotiate the work and family spheres

and the borders between them in order

to attain balance.

contribute more meaningfully towards the

organisational growth and success

Work-family border theory "is devoted

only to work and family domains.

2. Hygiene Theory

Factors that involve job Content

(motivation factors) and lead to job

satisfaction.

1.Herzberg’s motivation theory

Factors that deal with job content and

lead to jobsatisfaction

6

METHODOLOGY

Respondent

The study has been conducted at one federal organization in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The population

size for this research is 49 respondents. This research used a population study, meaning to take 100%

of the employees as respondent.

Research Design This study entitled "Employee’s Work-Life Balance towards Work Motivation". This study uses

quantitative research design. Quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which

numerical data are used to obtain information about the world. Quantitative research is a type of

research that seeks answers to a question; is systematically conducted and involves the collection of

evidence.

Sampling

This research has been conducted in one of the department in federal organization in Sabah. The study

is 49 respondents. The information data has been transfer using Statistical Package for Social Science

(SPSS) version 17.0 for window, to get the result. Researcher use convenience sampling, which is a

non-probability sampling technique where subjects are selected because of their convenient

accessibility and proximity to the researcher. The questionnaire were given to those who are working.

Instruments This study is using quantitative data collection using a questionnaire where respondents must to

answer a statement suggested in the mark set at the scale of the questionnaire consists of three parts.

Section Number of Questions Analysis

A 3 Respondents Background

B 11 Work-life balance questionaire

(Draft CO service wide survey 2000, LCD survey 1999,

DH staff survey 1998.)

C 19 Work-motivation Questionaire (Aspina’s Learning Resourse)

Statistical Techniques

Based on researcher’s hypotheses and research question in chapter 1 revealed that, the researcher will

use correlation and independent t-test based on the hypothesis. The analysis technique used to test the

hypothesis and will be used to identify whether it can be accepted or rejected.

For hypothesis 1, there is significant relationship between work-life balance in improving an

employees work motivation. The proposed statistical is correlation. Correlation is a statistical

measurement of the relationship between two variables. Possible correlations range from negative one

to positive one.

For hypothesis 2, there are significant differences between employees’ work-life balance

across gender. The statistical technique is independent sample T-test. The independent samples (or

two-sample) t-test is used to compare the means of two independent samples. The results windows for

the Independent samples t-test displays the summary statistics of the two samples, followed by the

statistical tests.

7

RESULT AND FINDINGS

Descriptive Statistics

Table 4.0.1: Frequencies

Statistics

Age of Respondent Race of Respondent Gender of Respondent

N Valid 49 49 49

Missing 0 0 0

Table 4.0.1 show the frequencies for section A include age of respondent, race of respondent and

gender of respondent. This table show that there have 49 employees’ valid answering all the

questionnaire.

Table 4.0.2: Frequency Table

Age of Respondent

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Valid 18-21 2 4.1 4.1

4.1

22-25 9 18.4 18.4

22.4

26-30 11 22.4 22.4

44.9

30 and above 27 55.1 55.1

100.0

Total 49 100.0 100.0

Table 4.0.2 above shows the frequency table for age of respondents of employees are participate

8

in this research. The finding show the category age from 18-21 years is 2 respondents and (4.1%)

while the category 22-25 years is 9 respondents and (18.4%). For category of 26-30 years is 11

respondents and (22.4%). The category age from 30 and above is 27 respondent and (55.1%).

This table above shows the frequency table for race of respondents of employees are participate in this

research. The finding show the category race for Malay is 38 respondent and (77.6%). The category

race for Indian is 4 respondent and (8.2%) while the category race for Chinese is 7 respondent and

(14.3%).

Gender of Respondent

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Valid Male 18 36.7 36.7

36.7

Female 31 63.3 63.3

100.0

Total 49 100.0 100.0

This table above shows the frequency table for gender of employees’ are participate in this research.

The finding show the category gender for male is 18 respondent and (36.7%). The category gender for

women is higher than male which is 31 respondent and (63.3%).

Level of Work-Life Balance and Work Motivation

High Level ( >33 ) Low Level ( < 47.5) Total

Work-Life Balance 9 40 49

Work Motivation 49 0 49

The frequencies result show the level of Work-Life balance is 9 employees was higher level ( > 33 )

and 40 employees was lower ( < 33 ). The work motivation result show that all the 49 employees is

higher work motivation ( > 47.5 ).

Race of Respondent

Frequency Percent Valid Percent

Cumulative Percent

Valid Malay 38 77.6 77.6

77.6

Indian 4 8.2 8.2

85.7

Chinese 7 14.3 14.3

100.0

Total 49 100.0 100.0

9

Reliability Analysis

Table 4.1.1 Reliability Analysis of Work-Life Balance (Wlb)

Reliability Satistics

Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items

.734 11

Table 4.1.1.shows that the Work Life balance (WLB) Cronbach’s Alpha is =.734 consists of 11 items.

The level of this Cronbach’s Alpha is show the significant. Therefore, this instrument can be used for

this research.

Table 4.1.2 Reliability Analysis Of Work Motivation (WM)

Reliability Satistics

Cronbach’s Alpha N of Items

.711 19

Table 4.1.2 shows that the reliability analysis of Work Motivation (WM) Cronbach’s Alpha is =.711

consists of 19 items. The level of this Cronbach’s Alpha is show the significant. Therefore, this

instrument can be used for this research.

Hypothesis Testing

Hypothesis 1: There are significant relationship between work-life balance in improve an employees

work motivation.

Table 4.2.1 : There are significant relationship between work-life balance in improve an employees

work motivation.

Correlation

ALL_WLB

ALL_WM

ALL_WLB Pearson Correlation 1

-.080

Sig. (2-tailed)

.586

N 49

49

ALL_WM Pearson Correlation -.080 1

Sig. (2-tailed) .586

N 4949

Based on the Table 4.2.1 show the result from table correlation value r =-.080, Significant (2-tailed) (

=.586,p>0.05). This result show that there are not significant between Work Life Balance towards

employees’ work motivation. The first hypothesis is rejected which is to identify the relationship

between work life balance in improve an employees work-life balance

10

Table 4.2.2 Hypothesis 2 : There are significant difference between employees’ work-life balance

across gender.

Independent sample T-Test

Table 4.2.2 shows the differences between employees’ Work-life balance across gender. since the p

value .528 in table, which is > ∝=0.05, we rejected H2, therefore there is no significant difference

between employes work-life balance across gender.

DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATION, LIMITION AND CONCLUSION

Discussion

The purpose of this study is to identify the significance of employees’ work-life balance in improving

employees’ work motivation and to identify the differences of employees’ work-life balance across

gender.

Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between work-life balance in improving

employees’ work motivation.

Group Statistics

Gender of Respondent N Mean Std. Deviation Std.

Error Mean

ALL_WLB Male 18 26.8333 5.69055

1.34128

Female 31 27.9355 5.93260

1.06553

Independent Samples Test

Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for

Equality of Means

F Sig. T df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean

Difference Std. Error Difference

ALL_

WLB

Equal variances assumed .306 .583 -.636 47 .528 -

1.10215

1.73242

Equal variances not assumed -.643 36.900 .524 -

1.10215 1.71300

11

Based on the result analysis in chapter 4, the result for hypothesis 1 finds that there are no significant

which means that there is no relationship of employees work-life balance in improving their work

motivation. They are not affected with their work motivation if they are facing imbalance work-life

balance. Based on this research, the researcher found that this statement contradict with the result that

was researcher found because based on the result, some of the employees’, work-life balance do not

effected to their work motivation. For the federal organization, the work-life balance is not the main

point to effect employees work motivation because there have a lot factor or causes to make

employees work motivation low.

Hypothesis 2: There is no significant differences between employees’ work-life balance across gender.

For hypothesis 2, there is no difference of employees’ work-life balance across gender. This result in

chapter 4 shows that there is no difference of employees work-life balance between male and female.

Based on the result in chapter 4, the researcher finds that there are no differences level of employees’

work life balance between male and female in federal organization in Kota Kinabalu. The researcher

founds that employees, female and male have the same work-life balance. The result shows that

women and male employees have the same work-life balance. Their work-life balance do not effected

to their work motivation.

RECOMMENDATION

There are lots of recommendations for employees or organization to improve employees’ work-life

balance and to make employees work motivation high, for example by applying the flexible working

hours. Flexible working hours means altering the start and finish times of a working day, but

maintaining the same number of hours worked per week for example, 8am to 4pm instead of 9am to

5pm. It can also means condensing standard hours per week into fewer days for example, four days

per week at ten hours per day. For the organization, the employer can establish nurseries and child

activity centers at workplaces, which would offer time tables 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.

Limitation

The limitation on this research is this study was conducted in one department only. Other than that,

there are some of employees believe that they are able to adjust their business without involving or

disrupt the routine of their lives. There are also workers who believe that their time table long work or

work too many hours can disrupt their daily lives to the detriment of their work motivation.

CONCLUSION

The result shows that there is no relationship of employees’ work-life balance into their work

motivation and there is no difference of employees’ work-life balance across gender because for the

federal organization, the work-life balance is not the main point to effect employees work motivation.

There have a lot factor or causes to make employees work motivation low. Example of causes that will

make employees work motivation low is because of the stressful job task, unhappy environment in

workplace, bias that could affect employees’ motivation levels at the workplace. Both men and women

reported experiencing work life imbalance. Organizational efforts at providing a supportive work

environment area preciated as they go a long way towards enhancing work-life balance.

12

REFERENCES

Aminah Ahmad (2008). Job, Family and Individual Factors as Predictors of Work-Family

Conflict .The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning 4 (1)

Bedeian, A. G. (1993).Management.3rd ed. New York: Dryden Press.

Baleghizadeh, Sasan and Gordani, Yahya (2012) "Motivation and Quality of Work Life among

Secondary School EFL Teachers," Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Vol. 37: Iss.

7, Article 3.

Dickson, W. J. (1973). Hawthorne experiments. In C. Heyel (ed.). The encyclopedia of management,

2nd ed. (pp.298-302). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Catherine Hakim ( 2006 ). Women, careers, and work-life preferences. British Journal ofGuidance

&Counselling,Vol. 34, No. 3

Delecta P. ( 2011). Review Article Work Life Balance. International journal of current research.Vol.

33, Issue, 4, pp.186-189.

Higgins, J. M. (1994). The management challenge. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan

Heather M. Lauzun, Valerie J. Morganson, Debra A. Major, and Arlene P. Green ( 2010).

Seeking Work-Life Balance: Employees’ Requests, Supervisors’ Responses, and

Organizational Barriers.The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 13: 184–205.

IbolyaLosoncz and Natalie Bortolotto( 2009 ). Work-life balance: The experiences of Australian

working mothers. Journal Of Family Studies . Volume 15, Issue 2.

Jane Sturges and David Guest ( 2006 ). Working to live or to work? Work/life balance early in the

career. Human Resource Management Journal, Vol 14, no 4pages 5-20.

Jennifer Tomlinson (2006). Women’s work-life balance trajectories in the UK: reformulating choice

and constraint in transitions through part-time work across the life-course. British Journal of

Guidance &Counselling, Vol. 34, No. 3.

KhurramShahzad, UmerRehman, Ikramullah Shad, AsmaGul and Muhammad Amanullah Khan

( 2011). Work-life Policies and Job Stress as Determinants of TurnoverIntentions of

Customer Service Representatives in Pakistan. European journal of Social Sciences Volume

19.

Kreitner, R. (1995). Management (6th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Niharika Doble ; M.V. Supriya ( 2010). Gender Differences in the Perception of Work-Life Balance.

Journal of Management.

Pranav Naithani (2010). recession and work-life balance initiative. The Romanianaconomic

Journal.

Peter Gro and Julius Kuhl ( 2009 ). Work–life balance and subjective well-being: The mediating role

of need fulfilment. British Journal of Psychology ,100, 365–375.

RabiaAslam,SadafShumaila,MahwishAzhar and ShamaSadaqat (2011). Work-Family Conflicts:

Relationship between Work-Life Conflict and Employee Retention – A Comparative Study of

13

Public and Private Sector Employees. Interdisciplinary Journal of Research in Business,

Vol. 1, Issue.2, (pp.18-29).

SupritiDubey, RuchiSaxenaand NeetuBajpai ( 2010). Work life balance : can women be both

bearer and manager.

Rincy V. Mathew* and N. Panchanatham( 2011 ). An exploratory study on the work-life balanceof

women entrepreneurs in southi India. Asian Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 16,

No. 2, 77–105.

RanaZehraMasood and SeemaMahlawat( 2011). Impact of Demographic Variables on the

Critical factors of work-life balance: An Empirical Study. Journal of Organizational

Management.

R. Baral and S. Bhargava( 2011 ). HR interventions for work-life balance : evidences from

organisations in India. International Journal of Business, Management and Social

Sciences Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 33-42.

Soo Jung Jang ( 2009 ). The Relationships of Flexible Work Schedules, Workplace

Support,Supervisory Support, Work-Life Balance, and the Well-Being of Working

Parents. Journal of Social Service Research, 35:93–104.