EFFECT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON THE COMMITMENT OF WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN SELECTED DEPOSIT MONEY BANKS IN SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study is on the effect of work-life balance on the commitment of women employees in selected deposit money banks in South-East, Nigeria. The study was necessitated as a result of many cases of family strife. These include: divorces, separations, marital tension, lack of spousal support, co-workers support, supervisors/managers support, social support, having an organizational culture that was not flexible and work-place policies of work-life balance that was not made available, accessible for some women employees. Some husbands never liked their wives to work in the banks due to their known work pressure, late sittings, long working hours and transfers.  The broad objective was: to investigate the effect of work-life balance on the commitment of women employees in selected deposit money banks in South-East, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: ascertain the effect of managerial support on job satisfaction, highlight the extent to which supportive work-place policies reduce the turn-over intentions, identify the extent to which a relationship exists between social support and employee identification, determine how corporate culture can affect employee loyalty, and assess the nature of the relationship that exists between co-worker support and career development of the women employees in selected deposit money banks in South-East, Nigeria. In line with the above objectives, five hypotheses were formulated to guide the study.  The study was carried out using a survey design.  The population of the study was 1,718 from the 10 deposit money banks under study. A sample size of 544 was obtained from the population using Cochran formula at (5% error margin). The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire structured on a 5-point Likert Scale. Designed instrument was validated through content validity using five experts from both the industry and academia. Findings indicated that: managerial support significantly (r = 0.747; t = 25.304; F = 2024.25; p < 0.05) affected job satisfaction of the women employees in selected deposit money banks, supportive work-place policies significantly (r= 0.894; t = 44.989; F 2024. 25; p= < 0.05) reduced the turn-over intentions of women employees in selected deposit money banks),  social support significantly (r = 0.912; p < 0.05) affected identification of women employees with their organizations, corporate culture to great extent (r = 0.889; t = 43.622; F = 1902.849; p < 0.05) positively affected employee loyalty, co-worker support positively (r = 0.875; p < 0.05) affected career development of the women in the selected deposit money banks in South-East, Nigeria. The study concluded that supportive work-place policies that were family support designed significantly helped these women employees balance their work and personal lives. It recommended that DMBs should promote work-place culture that supports women employees in their attempt to make a healthy and balanced work-life and commitment.