Work-life balance is an important topic in both professional business practice and academic research. Work-life balance (WLB) has become a popular research area in different fields such as sociology, psychology, human resource management, organization studies, and gender studies. Majority of researches on the correlation between work and family life refers to Work Life Balance and organization policies, Work Life Balance and organization culture, Work Life Balance and Human Resource management, Work Life Balance and work commitment, Work Life Balance and absenteeism, Work Life Balance and gender equality, Work Life Balance and family life, and many more (Casper, Eby, Bordeaux, Lockwood & Lambert, 2007).
There are a number of studies examining Work Life Balance and employees performance. On the process of the research, it was noticed that this work life balance means different thing to different people. For instance, Clarke, Koch and Hill (2004) state that Work Life Balance is an “equilibrium or maintaining overall sense of harmony in life”. Work Life Balance can also be describe as “satisfaction and good functioning at work and at home, with a minimum of role conflict”. The focus on the domains of work and family is vital as family and work are regarded as the most important elements of everyone’s life, and any competing demands from work and family life cause conflicts and negatively affect the wellbeing of workers (Frone, 2000). Therefore, good Work Life Balance and positive performance can be achieved when there is no role conflict, and when people are satisfied with their work and family roles.
The literature shows that common consequences of poor Work Life Balance are depression and distress, leading to lower productivity, poorer work quality, higher absenteeism and staff turnover (Seligman, 2011; Hill, 2005). Work-family research has generally been dominated by the study of family and work role interference. However, work and family role enhancement studies seem to be growing in recent years (Grzywacz& Marks, 2000). Work and family role interference suggests that responsibilities in separate domains such as work and family compete with each other in terms of limited time, psychological resources and physical energy, which leads to negative outcomes in both areas (Greenhaus&Beutell, 1985). In contrast, work and family role enhancement suggests that participation in multiple roles can lead to better functioning in other life domains (Barnett & Rivers, 1996). Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the effect of Work Life Balance on the Employees performance in Aqua-Rapha Industry.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AQUA RAPHA INDUSTRY
The Aqua Rapha industry was established on 15 December 2004, by its sole owner Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka. His ability to generate money out of little or nothing and his interest in business as a whole made him engage in small business partnership dealing on the distribution of household goods. The owner made the feasibility study. The report is not too far from what became the reality. The feasibility study was good, only that there were few under and over estimations due to the on-going inflationary trend in the country and reforms in the economic system of the country National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and control (NAFDAC).
The factory is located at 9th
mile opposite Nigeria Brewery Plc in Enugu State. The factory is located in this area because it’sproximity to the source of the raw materials for the productions. The major raw materials used in the production of sachet/packaged water are sourced locally. The manufacturer employs the services of different professionals in manufacturing of the packaged water.These professional from different field/department work together to ensure the success of desired quantities that will ensure the company’s targets, objectives and goals. The purchasing department plays their roles by getting all the necessary requirements for the production. The factory men will organize the raw materials and use it in production of complete products. After production, they will communicate stores and stores will pack those products and communicate marketing for sales thereby realizing funds what the finance department will keep for the enhancement of the company. The programme could have taken of long before now, but the company has a serious financial constraint. The availability and cheapness of the major raw materials also effected the choice of products. Aqua Rapha industry produces packaged water. Its product capacity is at minimum of Eight hundred and fifty (850) bags that contains (20) sachets, per day. Given an effective annual working period of 240 days the output is modestly placed at 203, 760 (Two hundred and three thousand, seven hundred and sixty) bags per year. The management of Aqua Rapha Industry focus attention on the human side of the enterprises. In other words the behavioural aspect of management is premium. The proprietor of Aqua Rapha Industry believes that by rewarding workers adequately they tend to work harder and put in their best to achieve the organization set goals.
Previous researches showed that there was lack of work flexibility, high work pressure and longer working hours that stress out many workers in the organizations, there is reduction of job performance and productivity as well as causing broken homes. In the community, there is a growing concern that the quality of home and community life is deteriorating. These have resulted to poor employee input and performance in the work place. This is because most employees find it difficult to properly balance family life, and also have difficulties in managing tasks at workplace. This therefore results to poor employee performance. Base on the research taken, an indication shows that when people spend too many hours at work, and spend less with their families, their health and work performance begin to deteriorate. There are various explanations for this associated with affluence, as lack of local resources and facilities. In addition, the pressures and demands of work, in different which are cause by improper examination in work- life- balance of the organization, poor identification of challenges face by employees, improper identification of the influence of imbalance Work-Life practices on organizational performance etc.
The objectives of the study are as follows:
1Ho: There are no existence of Work-life Balance practices in Aqua-Rapha Industry.
Hi: There are existence of Work-life Balance practices in Aqua-Rapha Industry.
2Ho: There are no existence of work-life balance challenges in Aqua-Rapha Industry
Hi: There are existence of work-life balance challenges in Aqua-Rapha Industry
3Ho:There are no influences of imbalance work-life practices on organizational performance
Hi: There are influences of imbalance work-life practices on organizational performance.
4Ho: There are no proper Work-Life-Balance practices for boosting of performance in Aqua-Rapha Industry.
Hi: There are proper Work-Life-Balance practices for boosting of performance in Aqua-Rapha Industry.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study seeks to bring out the various work-life balance practices which Aqua-Rapha Industry has undertaken to increase its productivity and contribute its quota in the economic development of the community where it operates.
This study will therefore help enlighten management of various organizations of the various effects of work-life balance practices on the performance of employees in an organization.
The study will also bring out specifically, the work-life balance practices which the industry has been able to make available to its employees.
It also seeks to bring out the level of encouragement and motivation the industry has given to its employees to work effectively, among others.
The importance of this study is therefore to highlight the various employee work-life balance practices and how it affects the productivity of an organization.
th
Mile Corner Enugu. The study would rely on the industry’s for vital information as well as other information from secondary sources.1.8 Limitations Of The Study