Correlation Between Work-Life Balance and Employee Engagement in Non-Executive Employees of ABC Bank in the Colombo District

Abstract

This thesis tries to find out the correlation between work-life balance and employee engagement among the ABC Bank PLC non-executive employees. The banking sector in Sri Lanka is known for high work pressure with demanding job roles, and there is very little research that has explored how the engagement of the employees is influenced by work-life balance. Specifically, there is less research involving non-executive staff. Through this study, the author aims to fill that gap by researching the factors that can impact work-life balance, further by understanding how engagement is influenced by these factors and exploring what kind of benefits the employees gain through maintaining a proper balance between personal life and their work life.

The author has used a quantitative research method, and a structured questionnaire answered by 94 non-executive employees was used to gather data. Microsoft Excel was used to carry out the analysis, which included descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and Pearson correlation analysis. There were 3 dimensions used to measure work-life balance, which were working hours, work pressure, and family responsibilities.

The results of the study showed that there is a strong and positive relationship between work-life balance and employee engagement. Between the three variables, support for family obligations showed a reasonably substantial correlation with engagement (r = 0.582), suggesting that flexibility and family-related assistance significantly contribute to increasing engagement. Work pressure exhibited a weak positive correlation (r = 0.341), while working hours displayed the weakest correlation (r = 0.280). The correlation between work-life balance and employee engagement was remarkably high (r = 0.9998), indicating that employees' view of balance significantly influences their engagement levels.

Further, the study revealed that though there are work-life balance benefits which employees appreciate, such as flexibility, paid leave, and organizational support, there is still a huge gap between the policy and the practice in the organization. It was found that certain criteria, such as work pressure, high workload, and a culture that is less supportive, decrease the positive effect of existing policies. Due to this, many participants responded neutrally to the feelings of fairness, recognition, and motivation, which could limit the full impact of work-life balance initiatives on engagement.

As per the findings of this study, enhancing work-life balance is critical in order to raise the involvement of non-executive employees in the banking sector. According to the results, ABC bank should consider reducing excessive workload, strengthening assistance for family obligations, expanding stress reduction techniques, enhancing recognition and fairness, and creating a work-life balance-promoting culture. By introducing these changes to the organization, the engagement of employees will increase, which would also contribute to better performance, higher job satisfaction, and long-term organizational success.