Work Life Balance and Employee Performance of the Kenya Ports Authority, Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

Corporate organizations aspire to have a pool of employees who are satisfied in their work life balance. Naturally, people’s sense of work life balance is, to a considerable extent, the product of the climate or environment in which they conduct their lives. It’s about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. There hasn’t been an effort made in the past to evaluate the effect of work life balance on employee performance at the Kenya Ports Authority. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of work life balance on employee performance. The specific objectives of this study was to establish the effects of employees’ welfare support, employee dependents’ care and support, employee leave Programs and flexible work arrangements on employee performance at KPA. The study adopted descriptive research design. The targeted population was the employees of KPA who are about 6474. Simple random sampling method was used to eliminate bias. The sample size was 130 employees. Data was collected using questionnaires with structured closed-ended questions. The study used quantitative approach to analyze the data collected. In order to ensure validity of the questionnaire, a pre-test was done in a pilot survey and test and re-test method was used to ensure reliability of the questionnaire. Regression model was used to analyze the data collected to identify the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The study found that employee welfare support wields significant effect on employee performance registering a positive statistical association with an R-value of 0. 563.The study also found that, employee dependents care positively impacted on employee job performance, with a significant statistical association recording an R-value of 0.658. The findings show that employee leave programs wield significant positive effect on the employee performance with a significant statistical association with an R-value of 0.704. The study shows that flexible work arrangements wield significant positive influence on employee performance with an R-value of 0.678. The study makes a conclusion that work life balance factors notably; employee welfare support, employee dependents care and support, and employee leave programs and flexible work arrangements wield a significant positive effect on employee performance. The study recommends adoption of employee focused social programs, including; comprehensive healthcare support programs, ensuring job security, construction of decent social amenities such as recreational and sanitary facilities. The study also recommends for the adoption of comprehensive employees’ dependent care and support programs such as health care. Finally, the study recommends for adoption on employee motivational initiatives such as; work leaves such as vacations, sick leaves, study leaves with full remuneration benefits, and the adoption of moderate flexible work programs such as shifts and regular flexible schedules.