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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
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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?
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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).
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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).
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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