Youssef H. Serhal : Abstract
Youssef H. Serhal : Abstract
Abstract:
A major concern faced by many employees in numerous countries in several sectors due to the present dynamic, busy, and demanding
business environment is Work-Life Balance. Maintaining an equilibrium between work and life is an issue that is gaining increasing
recognition because of its considered importance to organizations and employees. In contrast, the deprivation of work-life balance
(WLB) has drawbacks on the way employers estimate success in many matters. The research’s main objective is to study how work-
life may impact faculty and staff members in Lebanese private higher education institutions (HEIs) and to identify if attaining a high
level of satisfaction, performance, and productivity is associated with a better work-life balance. Besides, the moderating effect of
perceived organizational support was also studied. To obtain the results, a mono-method quantitative research approach for the
collection and analysis of data was employed. A self-directed survey questionnaire was distributed randomly among staff and faculty
members working in Lebanese private universities. A total of 130 responses were gathered. For the purpose of revealing the
relationships between the variables, SPSS software version 25 and Process SPSS Macro version 3.4 were used. The research’s
findings showed that a relationship between work-life balance, and employees’ satisfaction, productivity, and performance exists.
However, there was no evidence to support the idea that organizational support moderates the way WLB affects other variables. The
findings encourage private HEIs in Lebanon to implement or reinforce existing practices that focus on WLB to attain better employee
job satisfaction, productivity, and performance.
Keywords: Work-Life Balance, Job Satisfaction, Job Performance, Job Productivity, Higher Education, Private Universities,
Perceived Organizational Support..
WLB to cultivate a satisfied and productive workforce confidentiality, including informed consent and secure
(Fleetwood, 2007). data storage and transmission protocols.
This study aims to study the influence of Work-life
balance on job satisfaction, productivity, and Research Findings
performance as well as the moderating effect of Table 1 shows the sociodemographic traits of the
perceived organizational support in Lebanese private participants involved in the study. 130 participants were
higher education institutions. The present study has involved, and all are employed in private universities in
several important aspects. First, it adds to the body of Lebanon. Most of the participants were aged between 31-
evidence on the notions of work-life balance, job 40 years old (45=34.6%), female (87=66.9%), and
satisfaction, productivity, and performance. The results Lebanese (100%). Most of the participants were residing
can help university administrators, policymakers, and in Mount Lebanon (49=37.7%) and the majority were
human resource specialists create and put into practice married with kids (53=40.8%), more than any other
efficient interventions and practices that support WLB marital status. More than half of the participants have
and raise performance, productivity, and job satisfaction. obtained a university degree, with 69=53.1% of them
Additionally, it can serve as a roadmap for the creation holding a master’s degree and 45=34.6% of them having
of interventions and programs targeted at enhancing a Doctorate. The majority of the participants were
WLB and creating a supportive workplace. employed in the other universities category (72=55.4%)
Methodology holding the highest percentage, followed by MUBS
The current study adopts a positivist methodology, (38=29.2%), LAU (6.9%), and AUST (6.2%). The
heavily relying on experimental and manipulative Others category concerning the nature of the
techniques (Cohen, 2006), which involves formulating employment scores (51=39.2%) followed by
and testing hypotheses, along with the processes of (48=36.9%) of the participants who were instructors,
validation and falsification. A quantitative method for while other titles take the rest. Furthermore, (81=62.3%)
data collection and analysis is adopted in this approach, of the participants were full-timers at the universities
aiming to generate hypotheses, test them, and contribute they work at, and (49=37.7%) were part-timers. It is
to existing knowledge (Arif & Farooqi, 2014). worth noting that (83=63.8%) were faculty members, the
Furthermore, the research perspective involves deductive rest were either working in administrative departments or
reasoning and methodologies characterized by high holding positions in both academic and administrative
structure and large sample sizes, aiming to strengthen the ones. As for the years of experience, more than half of
reliability of findings. This approach entails acquiring the respondents have less than 5 years of experience
theories from existing literature and testing them through (70=53.8%), followed by 5-10 years of experience
data collection, experiments, or surveys, followed by (33=25.4%), and lastly those who have more than 10
statistical analysis to draw conclusions (Sinval & years (27=20.8%). Additionally, most participants have
Marôco, 2020). The chosen methodology for this study an income between 500$ and 1000$ (48=36.9%).
is a mono-method quantitative research approach, Finally, equal percentages were recorded by participants
focusing on investigating the correlation between work- when asked if they are the sole source of income for their
life balance, job satisfaction, productivity, and families (50% Yes, 50% No).
performance of faculty and staff members in private Table 1: Sociodemographic characteristics of the
universities in Lebanon. To ensure representation from participants (N=130).
Variable N (%)
various Lebanese private universities, a simple random Gender
sampling technique was adopted, providing equal Male 43 (33.1%)
Female 87 (66.9%)
opportunities for participation. Data collection utilized a Age in years
structured online survey distributed via email and social 18 – 25 15 (11.5%)
26 – 30 25 (19.2%)
media platforms, with participants recruited from 31 – 40 45 (34.6%)
personal networks and databases of Higher Education 41 – 50 38 (29.2%)
51 and above 7 (5.4%)
Institutions (HEIs). The survey encompassed validated Nationality
scales and questions related to work-life balance, job Lebanese 130 (100%)
Other 2 (1.3%)
satisfaction, productivity, performance, and perceived Area of residency
Beirut 27 (20.76%)
organizational support. Statistical analysis using SPSS Mount Lebanon 49 (37.69%)
software involved descriptive analysis, Pearson South 7 (5.38%)
North 9 (6.92%)
correlation, linear regression analyses, and moderation Bekaa 30 (23.07%)
effects testing, adhering to a significance threshold of Akkar 0
Baalbeck-Hermel 2 (1.5%)
p<0.05 (Smeltzer et al., 2016; De Menezes & De Paula Nabatiyeh 4 (3.07%)
Xavier, 2018). Ethical considerations were paramount, Kserwen-Jbeil 2 (1.5%)
Marital status
with measures in place to ensure participant rights and Married with kids 53 (40.8%)
Married without kids 14 (10.8%)
Single 46 (35.4%)
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Widowed 3 (2.3%)
Divorced 8 (6.2%)
Table 2: Description of the scales used in the study.
Mean ± Minimu Maximu Media Cronbac
In a relationship 6 (4.6%)
SD m m n h alpha
Educational level
Work-Life Balance 3.52±0.95 1.20 6.46 3.46 0.850
Highschool diploma or lower 3 (2.3%)
The Short Index of
Vocational/technical license (vocational 18.11±3.9
2 (1.5%) Job Satisfaction 7.00 25.00 18.00 0.772
institute) 2
(SIJS)
Bachelor’s degree 11 (8.5%) The Short Version
Master’s degree 69 (53.1%) of the Self-
Doctorate 45 (34.6%) Assessment Scale
4.10±0.72 1.80 5.00 4.05 0.950
Current job title of Job
Instructor 48 (36.9%) Performance
Assistant/associate professor 31 (23.8%) (SJOP)
Others 51 (39.2%) The Survey of
Nature of current employment Perceived
4.66±1.60 1.00 7.00 5.00 0.928
Full time 81 (62.3%) Organizational
Part-time 49 (37.7%) Support
University working on Employee
26.20±6.4
MUBS 38 (29.2%) productivity 13.00 40.00 25.00 0.806
7
AUST 8 (6.2%) (IAPT)
LAU 9 (6.9%)
LIU 3 (2.3%)
AUB 4 (3.06%) Table 3 represents the correlation between work-life
Others 72 (55.4%) balance and the dependent variables of job satisfaction,
Role in the organization
Faculty member (Academic departments) 83 (63.8%) productivity, and performance. The analysis shows a
Staff member (Administrative departments) 32 (24.6%) negative correlation, r = -0.28 (Figure 2) indicating that
Faculty and Staff 15 (11.5%)
Years of experience the work-life balance scale was negatively correlated
Less than 5 years 70 (53.8%)
5 – 10 years 33 (25.4%)
with the satisfaction scale (SIJS). Also, r = -0.317 (Figure
More than 10 years 27 (20.8%) 3) shows another negative correlation with the
Monthly income
˂ 500$ 45 (34.6%) performance scale (SJOP). Likewise, r = -0.429 (Figure
500$-1000$ 48 (36.9%) 4) represents a negative correlation with the productivity
> 1000$ 37 (28.5%)
Family relies on as a source of household scale (IAPT).
income
Yes 65 (50.0%) Table 3: The Correlation between Work-Life Balance, Satisfaction, Performance, and
No 65 (50.0%)
Productivity .
Satisfac Perfor Product
The description of the mean, minimum, maximum, tion mance ivity
(SIJS) p- (SJOP) (IAPT)
p- p-
median, and Cronbach alpha are displayed in the below va
Variable Correla Correla val Correla val
lu
table (table 3). The work-life balance assessment scale’s tion
coeffici
e tion
coeffic
ue tion
coeffici
ue
mean score was 3.52±0.95, this score means that ent ient ent
0. <0.
respondents have moderate work-life balance. The Work-Life
-0.282 00 -0.317
<0.
-0.429 00
Balance 001
Cronbach's alpha of 0.850 proposes good internal 1 1
SJIS: The Short Index of Job Satisfaction; SJOP: The Short Version of Self-
consistency for the items in this scale. Moreover, the Assessment Scale of Job Performance; IAPT: Productivity during a Working
Day.
mean of the Short Index of Job Satisfaction (SIJS) was
18.11±3.92 denoting that the participants have a high
level of job satisfaction. The Cronbach's alpha of 0.772
suggests acceptable internal consistency. The Short
Version of Self-Assessment Scale of Job Performance
(SJOP) scored 4.10±0.72 meaning that those who
participated also experienced high levels of job
performance. The Cronbach's alpha of 0.950 signifies a
high internal consistency. Similarly, Employee
productivity (IAPT) (26.20±6.47) confirmed a high level
of job productivity as well. The 0.806 Cronbach's alpha
score means acceptable internal consistency. Contrary,
moderate organizational support was proven as the mean
score was 4.66±1.60. The Cronbach's alpha of 0.928
reveals excellent internal consistency in this case.
Figure 1: Pearson correlation analysis between The
Work-Life Balance and the Short Index of Job
Satisfaction (SIJS).
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factors, for instance, the mitigation of stress and burnout. and job satisfaction, performance, and productivity
Lebanon has been facing economic challenges and (Medina-Garrido et al., 2023). This can be linked to the
geopolitical instability, which has led to a high-stress variation of institutional practices as Lebanese private
work environment. Skillful management of work-life universities may vary regarding their work-life balance-
balance aids employees in mitigating stress and related organizational practices, policies, and support
preventing burnout, contributing to higher job mechanisms. As employees' experiences differ
satisfaction (Tavassoli & Sunyer, 2020). significantly, the diverse approaches among institutions
The results showed that work-life balance and could lead to inconsistencies in the moderating effect.
productivity are negatively correlated, meaning that the This discussion dove into the relationship between work-
lower the work-life balance is, the lower the productivity life balance, employee outcomes, and organizational
associated with it. Thus, the second hypothesis (H2) is support. The confirmed hypotheses highlight negative
also confirmed, which states that a correlation exists correlations between work-life balance and job
between the equilibrium of work and personal life and satisfaction, productivity, and performance. It’s
the overall productivity displayed by employees. It is noteworthy that despite demographics and employment
confirmed by diverse studies that whenever employees adjustment, the correlations remained the same.
maintain a healthy work-life balance, they are more However, the impact of institutional support as a
likely they be productive (Karman et al., 2014). This moderator wasn’t proven. This underscores the
relationship might be linked to enhanced focus and importance of recognizing diverse organizational
concentration. In other means, the socio-political doubts approaches in shaping these dynamics.
in Lebanon may result in distractions and impact
employees' focus. Thus, a balanced work-life Conclusion
equilibrium allows employees to concentrate on their In conclusion, this study aimed to understand the
tasks in a better manner, leading to an increase in relationship between work-life equilibrium, employee
productivity levels (Bloom et al., 2006). outcomes (Satisfaction, Productivity, and Performance),
A strong correlation exists between the equilibrium of and organizational support in private HEIs in Lebanon,
work and personal life and the overall performance of employing a mono-method quantitative approach.
employees. This is the third hypothesis in this study (H3) Hypotheses H1, H2, and H3 were confirmed, showing a
and like the previous hypotheses, it is also has been correlation between work-life balance, satisfaction,
confirmed. This correlation was displayed in Chapter 4 performance, and productivity, while organizational
as work-life balance and job performance are proven to support had no moderating influence. However,
be negatively correlated in this study. Previous research limitations such as the mono-method approach, sample
has also approved this hypothesis, their results implied size, and cross-sectional design may impact
that employee performance is positively and generalization. Recommendations include prioritizing
significantly affected by work-life balance, meaning that work-life balance initiatives, implementing training
increasing the work-life balance is associated with higher programs, and stress management. Further studies could
employee performance (Banu & Sundharavadivel, 2019; explore cultural factors, leadership styles, and employee
Beauregard & Henry, 2009; Mendis & Weerakkody, demographics. Practical implications highlight the
2018;). This relation can be understood through importance of work-life balance initiatives for employee
numerous factors, mainly employees’ adaptability and satisfaction and productivity in private universities,
resilience. Despite the unpredictable nature of the while theoretical implications suggest integrating
Lebanese environment, those who can navigate both various theories to address work-life dynamics
work and personal life demands, establish adaptability effectively.
and resilience. In the face of challenges, these qualities
positively influence performance (Susanto et al., 2023).
On the other hand, the final hypothesis (H4): the
role of the institution plays a significant part in
influencing how work-life balance impacts job
satisfaction, productivity, and performance for faculty
and staff members working in private universities in
Lebanon is not confirmed in this study. The results have
shown that no moderation effect was found in all three
models (SIJS; SJOP; IAPT) the interaction effect
between the Support provided by the institution and the
Work-Life Balance was not significant. However,
perceived organizational support has been shown to have
a role in moderating the influence of work-life balance
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