The Effect of Work Life Balance on Employee Job Satisfaction in the Apparel Industry

Abstract

In today's business landscape, achieving a balance between personal and work life is a critical strategy. A study conducted in the apparel industry revealed that many employees were dissatisfied with their jobs due to several factors, with the lack of organizational efforts to support work-life balance being the most prominent. The primary objective of this study was to examine how work-life balance influences job satisfaction within the apparel industry. The researcher sought to establish a relationship between the two factors and identify key elements of work-life balance that serve as reliable predictors of job satisfaction. The study also explored the barriers to achieving work-life balance that hindered employee satisfaction and provided recommendations to improve work-life balance in the workplace. In this study, work-life balance was treated as the independent variable, while job satisfaction was the dependent variable. The research tested four hypotheses related to how various work-life balance factors—work schedule, work environment, workload, and organizational support— impact employee satisfaction. Data was collected using a questionnaire distributed to 160 employees selected through a proportional stratified sampling method, alongside structured interviews with a smaller group. A mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative analysis was employed to examine the data. The findings revealed a strong positive correlation between job satisfaction and each of the four work-life balance components, demonstrating that work-life balance plays a crucial role in enhancing employee job satisfaction. Based on the results, the researcher proposed several recommendations aimed at improving work-life balance within the organization to boost employee satisfaction.