Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Work-Life Balance of Non-Clinical Employees in a Private Hospital, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Flexible working arrangement is a well-studied phenomenon in many industries and studies. The flexible working arrangement means working outside the company hub, which may lead to a work-life balance. Although the direct effect of flexible working arrangements on work-life balance is well-documented, previous empirical findings of the relationship have been inconsistent. Further, little is known about its impact on employee work-life balance. The current study examines the effect of flexible working arrangements on work-life balance in a private hospital in Sri Lanka. The study was quantitative, and a cross-sectional survey design was followed. Flexible working arrangement is the independent variable, while the dependent variable is work-life balance. Primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire to conduct this research. The questionnaire was designed to measure the variables of flexible working arrangements and work-life balance of non-clinical level employees. The simple random sampling technique was applied to select the sample, and the final sample consisted of 175 non-clinical level employees of a private hospital in Sri Lanka. Data was analyzed using correlation and regression with the aid of SPSS and Excel. The study reveals that flexible working arrangements significantly impact work-life balance. It concludes that Flexible working arrangements are important antecedents to balancing work and life. Further, it is concluded that a better flexible working arrangement increases employee work-life balance. It is suggested that managers establish a flexible working arrangement-based intervention in the organization. Hence, it was recommended that hospitals should consider the employees' work-life balance and flexible working arrangements to increase the efficiency level of non-clinical level employees.