Qualitative research analysis
Demonstrate that you have connected the proposed study to the literature that has been provided by appropriately citing and referencing the key scholarly works, and be sure that you demonstrate all three levels of presenting the literature, as discussed in Reviewing the Literature.
Use the template linked in Resources to complete this assignment. Include your name at the top of page 1.
Confirm that the individual components in the template are aligned with each other. This is particularly important with respect to alignment with the statement of the problem or opportunity, your research questions, research design, and your data collection methods.
Submit your paper and completed research plan templateto your instructor in the assignment areathis preserves the integrity of your work.
Please use the qualitative research template document to address this assignment.( do not create a separate document). Fill the attached template and address the questions in that with respect to the three attached artilces.
You can use additional research to explain your point even better but your main focus should be the three attached documents
Qualitative Research Plan Your Name Here
Section 1: Topic Endorsements
1.1 Research Topic (2 paragraphs)
First Paragraph: Describe the specific Work Life Balance (WLC) topic to be studied.
Second Paragraph: Describe the significance of this topic to be studied.
The Research Topic should be correctly formed:
Based on the 3 assigned articles on WLB from assignment u2a1
Please add 1 or 2 current articles on WLB
Use APA style in citing all resources.
Please single space using Times Roman 11 point throughout the form the boxes will expand as you input text.
1.2 Research Problem (1 Paragraph)
Write a brief statement regarding the need for the study that fully describes the problem or need being addressed. The need for the study is what we often refer to as the Research Problem.
In simplified terms, the research problem should take this form. Do one “we know” for each of the three artcles in unit 2.
The research literature on _________ indicates that we know ________, we know __________, we know ________, but we do NOT know ______________.
The Research Problem should be correctly stated:
Existing literature and key findings should be summarized.
Gaps or problems in the existing literature should be clearly formulated.
The Research Problem should be explicitly stated, not implied.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
The research literature on _________ indicates that we know ________, we know __________, we know ________, but we do NOT know ______________.
It should start with the above statement
Section 2. Research Overview
2.1 Research Problem Background
(3 paragraphs)
Provide a brief summary of your review of the research literature on the topic. This should be demonstrated by providing a statement about the body of existing literature on the topic, then, summarizing the research findings on WLB, highlighting the findings that are most relevant to your proposed study, demonstrating how your proposed research could add (address a gap) to the existing literature on WLB. Be sure to provide appropriate in text citations and include references in the reference section.
Use the WLB assigned articles from unit 2. Please add 1 or 2 current articles on WLB.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.2 Research Question (qualitative)
List the primary Research Question and in qualitative research expect you may also add 1 or 2 sub-questions (tighter focus). In qualitative research as a researcher you are exploring the business problem. The common start of a qualitative question:
1. How do/does ..
1. How is/are ..
1. Why do/does ..
1. Why is/are ..
1. What do/does ..
1. What is/are ..
1. Which are/is/do/does ..
The Research Question(s) should be aligned with your Research Problem, the Research Topic, and the Dissertation Title.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.3 Purpose of the Study
State the purpose of the study. The purpose of the study will be to answer the research question in order to solve/contribute to solving the research problem and to contribute information about the wider social or community problem to a specific audience or audiences.
Note: Describe the purpose using the language of your specific study, topic, research problem, and research question.
2.4 Methodology and Basic Design Overview
Provide an overview of the basic research methodology and the research model you are proposing. Also state how this methodology is a good fit for the question being asked and the phenomena being studied.
Describe the qualitative methodology – you may choose from two types:
1. Case Study
1. Generic Qualitative Inquiry
Use the research references from unit 2 (2s1)
Use APA style in citing all resources.
2.5 Dissertation Title
Your Dissertation Title should be correctly formed:
Dissertation Title should be aligned with your Research Problem (1.2) and Research Question (2.2), (use the same terminology for all).
The Dissertation Title should reflect the method to be employed in the research.
The Dissertation Title should be concise (12 words or less).
Section 3. Research Theory
3.1 Advancing Scientific Knowledge
Demonstrate how the study:
(a) will advance the scientific WLB knowledge base;
(b) addresses something that is not known, something that is new or different from prior WLB research, something that extends prior research, or something that fills a gap in the existing literature.
Describe precisely how your study will add to the existing body of literature on your topic. It can be a small step forward in a line of current research but it must add to the body of scientific knowledge in your specialization area and on the topic.
To respond to this question you will need to:
Provide a paragraph that describes the background for your WLB study and how your research question (s) relates to the background of the study.
In a second paragraph, discuss previous research on WLB and demonstrate exactly how your study (answering research questions) will advance the scientific knowledge base on this topic.
Use the WLB assigned articles from unit 2. We suggest adding 1 or 2 current articles on WLB.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.2 Theoretical Implications
Describe any theoretical implications that the proposed study may have for understanding WLB business problem phenomena. For example, will the study generate new theory on WLB, provide a description how the participants are/did experience the business problem or provide a description of a context of the WLB phenomena?
Use APA style in citing all resources.
3.3 Practical Implications
Describe the practical implications that may result from your research. Specifically, describe any implications the research may have for understanding phenomena for practitioners, the population being studied, or a particular type of work, business, educational, community, stakeholders, or other group or setting. Relate these back to the your Research Problem.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
Section 4. Research Methodology
4.1 Research Design
Describe the qualitative design (case study or generic qualitative inquiry) you propose to use, supported and referenced by primary sources.
Describe in detail the method(s) will you use to collect the data, such as: structured, unstructured, and semi-structured interviews, social media, observations, organization documents, field notes, focus groups. Describe the philosophy underlying the methodology and model.
Briefly describe how the study will be conducted. (Describe how you are going to carry out the study.)
The Research Design should be clearly identified.
The Research Design should be appropriate to the Research Questions.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.2 Participants (population)
Describe the characteristics (critieria) for selection study participants will be drawn. Discuss why participants meeting these criteria have experienced/knowledge of the business problem being studied.
Here discuss the meaning and use of purposive qualitative sampling. State the estimated sample size needed for the study, remember the key here is sufficient number of participants to hit saturation (look this up). Justify the sample size with support from the literature for case study or generic qualitative inquiry.
Use APA style in citing all resources.
4.3 Ethical Considerations
Describe any ethical considerations given the sample, population, and/or topic. Please explain as fully as possible how you plan to protect human participants while identifying the sample, while collecting the data, while analyzing the data, after data are collected, and during data storage.
Is the proposed population or research topic greater than minimal risk? (Yes or No.)
If yes, has the researcher had a consultation with the IRB office? (Yes or No.)
If yes, please paste the IRBs e-mail response or a summary of the response.
Use current (within 5-7 years), scholarly, primary resources to support statements.
Use APA style in citing all resources. Worklife balance is defined here as an indi-viduals ability to meet both their work
and family commitments, as well as other non-
work responsibilities and activities. Along with
Sturges and Guest (2004), we use a deliberately
broader term than previous research on
workfamily balance (eg Saltzstein, Ting &
Saltzstein 2001), or workfamily conflict (eg
Frone, Russell & Cooper 1992), in growing
recognition of the desire of all employed people,
regardless of marital or parental status, to achieve
a healthier and more satisfying balance of their
roles and responsibilities.
There is a plethora of research demonstrating
the importance of worklife balance (or
workfamily conflict) for the health and well-
being of individuals and families (eg Eby, Casper,
Lockwood, Bordeaux & Brinley 2005; Frone et al
1992; Pocock 2003). Worklife balance is related
to reduced stress and greater life satisfaction, with
some indication that the relationship is strength-
ening over time (Allen, Herst, Bruck & Sutton
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Copyright eContent Management Pty Ltd. Journal of Management & Organization (2008) 14: 267284.
Worklife balance or
worklife alignment?
A test of the importance of worklife balance
for employee engagement and intention
to stay in organisations
LLOOUUIISSEE PP PPAARRKKEESS
Voice Project, School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW, Australia
PPEETTEERR HH LLAANNGGFFOORRDD
Voice Project, School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW, Australia
AABBSSTTRRAACCTT
In an Australian sample of over 16,000 employees we assessed whether employees are satisfied
with their ability to balance work and other life commitments. We tested the hypothesis that
worklife balance is important for engaging and retaining employees in the context of other
aspects of organisational climate. We also explored how individual and organisational vari-
ables were related to worklife balance aiding further development of theory integrating work
with other aspects of life. Results showed that of 28 organisational climate factors, worklife
balance was least related to employee engagement and intention to stay with an organisation.
We discuss implications for how organisations position worklife balance strategies, particular-
ly in relation to social responsibility and wellness, rather than the solution to employee commit-
ment and retention.
Keywords: worklife balance; employee engagement; retention; social responsibility; organisational climate
Volume 14, Issue 3, July 2008 JJOOUURRNNAALL OOFF MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTT && OORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN
2000). In addition, although role-conflict theorists
attributed this relationship to the balance
between multiple roles as a buffer for negative
experiences (Marks & MacDermid 1996), it
appears to be the place of work in the rest of life
which has a major impact. Whereas an emphasis
on family (in terms of time, involvement and sat-
isfaction) is related to higher quality of life, imbal-
ance caused by a greater emphasis on work has a
negative effect on quality of life, mediated by
increased workfamily conflict and stress (Frone et
al 1992; Greenhaus, Collins & Shaw 2003).
There is some evidence of increased pressure
on worklife balance in Australias relatively long
working hours (ranked second longest in the
OECD), the increase in non-standard working
hours, a growing number of employees who
would prefer fewer hours than they currently
work and the shift from male-breadwinner to
dual-earner couples and single-parent households
(Bittman & Rice 2002; Jacobs & Gerson 2001;
Thornthwaite 2004). It is generally contested
both in research literature and popular media that
working men and women in Australia are dissat-
isfied with their current levels of worklife bal-
ance and are actively seeking to attain a better
balance through changes in work hours and
arrangements, moving to family-friendly organi-
sations, or more radical sea change type shifts
(eg De Cieri, Holmes, Abbott & Pettit 2005; Fox
2006; Russell & Bowman 2000; Schmidt 2006;
Smith 2006; Thornthwaite 2004).
Traditionally, worklife balance has been seen
as an issue for individual employees, with organi-
sational efforts at improving worklife balance
focusing on programs aimed to help employees
better manage their home life (for example,
childcare or counselling). However, with growing
awareness of the current skills shortage and war
for talent, a subtle shift has been observed in the
arguments for worklife balance, from respond-
ing to individual employee needs to a broader
based business case (Russell 2002; Thorthwaite
2004). Proponents argue that worklife balance
contributes to employee engagement (job satis-
faction and organisation commitment), which in
turn contributes to higher productivity and lower
organisational turnover (Grawitch, Gottschalk &
Munz 2006). For example, De Cieri et al (2005:
92) argue that any organisation aiming to
increase competitive advantage must develop the
capability to attract, motivate and retain a highly
skilled, flexible and adaptive workforce by an
approach to HR and worklife balance strategies
that cater for the diverse needs of the workforce.
However, Lewis, Rapoport and Gamble (2003:
830) contend that the business case, in many sit-
uations is deeply flawed, and there is a need to be
more honest about this. Indeed, some assertions
that worklife balance will increase the motiva-
tion and retention of a talented workforce have
been made on the basis of anecdotal, rather than
empirical, evidence (eg Pocock 2005).
Consistent with this strategy to attract and
retain a diverse workforce, worklife balance is
often considered more important for women
(who continue to bear the burden of domestic
duties), older employees and the younger work
to live generation Y (De Cieri et al 2005;
Pocock 2005; Schmidt 2006). Behson (2002)
found some evidence to suggest that family-
friendly work cultures were slightly more impor-
tant for satisfaction and commitment for women
than men, and parents than non-parents. Howev-
er, there is emerging in the literature a consistent
lack of findings in this area. For example, when
controlling for organisational variables Sturges
and Guest (2004) found age, gender, marital sta-
tus and dependent children had no effect on
work/non-work conflict. Similarly, Greenhaus et
al (2003) did not find any moderating effects of
gender, parenthood and career aspirations on
relations between workfamily balance and quali-
ty of life.
Given the high level of interest in worklife
balance among researchers, practitioners and
commentators, we aimed to: (1) empirically investi-
gate employees satisfaction with worklife balance
and (2) to test the impact of worklife balance
(compared to other aspects of the work environ-
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Louise P Parkes and Peter H Langford
JJOOUURRNNAALL OOFF MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTT && OORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN Volume 14, Issue 3, July 2008
ment) on employee engagement. In addition, we
wanted to explore how worklife balance is situ-
ated in relation to other aspects of the work envi-
ronment to help managers effectively integrate
worklife balance strategies within a broader
organisational context. Thus, our third aim was
to examine individual and work variables that
might moderate or mediate the relationship
between worklife balance and work outcomes
(Allen et al 2000).
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Despite a prevalent belief to the contrary, there
are a number of studies that have failed to find a
significant relationship between worklife bal-
ance and organisational outcomes, or have
reported mixed and even negative effects (Bruck,
Allen & Spector 2002; Forsyth & Polzer-
Debruyne 2007; Kossek & Ozeki 1998). In their
meta-analysis Allen et al (2000) found moderate
correlations on average between workfamily con-
flict and both job satisfaction (r = 0.24) and
organisational commitment (r = 0.23). How-
ever, individual study results were highly incon-
sistent (ranging from +0.14 to 0.47). These
inconsistencies in the existing literature linking
worklife balance with organisational outcomes
may stem from both theoretical and methodolog-
ical short-comings.
First, finding a direct link between worklife
balance and organisational outcomes has rarely
been the result of rigourous theory development
or testing (Eby et al 2005). The few exceptions
have relied mostly on concepts such as the psy-
chological contract (Rousseau 1995) and social
exchange theory (Settoon, Bennett & Liden
1996), which predict for example, organisational
citizenship behaviour in return for perceived use-
fulness of workfamily benefits (Lambert 2000),
or inversely, dissatisfaction with and lower com-
mitment to work due to perceived imbalance in
workload and hours commensurate to rewards
(Sturges & Guest 2004). However, while there
may be a direct link between worklife balance
and employees satisfaction, commitment and
intention to stay with an organisation (based on
the above theories), this is likely to be small com-
pared to the impact of other organisational fac-
tors. For example, while extolling the virtues of
flexibility in the workforce, Bond, Galinsky and
Hill (2004) actually found that flexibility was
least related to the item I am willing to work
harder than I have to, to help my company suc-
ceed of their six criteria for effective workplaces.
In comparisons of workplaces high and low on
flexibility, the percentage of highly engaged
employees differed by 10%, as opposed to differ-
ences of 2036% for the five other effective work
practices (these were job autonomy, learning
opportunities and challenges on the job, supervi-
sor and co-worker support for job success, and
involvement in management decision-making).
Rather than a direct link, we suggest that
worklife balance is more likely to benefit an
organisation indirectly through those well-being
factors found to be consistently and strongly asso-
ciated with it, that is, work-related stress and
burnout (Allen et al 2000; Eby et al 2005; Fox &
Dwyer 1999). Other aspects of organisational cli-
mate appear to interact with, and support, this
relationship. For example, worklife balance is
positively related to the perceived fairness and
support of supervisors (Nielson, Carlson &
Lankau 2001; White, Hill, McGovern, Mills &
Smeaton 2003), organisational understanding of
family needs (Allen 2001; Saltzstein et al 2001)
and support for out-of-work activities and respon-
sibilities (Sturges & Guest 2004). Yet Frone, Yard-
ley and Markel (1997) found that support from
supervisors and co-workers appeared to reduce
work-to-family conflict primarily by reducing
work distress and work overload.
Certainly, one of the strongest explanatory
variables for worklife balance is the length of
working hours, with worklife balance higher
among those who work fewer hours (Dex &
Bond 2005; Parasuraman & Simmers 2001;
Sturges & Guest 2004; Thornthwaite 2004;
White et al 2003). Although often considered at
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the individual level, longer and more intense
working hours can be attributed to high commit-
ment management practices and expectations of
prioritising work over other responsibilities
(Frone et al 1997; Hand & Lewis 2002; Peetz et
al 2003; Russell & Bowman 2000). There is some
evidence that practices encouraging high commit-
ment and performance such as performance
appraisal systems, quality circles, training and
career development can affect pay, promotion and
effort in a way that negatively impacts workfam-
ily balance (Lewis, Gamble & Rapoport 2007;
White et al 2003). According to role-conflict the-
ory, high job involvement (and presumably high
organisational commitment) entails greater time,
effort and preoccupation with the work role
which detracts from an employees ability to fulfil
the demands of other roles (Frone et al 1992;
Hammer, Allen & Grigsby 1997; Parasuraman &
Simmers 2001). For example, Adams, King and
King (1996) found that workers who reported
higher levels of job involvement were more satis-
fied with their jobs, but also reported higher lev-
els of workfamily conflict.
The complex relationship between worklife
balance and other aspects of organisational cli-
mate highlights the inadequate design of much of
the research in this area. The majority of studies
that have empirically examined the impact of
worklife balance policies (or satisfaction with
worklife balance) on work-related outcomes
have tested this relationship in isolation. For
example, Marks and MacDermid (1996) sur-
veyed 65 employed wives and mothers in the
United States. They found that role-balanced
women (those scoring high on the single item:
Nowadays, I seem to enjoy every part of my life
equally well) were higher on work productivity
as measured by a single self-report item. The
impact of role-balance was not compared to any
other work-related variable (no others were meas-
ured). When studied alone, worklife balance
strategies, family-friendly culture and higher
work-life balance can, and usually do, demon-
strate a positive correlation with an employees
job satisfaction, organisational commitment and
citizenship and decision to remain with an
employer (Allen 2001; Burke 2001; Forsyth &
Polzer-Debruyne 2007; Greenhaus, Collins,
Singh & Parasuraman 1997; Haar & Spell 2004;
Kossek & Ozeki 1998; Lambert 2000; Macran,
Joshi & Dex 1996; Netemeyer, Boles & McMur-
rian 1996; Saltzstein et al 2001; Thompson,
Beauvais & Lyness 1999). However, the limited
scope of these studies rarely allows for tests of
mediation, nor do they assess the importance of
worklife balance in the context of other aspects
of the work environment.
To our knowledge, only three studies have
examined the impact of worklife balance on
employee outcomes in the context of other
organisational variables. For example, in a sample
of 147 employed American students, Behson
(2002) examined the impact of familyfriendly
work cultures on work-family conflict, job satis-
faction and organisational commitment in com-
parison to three broader aspects of the work
climate. While perceptions of family-supportive
cultures affected workfamily conflict, they did
not significantly impact job satisfaction and com-
mitment when controlling for perceived organisa-
tional support, fair interpersonal treatment and
trust in management.
Greenhaus et al (1997) investigated reasons for
organisational departure among 310 accountants
with moderate home responsibilities (either mar-
ried or with children). They found that, rather
than workfamily conflict, work overload and
career advancement aspirations predicted
turnover intentions (other work-related variables
included career development opportunities and
advancement expectations). While women were
more likely to leave than men, this was attributa-
ble to differences in their career aspirations.
Finally, in a study of 280 graduates in the early
stages of their career, Sturges and Guest (2004)
found that while graduates professed worklife
balance was very important to their intentions to
stay with their organisation, work/non-work con-
flict, fulfilment of psychological contract and
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Louise P Parkes and Peter H Langford
JJOOUURRNNAALL OOFF MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTT && OORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN Volume 14, Issue 3, July 2008
number of hours worked did not significantly
predict organisational commitment. Only organi-
sational support for out-of-work activities was
positively related to organisational commitment.
By contrast, which organisation the graduates
worked for (five in total) and functional work
area accounted for three times the variance in
organisational commitment than all of the
worklife balance variables. While not measured
directly, this suggests that other aspects of the
organisation and immediate work climate have a
greater impact on organisational commitment
than work-life balance.
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In addition to assessing employees satisfaction
with worklife balance compared to other organ-
isational climate factors, we aimed to test the fol-
lowing hypotheses.
Hypothesis 1a. Worklife balance is positively
related to overall employee engagement
(including job satisfaction and intention to
stay), however:
Hypothesis 1b. Other aspects of organisational
climate are more strongly related to employee
engagement than worklife balance.
To explore further proposed organisational
correlates of worklife balance, we made the fol-
lowing tentative predictions.
Hypothesis 2a. Worklife balance is positively
related to work practices promoting individual
and community health and well-being such as
wellness (management of stress and workload),
the importance placed on safety, fair treatment
and support from supervisors, help and sup-
port from co-workers, support for diversity,
and ethical and social responsibility.
Hypothesis 2b. Worklife balance is negatively
related to organisational commitment and
high commitment work practices such as
career opportunities, performance appraisal,
and a focus on results.
MMEETTHHOODDSS
PPaarrttiicciippaannttss
This study was part of a larger project investigat-
ing organisational climate in Australian organisa-
tions conducted by The Voice Project at
Macquarie University1.
In six waves of data collection over the years
2002 to 2006, samples of approximately ten
employees from 1535 work units2 completed
anonymous surveys (total of 16,813 respon-
dents). Participation of organisations and their
employees was voluntary, with consent required
from the manager of each work unit and his or
her participating employees. In return for their
participation, managers received a report sum-
marising the results for their work unit, bench-
marking their results against all other
organisations participating in the study in the
same year.
Most of the participating organisations were in
the private commercial sector (83% of sample),
11% were public sector, and 6% not-for-profit
organisations. A broad range of industries were
represented, with the largest being retail trade
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Worklife balance or worklife alignment?
Volume 14, Issue 3, July 2008 JJOOUURRNNAALL OOFF MMAANNAAGGEEMMEENNTT && OORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN
1 The ethical aspects of this research were approved by the Macquarie University Ethics Review Committee (Human
Research). Voice Project is a research and consulting practice based at Macquarie University. Non-commercial research is
conducted through Macquarie University and commercial research and consulting is conducted through Voice Project
Pty Ltd, a legally independent company owned and directed by Dr Peter Langford, operating under licence of Access
Macquarie Ltd, the commercial arm of Macquarie University.
2 Participants were recruited by business and organisational psychology students using the survey for an assignment as part
of their course requirements. Instructions and consent forms requested that employees surveyed be part of a single work
unit or department within an organisation. The exact number of different organisations is not known because
organisations were given the option of anonymous participation, however from available data it could be estimated that
approximately 20% of work units across all waves of data collection were from organisations already represented by other
work units. It is very unlikely that samples were repeatedly surveyed over the years.
(21%), accommodation, hospitality, tourism,
cafes and restaurants (12%), finance and insur-
ance (9%), and information and communication
technologies (8%). Approximately 82% of the
organisations had the majority of their employees
based in Australia or New Zealand.
Demographic variables were not collected in
2005, however, across the rest of the sample
52.5% of respondents were female, and 47.5%
male. In terms of age, there was a larger propor-
tion of employees in the 2029 year age bracket
(42%), probably reflecting our method of data
collection as part of a business course for students.
In terms of employment type, 60% of partici-
pants were full-time employees, 14% were part-
time, and 15% long-term casuals. The remaining
11% were contract or short-term casuals. Most
employees (56%) were in managerial or profes-
sional occupations, while 44% were clerical or
service workers, tradespeople, labourers and oth-
ers. In terms of education, 36.5% of employees
held a Bachelor degree or above.
MMeeaassuurreess
The Voice Climate Survey3 measures 31 different
aspects of organisational climate and employee
outcomes. Our conceptualisation of organisational
climate, and this measure, refers to the more visi-
ble or tangible level of organisational culture rep-
resented by shared perceptions of work structures
and practices, which in turn reflect deeper levels
culture such as shared values and beliefs (Hofstede
1991; Rousseau 1990). A total of 102 items are
rated on Likert scales ranging from 1 (strongly dis-
agree) to 5 (strongly agree), with an additional
option of dont know/not applicable. The survey
shows strong factor structure and internal reliabili-
ty, with an average alpha coefficient of 0.82
(Langford 2007). To give an idea of the content
covered in the survey, the work practices aggregate
into higher-order work systems labelled as Purpose
(including practices such as direction, ethics and
role clarity), Property (including resources, facili-
ties and technology), Participation (including
employee involvement, recognition and develop-
ment), People (teamwork, talent, motivation and
initiative), Peace (wellness and worklife balance),
and Progress (achieving objectives, successful
change and innovation, and satisfied customers).
Employee engagement is a robust higher-
order outcome measure included in the Voice
Climate Survey (Langford, Parkes & Metcalf
2006) which measures a composite of job satis-
faction, organisational commitment and inten-
tion to stay on ten items (Cronbach reliability
coefficient = 0.92). Construct validity for this
measure of employee engagement has been
demonstrated by significant correlations with
organisational reports of annual turnover and
absenteeism (Langford 2007).
Worklife balance is measured on four items:
I maintain a good balance between work and
other aspects of my life; I am able to meet my
family responsibilities while still doing what is
expected of me at work; I have a social life out-
side of work; and I am able to stay involved in
non-work interests and activities. It demonstrates
good internal reliability with a Cronbachs alpha
coefficient of 0.86. The worklife balance climate
scale has shown good divergent validity with an
average correlation with other scales of r = 0.25
(compared to an average inter-correlation
between climate scales of 0.41).
Demographic variables measured included age,
gender, family structure, occupation type and
work type (see Table 1 for categories), number of
hours worked per week, number of overtime
hours per week, salary band, seniority (on a scale
of 1 = front line worker to 9 = senior executive)
and tenure with current employer.
RREESSUULLTTSS
We have reported most results in user-friendly
terms of average percentage favourable (% Fav),
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Louise P Parkes and Peter H Langford
JJO
