Relationship between Work-Life Balance and Organizational Commitment: (A Case Study of Student-Workers of the Evening School Programme at Secretaryship and Management Department, Accra Polytechnic)

Abstract

The quest for work-life balance practices is being championed by many organizations in Ghana. It has also received a lot of attention in the field of research. This has come about as a result of awakenings for equilibrium between employees’ work-life, career ambition and lifestyle. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between work-life balance and organizational commitment among student-workers in the department of Secretaryship and Management Studies of Accra Polytechnic. To achieve this aim, the researchers used a survey design which included research design (questionnaire) and sampling method (random). twenty respondents were selected from first year. Questionnaire and interviews were some of the data collection methods used by the researchers. Tables and charts were used to analyze the data collected. The result of the study showed that there is some significant relationship between work-life balance and organizational commitment among student-workers at the Department of Secretaryship and Management Studies, Accra Polytechnic. Student-workers are employees from different organizations who have taken advantage of Accra Polytechnic’s evening programmes to further their education. Hence, they are combining work, education and family life.The research was concluded with recommendations to help improve the balance further by introducing strategies like telecommuting, a compressed workweek, job sharing and encourage student- workers to take their vacations, more institutional support by way of retreat and seminars to enlighten staff on how to reduce stress in their work- life, making the job content less stressful, student-workers must practice proper time management in order to maximize the work hours at their disposal and to opt for studying on  distance, residential or online courses to reduce the stress they go through on a regular or evening school programme, this the researchers believe would ensure a high organizational commitment of the student-workers to their organization.

Keywords: Work-life balance, Organizational commitment, Student-workers, Education