Work-life balance in the Zimbabwe Retail Sector: Testing a job-engagement and job-satisfaction model

Abstract

Orientation: This study focuses on the relationship between work-life balance (WLB), job engagement, and job satisfaction (JS) among employees in the retail sector in Bulawayo urban Province, Zimbabwe.

Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the relationship between WLB, job engagement and JS.

Motivation for the study: The motivation for the research stemmed from the dearth of studies from the global south that examined the causal relationship between three aforementioned variables within the retail sector.

Research design, approach and method: A descriptive survey design was employed in a study that involved 108 employees from the retail sector in Bulawayo province. Adapted standardised closed questionnaires were used for data collection. The study was developed and tested, using structural equation modelling, a model that can be used to explain the effect of the three variables on each other.

Main findings: The study established a statistically significant relationship between WLB and job engagement. It was also found that WLB plays a major role in facilitating positive JS outcomes. However, a weak association was established between JS and dedication – a dimension of job engagement.

Practical/managerial implications: Striking a balance between employees’ career and personal life directly impacts their JS and job engagement levels.

Contribution/value-add: This study’s findings shed light on the complex dynamics between the three variables that are helpful for organisations seeking to enhance employee well-being and optimise performance of their workforce.