The connection between work-life balance (WLB) and a sense of coherence (SOC) at a municipality in the South African public sector.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
The main objective of this study was to explore the connection between work-life balance
(WLB) and sense of coherence (SOC) among professional level employees at a municipality
in the South African public sector. These individual employees struggle with WLB challenges
like relational tension, parenting, child and elder care, alcohol and substance abuse, debt and
financial issues, absence of job autonomy, function vagueness / role conflict and job stress.
This study examined SOC as a proposed coping mechanism which could be viewed as an
individual trait to continuously resist stress successfully.
This study’s population includes all heads of units, managers, supervisors and coordinators at
the municipality. A sequential transformative mixed methods research design was adopted.
Data was collected using a self-report questionnaire administered to 370 respondents, 307
questionnaires representing a response rate of 83% were returned. Additionally, eleven
members of top management were interviewed. The SOC-13 version of Orientation to Life
Questionnaire (OLQ) was used to measure SOC. WLB was assessed with a three-dimensional
scale. Work-life balance strategies (WLBS) were measured with a 10-item scale and wellness
programmes were assessed with a work-life wellness scale (WLBW). Stressors were assessed
on a three-dimensional work stressor and three-dimensional family stressors scales
respectively. These scales yielded acceptable levels of Cronbach alpha coefficient ranging from
0.781 to 0.983. The study utilised a combination of cluster, simple random and convenience
sampling methods.
The research objectives were achieved through descriptive and inferential statistics.
Quantitative data was analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)
version 22 to test for bivariate associations among the variables and to determine the validity
and reliability of the evaluating measures. NVIVO was used in organising qualitative data for
ease of content analysis. The overall intention was to derive sufficient and rigorous statistical
assessment of data towards proffering sufficient explanations on the connection between WLB
and SOC.
The findings indicated that WLBS had a statistically significant association with the wellness
programmes. It was empirically confirmed that work and family stressors predicted SOC at the
municipality. The study found no statistically significant connection between WLB and SOC
at a municipality in the South African public sector. This study furthers the boundary of
knowledge in the work-family literature and organisational behaviour by examining WLB from
both cognitive and behavioural perspectives.
Description
Doctor of Philosophy in Management. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2015.
Keywords
Theses - Management Studies.