Work Life Balance And Employee Retention In Public Level Five Hospitals In Kenya

Abstract

Work-life balance practices are human resource practices that ensure alignment of work and personal life. Retention of employees are strategies that an organization uses to keep employees from preferring employment elsewhere. The general objective of the study was to investigate the influence of work-life balance on staff retention in public level five hospitals in Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to establish the influence of employee assistance programs, job design, work schedules, and leave programs on staff retention. It was also to determine how perceived organizational support moderates between work-life balance and staff retention in public level five hospitals in Kenya. The study adopted descriptive and correlational research designs. The study targeted 472 doctors, 3318 nurses and 449 clinical officers from the eleven (11) public level five hospitals in Kenya. The study used proportionate stratified random sampling design to select eight (8) public level five hospitals from which a total sample size of 40 doctors, 278 nurses, and 37 clinical officers were selected. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Cronbach alpha was used to test the reliability of the research instruments. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to discuss study findings based on the objectives. Specifically, tables and percentages were used for descriptive statistics while Binary Logistic Regression Model computed using SPSS Version.23 was used for data analysis. The study findings revealed that employee assistance programs, job designs and leave programs significantly influenced retention of health workers’. Availability of work schedules was not a factor that could influence retention. Perceived organizational support did not significantly influence work-life balance programs except for leave programs on staff retention. The study concludes that employee assistance programs, job designs, and leave programs significantly influenced employee retention in hospitals. The study recommends that the management of public level five hospitals in Kenya, should invest in improving employee assistance programs, leave programs and job design strategies as a means to encourage employees to remain in the hospitals. Additionally, the management should design new approaches relating to work schedules, supervisory support and organizational rewards, so as to attract and retain their talented workforce.