Abstract:
Work-life balance practices are human resource practices that ensure alignment of
work and personal life. Retention of employees is a strategy that an organizations
use to keep employees from preferring employment elsewhere. This investigated the
influence of work-life balance on staff retention in public level five hospitals in
Kenya. Specific objectives of the study were; to establish the influence of employee
assistance programs and work schedules on 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. Proportionate stratified random
sampling design was used 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 reliability of the research instruments. Both descriptive and inferential statistics
were used to describe study findings based on the objectives. Tables and percentages
were used for descriptive statistics while Binary Logistic Regression Model
computed using SPSS Version.23 was used for data analysis. Results showed that
employee assistance programs significantly influenced retention of health workers’.
Availability of work schedules did not influence retention. Employee assistance
programs significantly influenced employee retention. There is need for
management to invest in improving employee assistance programs to encourage
employees to remain in the hospitals. Management should also design new
approaches relating to work schedules so as to attract and retain their talented
workforce.
