Employee Motivation: The Need for Organizational Support to Foster Work-life Balance
Author(s)
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Abstract
Purpose: This article aims to link two pivotal concepts, namely employee motivation and work-life balance to accentuate the need for organizations to implement adequate work-life balance policies in order to maximize employee satisfaction and optimize their performance.
Methodology: An exploratory research method has been undertaken within the field of work-life balance and well-renowned motivational theories. A comprehensive review of classic and contemporary theories of motivation has been undertaken in order to justify the need for employees’ work-life balance.
Findings: By delving into the existing literature, it has been realized that organizational support in the form of flexibility can generate remarkable outcomes inside organizations since all the well-renowned motivational theories have been found to augment the significance of work-life balance to uplift motivation for and satisfaction with work. Nevertheless, proper controlling mechanisms need to be incorporated by managers for preventing misuse of granted flexibility.
Research Limitation: This study has been conducted solely based on secondary sources and it does not distinguish the differences in perception of work-life balance and its relation to the motivational theories on the basis of gender or culture.
Contribution of the paper: The theories of motivation and its connection with employees’ work-life balance have been assessed based on scholarly articles and research works done in the relevant arenas. Hence, it stands out as an original piece of work by aligning with its subject and is expected to contribute academically for obtaining a better understanding of work-life balance and its impact on motivation levels to improve job performance. Additionally, it might provide meaningful insights to the organizational administrators for incorporating appropriate mechanism to enhance employee motivation.
Keywords
Work-life Balance, Employee Motivation, Flexibility, Organizational Support.
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