Work-life Balance affect Employee Engagement in the Hospitality Industry

 

As organizations shift to remote work, many employee arrangements have removed the natural boundaries between life and work. Numerous employees usually struggle with work-life balance. It also by reducing the number of individuals available and collecting more additional work on the already work-loaded process; As globalization erodes any semblance of a "typical work day," adding demands for late-night and early-morning phone calls to already overflowing employee engagement, calendars, and good work-life balance may be challenging to achieve (Cain, et al, 2018). Furthermore, this is particularly true of mobile devices, which enable people to work 24/7; but they have become an uninvited visitor in the areas of life, left behind by previous work demands, pushing many workers to log extra hours at the workplace, at home, and both. Hence, it is difficult for an employee of an organization to do the best work from a place of hard work. Employee engagement declines when WLB is out of balance for an extended period. Employees and organizations must balance their work / non-work lives (Liu, et al,2020).  WLB practices are corporate efforts designed to reduce employee work-life conflict or barriers. On the other hand, this also allows every employee to be more effective and efficient at work. Over the years, WLB has been described in many different ways. As Hofmann, and Stokburger-Sauer, (2017); points out, work-life balance plays a crucial role in shaping employees' attitudes toward their organization and life. Yeandle et al (2020) defined WLB as employees' thinking on work, personal, and family time that is sustainable and integrated through minimizing potential conflicts. Erwin, et al (2019) explained the meaning of WLB as a concept of simple tasks as each of the words ("work", "life", and "balance") may view from different meanings. However, Guest (2021) argued that WLB trends and growth could trace as it affects employees' well-being and job results. From another perception, Guest, (2002); argued that WLB is the efficient management and manipulation between work and every personal aspect. Most researchers have created and conceptualized their definitions of WLB.

In recent years, organizations are increasingly aware of the necessity to adopt the WLB concept as a necessary tool to facilitate and encourage sustainable human resources (HR), which is critical to attracting and retaining talent. According to Wong, and Ko, (2009); WLB influences productivity, absenteeism, and job satisfaction, which affects employee engagement. For every employee to be highly and positively engaged in the long term, WLB is essential. Employees must feel allowed to leave tasks and follow activities on the side of life in balance. People need to be significantly intentional about building a rich life beyond work for their long-term well-being and health. Also, employers are responsible for employee participation and WLB. Organization systems can improve or reduce how data is shared, how disruptions are well managed, as well as whether the digital environment or workplace is a disturbance factory or a location for streamlined, highly focused work (Liu, et al,2020). 

A crucial part of this is creating an organized environment where individuals may get their work done during work hours, so employees do not have to report early just to cover their shift. In order to take advantage of the silence or continue to take work home. However, many companies make conditions to confirm that this never happens (Crompton, and Lyonette, 2006).

There in companies like Aitken Spence Hotels incorporate seven conditions for work-life balance (WLB) and employee engagement. A digital workplace platform may leverage to support high work-life balance (WLB) and employee engagement besides the other considerations mentioned in their 21/22 annual report (Aitken Spence, 2021/22.).

The hotel group has created opportunities for connection. A digital workplace platform has used both the works and celebrate life beyond work. Hosting life-centered communities on the workplace platform of the organization brings people together with common life interests (for example. running, painting, and swimming visiting museums or parks, being a new parent, baking) and many more. These communities of interest allow work colleagues to understand each other, to be inspired by what other individuals are doing, and for employees to offer ideas and help to others (Guest, 2002).

Furthermore, this support also indicates that the group of hotels identifies that employees have other liabilities in life that may conflict with work schedules, such as visiting the dentist or being home to attend to the plumber.

Digital work platforms and tools in a digital workplace platform, like cooperative team project places, can provide anywhere access to the applications, people, and data needed to work, even when out of the office.

Ray, M. (2019). Health, Happiness, and Work life Balance in your Workplace for strengthening employee engagement.

Ray, (2019); shares of the importance of reinforcing the priorities and eliminating the big picture. Effective utilization of communication platforms or tools within a digital workplace platform allows strong communication to engage every employee around the big vision and the organization's strategic priorities.

Additionally, direct communication from managers or leaders sets the stage for employees to concentrate on where they may make the most significant contribution and where they may be most effective in pursuing corporate priorities and goals where to spend their available energy and time. On the other hand, knowing that the organization is doing the right thing contributes significantly to employee engagement.

It is critical to automate mundane but essential processes. A digital workplace platform has helped employees address all requirements swiftly by simplifying and automating monotonous but vital tasks. Getting an employee experience process to design such interactions between organizational systems would decreases the burden of those tasks, allowing individuals to focus on where they may add most value.

Reference

• Aitken Spence (2021/22.). EUNOIA A PURPOSE REDEFINED. [online] Available at: https://cdn.cse.lk/cmt/upload_report_file/521_1654595513955.pdf.
• Cain, L., Busser, J. and Kang, H.J.A., (2018). Executive chefs’ calling: Effect on engagement, work-life balance and life satisfaction. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
• Crompton, R. and Lyonette, C., (2006). Work-life ‘balance’in Europe. Acta sociologica, 49(4), pp.379-393.
• Erwin, S., Rahmat, S.T.Y., Angga, N.D. and Semerdanta, P., (2019). Transformational leadership style and work life balance: The effect on employee satisfaction through employee engagement. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 91(7), pp.310-318.
• Guest, D.E., (2002). Perspectives on the study of work-life balance. Social Science Information, 41(2), pp.255-279.
• Hofmann, V. and Stokburger-Sauer, N.E., (2017). The impact of emotional labor on employees’ work-life balance perception and commitment: A study in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 65, pp.47-58.
• Liu, T., Gao, J., Zhu, M. and Jin, S., (2021). Women's Work-Life Balance in Hospitality: Examining Its Impact on Organizational Commitment. Frontiers in psychology, 12, p.625550.
• Ray, M. (2019). Health, Happiness, and Work life Balance in your Workplace for strengthening employee engagement. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaWWhh2APqM [Accessed 12 Dec. 2022].
• Wong, S.C.K. and Ko, A., (2009). Exploratory study of understanding hotel employees’ perception on work–life balance issues. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(2), pp.195-203.
• Yeandle, D, Vermersch, P., Shanahan, J., Langdon, D, Alexandri, N. and Schippling, S., (2020). Knowledge is power, but is ignorance bliss? optimising conversations about disease progression in multiple sclerosis. Neurology and Therapy, 9(1), pp.1-10.