LASU Journal of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management
(LJERHRM)
ISSN: 2705-3482
Volume 2, No. 1, December 2020
Pages 1-13
DOI: 10.36108/ljerhrm/0202.02.0110
WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AMONG STAFF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, NIGERIA
AWOSUSI, Omowumi Omojola1, OLUSESI, Lateef Damilare2 and ZAKARIYA, Samuel Shaji1
Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Ilorin, Nigeria1.
Department of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria2.
Abstract
The study investigated the relationship between Work-life Balance (WLB) and Emotional Intelligence among staff of the University of Ilorin, a conventional public institution in Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The study population was all staff of the University of Ilorin which was put at 6,000. Using Taro Yamane (1967) formula, a sample size of 375 was selected. The actual participants were picked through stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire developed from the combination of Hayman (2005)’s WLB Scale and Daniel Goleman (1997)’s EI Dimensions made of 30 items. Three hypotheses were formulated. Two of them were tested with Pearson rho Correlation and the third with Linear Regression Analysis. It was found (i) that work-life balance was significantly related to emotional intelligence [r (373) = 0.483, p<0.01]. (2) that work-life balance is significantly correlated with Self-regulation [r (373) = 0.908, p<0.01] and (3) that Work-Life Balance had a significant influence on Self Awareness. The value of R square shows that 35.9% of the variation in the dependent variable (self-awareness) is explained by the independent variable (work-life balance). The model is highly significant at (F=103.692, p=.000) which shows that it can be used to predict the outcome variable. The value of coefficient (β = 0.599) is significant and positive, showing that work-life balance leads to increase in self-awareness. From the findings and conclusions of the study, it is recommended that for the degree of employees’ emotional intelligence to improve tremendously, organisations must enact adequate Work-Life Balance policies to reduce strains and pressures of workers. Employers should organise periodical capacity building for staff to develop their emotional intelligence; and organisations must ensure that staff take advantage of their (the establishments) life-enriching welfare policies such as opportunities for leave and sponsored holidays.
Keywords: Work-life Balance; Emotional Intelligence; Self-Awareness; Self-Regulation