Skip to main content

Evaluation of the Contributions of Work–Life Friendly Policies in Managing Work–Life Integration in Africa

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Work-life Integration in Africa
  • 198 Accesses

Abstract

Organizations provide various forms of policies to help employees manage their work–life integration and work productivity. Some organizations overemphasize statutory policies but do not go the extra mile to establish discretionary policies. Policy development is only one factor in the work–life integration equation, the other factor being the provision of an environment that encourages the use of the policies. The result from a study of organizations in Lagos, Nigeria, showed that unless these factors occur in tandem, organizations do not derive the expected benefits of their investments in work–friendly policies. This situation was attributed to the role of organizational leaders who discourage the use of the policies. Two of such climates are lack of managerial support and career consequences of using the policies. These climates render the huge organizational investment in providing work–life friendly policies unproductive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Amah, O.E. 2019. Managing the negative effects of work-to family and family-to-work conflicts on family satisfaction of working mothers’ in Nigeria: the role of extended family support. Community, Work & Family. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2019.1697646.

  • Barnett, R.C., and G.K. Baruch. 1987. Social roles, gender, and psychological distress. In Gender and stress, ed. R.C. Barnett, L. Biener, and G.K. Baruch, 122–143. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brough, P., M.P. O’Driscoll, and A. Biggs. 2009. Parental leave and work-life balance among employed parents following childbirth: An exploratory investigation in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences 4 (1): 71–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chimote, N.K., and N. Srivastava. 2013. Work-life balance benefits: From the perspective of organizations and employees. The IUP Journal of Management Research 12 (1): 62–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clay, R. 2011. Is stress getting to you? Monitor on Psychology, 42, 58. Washington, DC: American psychology Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coff, R. 1997. Human assets and management dilemmas: Coping with hazards on the road to resource-based theory. Academy of Management Review 22 (2): 374–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dike, V. 2007. Nigeria Society at the dawn of the 21st century: Re systems, workers morale, and productivity. Africa economic analysis. Internet Resources. http://www.africaeconomicanalysis.org/articles/gen/workershtm.html.

  • Evbuoma, I.K. 2008. Impact of employee family-friendly supportiveness on work performance of employees in organizations. IFE Psychologia: An International Journal 16 (1): 107–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston, D.M., and G. Marks. 2003. The role of planning and workplace support in returning to work after maternity leave. British Journal of Industrial Relations 41: 191–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huselid, M.A. 1995. The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance. Academy of Management Journal 38 (3): 635–672.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kossek, E.E., B.B. Baltes, and R.A. Mathews. 2011. How work–family research can finally have an impact in organizations. Industrial Organizational Psychology 4 (3): 352–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lockwood, N.R. 2003. Work/life balance: Challenges & solutions. Society of Human Resources Management, 6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesmer-Magnus, J.R., and C. Veswesvaran. 2006. How work-family friendly work environments affect work/family conflict: A meta-analytic examination. Journal of Labor Research 26 (4): 555–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milward, L.J. 2006. The transition to motherhood in an organizational context: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology 76: 315–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Odejide, A. 2003. Navigating the seas: Women in higher education in Nigeria. McGill Journal of Education. 38 (3): 459.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Driscoll, M.P., S. Poelmans, P.E. Spector, T. Kalliath, T.D. Allen, C.L. Cooper, et al. 2003. Family responsive interventions, perceived organizational & supervisor supports: Work-family and psychological strain. International Journal of Stress Management 10 (4): 326–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osoian, C., L. Lazar, and P. Ratiu. 2009. The benefits of implementing and supporting work-life balance policies in organization. Babes-Bolyai: University Cluj-Napoca. Rumania.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oyekunle, Y. 2018. Family friendly policies and job satisfaction in public and private organizations in Lagos State. Nigeria. National Council for Education Journal 23 (1): 54–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J. 1994. Competitive advantage through people unleashing the power of the workforce. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salami, S.O., and M.A. Alesinloye. 2005. Occupation stress factors as correlates of job performance among some nigerian industrial workers. Journal of Psychology in Africa. 15 (1): 73–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shockley, K.M., and T.D. Allen. 2007. When flexibility helps: Another look at the availability of flexible work arrangements and work-family conflict. Journal of Vocational Behavior 71 (3): 479–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Okechukwu E. Amah .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Amah, O.E., Ogah, M. (2021). Evaluation of the Contributions of Work–Life Friendly Policies in Managing Work–Life Integration in Africa. In: Work-life Integration in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69113-4_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics