“The impact of working hours (Work-life balance) and

job stress on the job satisfaction level of the junior

executives of private sector in Hyderabad”

Abstract
The core purpose of this research proposal is to discover the level of satisfaction of
the junior executives of private sector in Hyderabad under working hours and job
stress. This research proposal is also for find out the response to dissatisfaction under
overload working hours (work life balance) and job stress. Most of the private
companies are not conscious of work-life balance, job stress and barely have any
policy regarding the work-life balance issues. At this moment, different socio-
economic barriers and lack of human right awareness may support the management
for not taking this issue seriously. However, if they want to achieve their business
objectives through the development of the human resource then there is no
alternative to develop the working lives of their workforce. Management should
consider the nature of business and background of employees they have employed
and customize their policies with the participation of the employees. This research
will represent the current scenario of work life balance in private sector of
Hyderabad which is adopted by the management. The data were collected keeping
in consideration features such as gender, age, executive position and tenure of job.
Factors involved are job satisfaction and work life balance with respect to flexible
working conditions, work life balance programs, employee intention to change/leave
job, work pressure/stress and long working hours. Data will be collected using
primary sources. Primary data will be collected through questionnaires and will
analyze using statistical equation, Ms-excel, SPSS, test applied will be correlation.

Problem Statement
In the new millennium, contemporary organizations are benefited from a global,
diverse, technologically savvy and highly productive workforce but it is ironic that
these workforces also find it difficult to have a good balance between their work life
and family life (Siegel, Brockner, Fishman, Post, & Garden, 2005). Work-life
balance can be seen as the extent to which an individual is equally engaged in-and
equally satisfied with his or her work role and family role (Greenhaus, Collins, &
Shaw, 2003). Businesses are facing increasing demands to raise efficiency and
becoming more responsive to customers and employees. No longer is it just a matter
of remuneration and promotional prospects; job seekers are increasingly making
employment decisions on how well their current or potential workplace can support
a balance between personal lives and paid occupation. On the other hand,
organizations, failing to make their work environments flexible, are beginning to see
a brain drain and loosing highly skilled professionals to more flexible organizations
(Dunne, 2007). What happens when employees like their jobs, and when they dislike
their jobs? One theoretical model, the exit–voice–loyalty–neglect framework is
helpful in understanding the consequences of dissatisfaction. Framework’s four
responses, which differ along two dimensions: constructive/destructive and
active/passive. The exit response directs behavior toward leaving the organization,
including looking for a new position as well as resigning. The voice response
includes actively and constructively attempting to improve conditions, including
suggesting improvements, discussing problems with superiors, and undertaking
some forms of union activity. The loyalty response means passively but
optimistically waiting for conditions to improve, including speaking up for the
organization in the face of external criticism and trusting the organization and its
management to “do the right thing.” The neglect response passively allows
conditions to worsen and includes chronic absenteeism or lateness, reduced effort,
and increased error rate. The objectives of this research proposal is to identify the
status of work-life balance in private sector of Hyderabad as well as to provide some
recommendations considering the scenario of a developing country like Bangladesh
and junior executive’s response to work-life balance and job stress.

Research Objective
The purposes of this research proposal are:
 To determine the level of satisfaction of the junior executives of private sector in
Hyderabad.
 The impact of working hours (Work-life balance) and job stress on the job
satisfaction level of the junior executives.
 The impact of job stress on the job satisfaction level of the junior executives.
 To identify the status of work-life balance in private sector of Bangladesh.
 Junior executive’s response to working hours (Work life balance):
constructive/destructive or active/passive.
 Junior executive’s response to job stress: constructive/destructive or
active/passive.
 To provide some recommendations considering the scenario of a developing
country like Hyderabad.
Research Hypotheses
Accordingly, following are the hypothesis to be tested for this study:
Hypothesis 1: There is no impact of overload working hours on junior executive’s
job satisfaction.
Hypothesis 2: There is no impact of job stress on employee job satisfaction.
Hypothesis 3: There is no effect of flexible working condition on employee job
satisfaction.
Hypothesis 4: Junior executive’s response to overload working hours (Work-life
balance) is destructive and active.
Hypothesis 5: Junior executive’s response to job stress is constructive and active.
Literature Review
Aryee, Srinivas, and Tan (2005) and Lewis and Cooper (1999) state, changing
economic trends, demographic shifts, technological advances and competitive forces
have made the work-life balance a pertinent area of concern to scholars, individuals
and organizations across the globe (as cited in Baral & Bhargava, 2011, p. 220). A
lot of researches have been done to identify an acceptable definition of ‘work-life
balance’; still there is a very little evidence to get an ideal definition so far. Most of
the major reviews of work-family relations either do not mention work-family
balance or mention balance but do not explicitly define the concept (Greenhaus,
Collins, & Shaw, 2003). Moreover, empirical studies that discuss balance between
work and family roles generally do not distinguish from other concepts in the work
(Greenhaus, Collins, & Shaw, 2003). As Burke (2004) and Lewis at el (2007) argue,
‘wok-life balance’ is a contested term because the term ‘balance’ suggest that work
is not integral to life and it implies a simple tradeoff between the two spheres as it
encourages quick-fix solutions that do not address fundamental inequalities, and that
therefore shift responsibility for balancing work and home life onto individuals (as
cited in Gregory & Milner, 2009, p. 2).
Work-life balance policies and family supportive cultures have been observed in
France and Japan also (Aybars 2007, Cole 2006). There is a wide variety of work-
life balance initiatives for employees being incorporated by organizations and
include flexible work hours, job sharing, parental leave on-site child care facility and
telecommuting (Hartel et al. 2007). Studies suggest that in absence of work-life
balance, employees’ dissatisfaction increases.
However it is found that when employees’ need in respect of creating a work-life
balance is met by different organizational programmes they show higher job
satisfaction and organizational commitment (Gregory and Milner 2009). A study
was conducted in Pakistan by Nadeem and Abbas, (2009) to discover the
relationship among work life conflict and employee job satisfaction at all levels of
the management in public and private organizations. Findings showed that job
satisfaction at top level of management has negative correlation with family to work
interference, family to work interference and stress and job satisfaction has positive
correlation with job autonomy. Job satisfaction at the middle level of employees
decreases when work life conflict and stress increases. Job satisfaction at the lower
level of employees has negative correlation with stress and family to work
interference and positive correlation with job autonomy.
Hanglberger (2010) studied the effect of work-life balance, specifically working
hours on employees’ job satisfaction and finds a positive relationship between them.
The same was analyzed by Gash et al. (2010) for women in UK and Germany and
the findings supported Hanglberger studies, showing a positive effect of reduced
working hours on employees’ life satisfaction. Another study (Malik et al. 2010) was
conducted in Pakistan to investigate the relationship between work-life balance, job
satisfaction and turnover intentions among medical professionals in hospitals.
The level of employees’ job satisfaction increases by many factors and when
employees are satisfied with their work, they feel motivated ( Noor, 2011). The
demand of employees work life balance is increased by change in trends in the
business such as change in organizations structure, diversity of work force and
female employees working in organizations. Organizations should provide work life
balance facilities to their employees so that employees can perform their duties
effectively and leads organization to the success (Parvin and Kabir, 2011).
The main message of this debate is the need for ‘good work-life balance’, on the
other hand, the debate and successive policy are frequently based on theories about
work and life copied from dull readings of empirical data or misconceptions about
employee attitudes to work and life. According to IDS (2000), the work-life balance
debate presumes that individuals have too much work rather than too little work – a
debilitating working hour culture is said to be persistent (as cited in Eikhof,
Warhurst, & Haunschild, 2007, p. 326). In addition, it is also claimed in some cases,
work is not just ruling but also ruining our lives (Eikhof, Warhurst, & Haunschild,
2007). According to Fafnani and Letablier (2004), in France campaigns for reducing
working time have rallied around the phrase ‘work less, live better’ (as cited in
Eikhof, Warhurst, & Haunschild, 2007, p. 326).
The study of Baral and Bhargava (2011) indicates that from an organizational
perspective, involvement in family roles should not be viewed as an obstruction,
since it provides opportunities to acquire skills, knowledge and increase efficiency
to perform better at work and vice versa. As a result, organizations should make
efforts to stimulate the experience of enrichment. Greenhaus, Collins, and Shaw
(2003) argue, the beneficial effects of balance are based on the assumption of
positive balance and positive balance has a more substantial positive impact on
quality of life than negative balance. They suggest that an equally high investment
of time and high association in work and family would diminish work-family
conflict and stress thereby enhancing an individual’s quality of life. On the other
hand, Hobson, Delunas, and Kesic (2001) accumulated a number of long research
findings based on U.S. employees and tried to assess the outcomes of not having a
proper work-life balance in organizations. The findings include – increased levels of
stress and stress-related illness, higher rates of family strife, violence and divorce,
higher rates of absenteeism and turnover, reduced productivity and job satisfaction.
However, the existence of work-life balance in itself does not create difficulties and
offense within organizations; rather, in situations where there is already excessive
workloads, under-staffing, and last minute, unpredicted tasks, the existence of work-
life balance is likely to exacerbate the situations (Drew & Murtagh, 2005).
On the other hand, there are quite a few research studies on work-family conflict in
developing countries like India and Bangladesh and one of the reasons could be the
lack of awareness of this issue as well as the lack of awareness of equal employment
opportunity act. According to Baral and Bhargava (2011), a study on work-family
enrichment in India would be prudent because of its cultural roots, where people
consider work as a source of earning and social status. At the same time, for people
in India, family is a social institution that provides not only emotional support but
also stands with them in times of crisis (Baral & Bhargava, 2011). The same scenario
is very much pertinent in Bangladesh.
Benefits of study
This research will provide the present scenario of working hours (Work-life balance)
and job stress of private sector in Bangladesh. The overall job satisfaction level of
the junior executives will be measured that will help private company to take a future
steps for their executives, especially for junior executives. They will understand
about the impact of working hours (Work-life balance) and job stress on the job
satisfaction level of the junior executives. Junior level employee’s response to
working hours (Work-life balance) and job stress will also find out whether it is
constructive/destructive or active/passive. So that company will understand about
company’s working hours (Work-life balance) and job stress: is it overburden or
not? Is it making disturb on productivity or making dissatisfaction on employee?
This research will provide some recommendations considering the scenario of a
developing country like Bangladesh. So private company will make blue print for
future work life balance program and job responsibilities which make employees
more satisfy as well as more productive. Company came identified the major cause
of job dissatisfaction and satisfaction as perceived by the respondents.

Research Design
Sources of data: Primary data will be used for the purpose of the study. Primary data
will be collected through a questionnaire. Secondary data will be collected from
different books, publications, research studies, journals, articles, and websites
if/when necessary. The data will be collected through cluster sampling method.

Sample Size and Questionnaire:

The sample of the study will covers the junior executives from different private
company of Hyderabad. A sample of 300 junior executives will be selected
purposively from different private company and departments. Data will be collected
by probability sampling and conveniently. The questionnaire consists of 18 items
where those are related to issues on work–life balance and job satisfaction of the
respondents. Issues such as working hour, work load, performance appraisal, job
security, organization’s work-life balance programs, perception of the employees
about the work-life balance programs of their organizations, willingness to stay in
the organization, destructive or constructive behavior for overload working
hours/load and many other factors have been examined here. Primary data were
collected through questionnaires with 5 point likert scale where A = strongly
disagree, B = somewhat disagree, C = neutral, D = somewhat agree, E = strongly
agree.
Questionnaire:
1. I’m Satisfied with my current job,
2. My working hours is rational,
3. The work environment is excellent,
4. My work pressure is rational
5. We have work life balance programs,
6. I’m able to maintain a good balance between my personal and professional life,
7. I get appreciation and rewards for better performance,
8. My salary is well balanced with my responsibilities, 9. I’m satisfied with my
organization’s benefit package,
10. I get all the necessary authority to perform my duties,
11. I’ve opportunities to learn and grow at work,
12. I feel secure in my job,
13. I want to continue my job in this organization for long time,
14. I have intention to leave\change the job.
15. My response to overload working hours is constructive (voice with
authority/boss)
16. I feel loyalty whenever there is overload working hours or not,
17. I neglect whenever there is overload working hours,
18. I want to leave this job because of overload working hours or work load.

Data Analysis
The data will be analyzed using statistical equation, SPSS, MS-Excel, the test
applied was Correlation Pearson’s Product to analyze the relation between work life
balance and job satisfaction.
Nature and form of Result
The correlation between work life balances as well as other factors like working
hour, work load, performance appraisal, job security, organization’s work-life
balance programs, perception of the employees about the work-life balance
programs of their organizations, willingness to stay in the organization and
employees job satisfaction will be calculated by Correlation Pearson’s Product.
Result will be within -1 to +1 and hypothesis test will be driven for find out proposed
hypothesis are right or wrong.
Schedule
Task Targeted completion days
01. Literature review Completed
02. Proposal Final 7 days
03. Questionnaire Design Completed
04. Drawing of sample 2 days
05. Pilot testing 2 days
06. Interview Questions Finalized 2 days
07. Schedule Interviews 2 days
08. Data collection 30 days
09. Data cleaning 7 days
10. Data analysis 30 days
11. Write-up and calculate Findings 7 days
12. Report preparation & submit 5 days
Total 94 days

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