DECLARATION

I the undersigned student hereby declare that apart from reference to other peoples work, which have been duly cited, this project work is the result of my findings prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the writing and presentation of thesis at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). This project work has neither in whole or part been presented anywhere for the award of any degree.

NAME .. JEDIDIA K. FOSU

DATE .

. MISS DEBORAH SASU (SUPERVISOR)

DEDICATION
Dedicated to Almighty God for guiding me through this write-up and the course successfully, I also dedicate this write-up to my dearest mum: Mary Asamoah, the late Hajia Salamatu AbdulRahman who despite her limited education supported me till her untimely departure on earth, Haj Ahmed Zakaria Abdulai who took it upon himself to sponsor my education here in GIMPA. Cecil and Darrell Nii Collison for their support and to all my family members. I love and appreciate the impact you have made in my lives.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to offer our profound gratitude to all those who helped me to go through this project work successfully, especially to my lovely lecturer and supervisor of our project, Miss Deborah Sasu.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Declarations . Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii Page i ii iii vi vii

Acknowledgement Table of Content List of Tables . List of Figures .

CHAPTER 1 1.1 Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 4 5 5 6

1.2 Statement of the Problem .. 1.3 Objectives of the Study 1.4 Hypothesis .. . .. .

1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study 1.6 Organization of the Study .. .

CHAPTER 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7

2.2 How Work Has Invaded the Personal Lives of Workers .

iv

2.3 Changing Workplace Demographics 2.4 Career Women and Child Care ..

.. .

. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . .

8 10 11 14 16 18 18 20

2.5 Child Care and Absenteeism among Career Women 2.6 Motherhood Changes a Womans Career .. 2.7 The Cost of Starting a Family 2.8 The Resume Gap .. . .. . . . .. . . . . . .

2.9 Balancing Act is tough for Women 2.10 The Changing Workplace ..

2.11 The Evolution of Work-Life Balance Initiatives . 2.12 Definition: Work-Life Balance (Effectiveness) .. 2.13 Why Companies Address Work-Life Balance Issues 2.14 Ways to Address Work-Life Issues 2.15 Supportive Work Environment .. 2.16 Work-Life Strategy .. . .. . . . . .

23 24 27 27 28 29

2.17 Organizational Profile: Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited

CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . .

v

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

32 32 33 35

3.2 sampling strategy .. 3.3 Sources of Data 3.4 Data Analysis .. ..

CHAPTER 4 Presentation of Findings and Analysis of Data 4.1 Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 36

4.2 Profile of Respondents

CHAPTER 5 Summary of Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations .. . . 59

References Appendix

.. ..

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

. .

64 67

vi

LIST OF TABLES
Tables Table 1 Age Profile of Respondents . Table 3 Marital Status of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 38 39 38 40 41 42 Page

Table 2 - Educational Level of Respondents . Table 4 Child Birth Status of Respondents .

Table 5 Respondents who have dependents living with them Table 6 Number of career moves after child birth . Table 7 Impact of family status on work . . Table 8 Effect of child-care responsibility on work .

Table 9 Effect of childcare responsibilities on career progression at work . Table 10 Help from husband in childcare responsibilities . Table 11 Conflict in managing work and personal life issues Table 13 Stressful work environment Table 14 Consider changing jobs Table 16 Shift system Table 18Part time workers . . . . . . . . Table 15 Changing jobs because of stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Table 12 Ability to balance responsibilities at work and home effectively .

Table 17 Working from home (Telecommuting) Table 19 Contract workers . Table 20 Flexible working hours Table 22 Job Satisfaction .

Table 21-Work/Life initiatives of Prudential Bank

vii

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Figure 1 Age Profile of Respondents Figure 3 Marital Status of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 . . . 44 45 . . 48 . . . . . . . . . . 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 46 47 41 42 43 Page 37 38 39

Figure 2 - Educational Level of Respondents . Figure 4 Child Birth Status of Respondents .

Figure 5 Respondents who have dependents living with them Figure 6 Number of career moves after child birth . Figure 7 Impact of family status on work . . Figure 8 Effect of child-care responsibility on work.

Figure 9 Effect of childcare responsibilities on career progression at work . Figure 10 Help from husband in childcare responsibilities . Figure 11 Conflict in managing work and personal life issues Figure 13 Stressful work environment Figure 14 Consider changing jobs . Figure 16 Shift system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Figure 12 Ability to balance responsibilities at work and home effectively .

Figure 15 Changing jobs because of stress . Figure 17 Working from home (Telecommuting) Figure 18Part time workers . Figure 19 Contract workers . Figure 20 Flexible working hours Figure 22 Job Satisfaction .

Figure 21-Work/Life initiatives of Prudential Bank .

viii

CHAPTER 1

1.1

Introduction

Finding the right balance between ones career aspirations and taking care of ones children in today's frenetically paced world is no simple task. For many female employees today, their lives have become more consumed with a host of family and other personal responsibilities and interests. Therefore in an effort to retain employees, it is increasingly important for organizations to help them realize a work/life balance. The traditional pattern of work life is becoming obsolete, and it needs to, because for many people it is extremely unbalanced. The integration of work and non work demands is one of the most critical challenges organizations, families, and individuals face today. Millions of employees lurch from miserable work until they go on retirement. The world is changing faster than ever. Work, retirement, pensions and life expectancy have all changed radically in the last two generations. Work has changed, in the 24-hour, 7 day society, now customers expect service at times that suit them. More and more people have to juggle responsibility at home and in the workplace. For most Ghanaians in general, having a job is essential for maintaining a quality of life. Many surveys conducted by researchers have concluded that, when employees are asked about work, the two concerns that emerge most frequently are long hours and work intensity (ACAS, 2006).

Women have made great progress in many career fields, and many more employers, managers, professionals, and other workers in responsible positions are more women than ever before. Even so, some employers and some career areas present barriers to women that are different than for
1

men. Despite the fact that the numbers of women in the workforce have increased rapidly, employers still imagine or experience problems. Here are some comments expressed in a survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM, 2009): "Working women with children have difficulties finding adequate child care in their area. Time off and absenteeism are big issues for our working mothers." "Gaining coworker acceptance of women in nontraditional roles is a serious problem. Many of our executives are uncertain how to manage women." "We have more women managers, but few women officers, and none on the board of directors. The glass ceiling is a reality." Unlike women, men are not likely to be asked about their child care issues prior to being hired and are far less likely to experience sexual harassment or gender-related discrimination or prejudice. Interestingly enough, women employers are often just as concerned as male employers are about a woman's family status. Employers of both genders assume that a woman is more likely to have child-related problems and want to be certain that these problems will not become a work-related problem.

A Harvard Business Review study documented that "on average, working mothers put in an 84hour work week between their homes and their jobs; working fathers put in 72 hours, and married people with no children put in 50." Those numbers are staggering: A mother essentially holds down two full-time jobs. In addition, the care of elderly parents generally falls on the shoulders of
2

women in our country. For women with or likely to have children or elderly parents, the number one task is to assure the interviewer that they don't intend to abandon their families but do intend to devote the necessary time to the job. In the sciences women have often been marginalized with the Nobel Prizes awarded only 15 times to women in scientific topics since 1903. Even though half of all medical and life science degrees since the 1970's have gone to women. "Among the top 100 US universities, only 8.8 15.8% of tenure-track positions in many math-intensive fields are held by women, and female full professors number (less than or equal to) 10%" (Ceci, and Williams,2003).

Instead of outright male chauvinism, "free or constrained" choices largely related to raising a family now put the big breaks on a woman's science careers, says the study authors. In the study, the Cornell researchers looked at two decades of data on the discrimination against women in study reviews, hiring and funding. Overall, women scientists with the same resources, lab facilities and funding, for example; have careers equal to men. However, women overall are more likely to step off the career track than male researchers, the study concludes, explaining a lot of the differences in their lives. Thus, child care responsibilities place a heavy burden on career women affecting their career progression. It is therefore important to investigate this phenomenon in Ghana and recommend ways of addressing it.

1.2

Statement of the Problem

The world of work has changed drastically especially in the banking sector. In the twenty-four hours, seven days society, customers expect services at times that suit them. Therefore more and more workers have to work harder and for longer hours to meet the needs of their valued customers. Technology has made it possible for many workers to be continuously accessible even when not at the workplace. Many managerial and professional workers take work home almost every day and instead of spending quality time with the family after a hard days work, they end up working at home too. This practice is one of the reasons why work and life balance is often portrayed as conflict of forces. Adopting policies to support work and life balance at the workplace may be costly and complicated but others also argue that improving work-life balance is actually a competitive tool that companies can use to boost productivity and maximize profit. This is based on the fact that, support services or family-friendly practices at workplaces are not just for women to allow them to cater for their homes and families but many men stand to benefit in their roles as fathers, partners or dependents. The society also benefits since stronger and more stable families provide good adult role models, fewer broken relationships and a reduction in crime and also other anti-social behavior. Thus, everybody stands to benefit from these work and life balance policies to help improve the quality of life of employees. This study therefore sets out to investigate how work life balance initiatives or programs at Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited impact on the lives of its female employees and contributes to their motivation.

1.3

Objectives of the Study

The study specifically aims to: Identify the challenges that women employees face in combining their domestic responsibilities of child care and career aspirations and its impact on their quality of life. Identify initiatives, if any, that Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited has put in place to address the challenges that female employees face in combining their child care responsibilities and career goals and present it as a good example to other Ghanaian organizations. Recommend a training and support system for career women to assist in their career progression in Ghanaian organizations.

1.4

Hypotheses

This study seeks to test the hypotheses that: The overwhelming work of child care and career development may cause women employees to overwork themselves. There is a direct link between child care responsibilities and career progression of female employees. work. Effective child care support schemes enhance the performance of female employees at

1.5

Scope and Limitation of the Study

Prudential (Ghana) Limited has branches in five regions in the country. However, given the time constraint to submit the research report as well as the logistical support required to cover the entire country, it was decided to limit the focus of this research to staff at the Head Office. The Head
5

Office was chosen because the staff strength is quite significant and also it has all the departments represented there and gives us an opportunity to sample a cross section of their staff. It is therefore the view of the researchers that the characteristics, concerns and challenges that confront female staff at the Head Office will be representative of what pertains across the country.

1.6

Organization of the Study

The study is divided into five chapters with chapter one containing the introduction and background to the subject of the study; the problem statement, objectives, hypotheses, scope and limitation as well as the organization of the study. Chapter two also reviews relevant literature on the subject of child care and its impact on the career goals or progression for female employees. The profile of Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited is also presented in this chapter. Chapter three discusses the research methodology adopted for the study. Chapter four discuss the research findings by analyzing the data collected and discussing results. Chapter five concludes the study and provides recommendations.

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

Introduction

This chapter will attempt to review available literature in the area of child care and its effect on the career of women as well as work/life balance issues.

2.2

How Work Has Invaded the Personal Lives of Workers

There was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eightto nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries have blurred for many workers. Yet, others contend that organizations invade our personal time and space to such an extent that we are incarcerated within an organizational world (Burrell, 1988: 233). The following explains the current situation: 2.2.1 Global economy As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs. 2.2.2 International business Work continues around the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.

2.2.3

Advanced communication technology Many people now have the ability to work anywhere from their home, from their car and even on vacation with the help of new technology. And some managers expect this.

2.2.4

Longer hours

1. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than they are scheduled. Often,

overtime is mandatory. If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations (Spurgeon, Harrington and Cooper1997). 2.2.5 Changes in family roles The married worker of today is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community. 2.2.6 Married to your work It can be tempting to rack up the hours at work especially if you are trying to earn a promotion or some extra money for a child's education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.

2.3

Changing Workplace Demographics

The dramatic increase of women in the workforce in the last decade or two has resulted in the rise of the dual-focused worker a worker focused on work and family, rather than on work or family and are among the most critical factors shaping todays workplace and affecting the way people live and work Felice N. Schwartz (2004) The recognition that an increasing proportion of the workforce over the next decade will be women has important implications for corporate employers, not least in the area of leadership positions. Two types of women in organizations are

defined; career-primary and career-and-family and it is asserted that if organizations are to retain their competitive advantage they must recognize the value of both types and provide a more flexible work environment. This will benefit both the individual and the employer. The individual will have freedom of choice between career or family, or a combination of both; and the employer will be able to retain a valuable resource the talented women executives.

According to Burud and Tumolo (2003) in their book, Leveraging the New Human Capital, there has been a change in the old breadwinner profile of workers with more women working outside the home primarily for economic reasons and personal satisfaction. In addition to child care, female employees may have responsibility of eldercare. As a result the majority of female employees (53%) have either children or elders whom they care for. These demographic changes have resulted in changing employee needs. In a Rutgers University and University of Connecticut study in 2001, 90% of working adults said they were concerned that they do not spend enough time with their families. Care giving responsibilities are impacting the way employees feel about their work.

Work-life balance has also become a recruitment issue, because new entrants into the workforce are asking how they are going to manage both their work and their personal lives. Headhunters often report that candidates now ask, How flexible is the work environment? and What kind of work-life balance programmes does the company offer? Managing a workforce with diverse needs has grown to a position of paramount importance as knowledge workers have taken their place in the majority of organizations as their companies most precious assets. Companies must therefore do whatever is necessary to help each and every

employee work up to his or her full potential no matter what their personal or family responsibilities are. In other words, companies simply must create work-life balance or effectiveness for individuals or lose their competitive advantage.

2.4

Career Women and Child Care

Women have made great progress in many career fields, and many more employers, managers, professionals, and other workers in responsible positions are women than ever before (SHRM, 2009). Even so, some employers and some career areas present barriers to women that are different than for men. Despite the fact that the numbers of women in the workforce have increased rapidly, employers still imagine or experience problems. Here are some comments expressed in a survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM, 2009): "Working women with children have difficulties finding adequate child care in our area. Time off and absenteeism are big issues for our working mothers." "Gaining coworker acceptance of women in nontraditional roles is a serious problem. Many of our executives are uncertain how to manage women." "We have more women managers, but few women officers, and none on the board of directors. The glass ceiling is a reality." Unlike women, men are not likely to be asked about their child care issues prior to being hired and are far less likely to experience sexual harassment or gender-related discrimination or prejudice. Interestingly enough, women employers are often just as concerned as male employers are about a woman's family status. Employers of both genders assume that a woman is more likely to have

10

child-related problems and want to be certain that these problems will not become a work-related problem. A Harvard Business Review study documented that "on average, working mothers put in an 84hour work week between their homes and their jobs; working fathers put in 72 hours, and married people with no children put in 50." Those numbers are staggering: A mother essentially holds down two full-time jobs. In addition, the care of elderly parents generally falls on the shoulders of women in our country. For women with or likely to have children or elderly parents, the number one task is to assure the interviewer that they do not intend to abandon their families but do intend to devote the necessary time to the job.

2.5

Child Care and Absenteeism among Career Women

According to an article by, the good news is that Goff1,*, Mount2, and Jamison (2006) workers are calling in sick less often than they did just a decade ago. The bad news however is that women are still absent nearly twice as often as their male counterparts in the workplace. It has been a perpetual problem: Women tend to call in sick more often than men. The obvious answer from human resource experts, employers, employees and even people in the media is always that working mothers have most of the responsibilities at home, and that translates into female employees having to take sick days to tend to sick kids. Indeed, new Labor Department data shared with msnbc.com seem to support this to a degree. Both married and unmarried women with children report a higher rate of absences than those without children, says Terence McMenamin with the departments Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among single fathers, the absentee rate is also higher than the rate for men without children.

11

That focus on gender has created a situation where co-workers and managers expect women to be absent more often, and that, in turn, can create an air of unreliability around female employees."This absence culture for women may partially legitimize absenteeism for this group and attenuate perceptions of deviance surrounding womens absence," the researchers said. "At the same time, such an absence culture, regardless of whether it leads to actual higher absenteeism for particular women, may also be harmful to women in other ways.

Indeed, Lauren, a Cleveland mother of two teenage daughters, finds she can never call in sick because shes worried about how it will be perceived at the equipment company she works for. Even when my daughters are sick, even when I'm sick, even when I have a myriad of pressing problems, even when I have the cable guy coming to the house or the chimney sweeper or the plumber, even when my mother is sick and needs me, even when my father-in-law is in the hospital, I don't call in sick, she says. But she believes her male colleagues get a pass. I must work much harder at my job than my male counterparts and continually prove my loyalty and commitment to my job precisely because I am a woman and mother, she stresses. If I were a man, believe me, I would have a lot more latitude where my personal life versus job is concerned.

There may be something to her perceptions, says Christopher Flett, (1998) author of What MenDont Tell Women about Business. It is horrible to say, but men in the office will say she doesnt take her career seriously when a woman takes time off for family reasons, he explains.
12

They will think: We cannot depend on her. If Billy breaks his arm she wont show up for the presentation.

Flett acknowledges that women carry most of the responsibilities at home, whether caring for ill children or aging parents. But he believes women can be their own worst enemies in the workplace because they feel the need to give managers too much information. Women will often make excuses for why they are not coming to work, which opens them up to the alpha males that keep them out of the corner office.

He suggested that women should keep their personal lives to themselves. If a woman needs a sick day, take one without telling people your kid is ill, or you need to take care of your sister. It is no one's business why you are taking the day off, he adds. Of course, women should take advantage of family-friendly policies offered by many employers. Experts believe that may be one reason the absentee rate is falling among men and women.According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics numbers, the overall absenteeism rate dropped to 3.2 percent in 2006, compared with 4.2 percent in 1994. Among men the rate dropped to 2.4 percent from 3.1 percent in that period, while for women it declined to 4.3 percent from 5.7 percent.

13

Despite the declines, there are factors that may keep absenteeism rates among women higher than men for the foreseeable future. For reasons related to societal sanctioned sex-based roles, in addition to biologically determined roles relative to breast-feeding, of course, women bear the brunt of the responsibility for sick children, says Jack Tuckner with the Womens Rights in Workplace Advocacy. Of course some men share in these responsibilities, but women assumes the lions share of the child-related work and hence suffers inordinate workplace consequences as a result of their absences. 2.6 Motherhood Changes a Womans Career

Motherhood has a great effect on the career of every woman because taking care of her child at the same time as her career is not so easy. Women are not limited to the kitchen or stereotypical jobs like secretaries, and teachers etc. Some have condemned working mothers because they have gone out of the home to seek paid employment, but many have done so just to help meet the basic needs of the family. More women today are obtaining college degrees and are moving into professions previously regarded as men preserved. The bottom-line is that women can spend more money and more time preparing for a career that will ensure success and fulfillment.

The womens Liberation Movement made tremendous contribution in securing equal pay and equal rights in the work place. Since they first started burning bras, women have continually demanded and gained footholds for equal rights in the work place and society. However powerful the women liberation may have been, women are still behind in the corporate world. It is common knowledge that women make less money than their male counterparts. Many women have had to

14

put family issues aside for career plans.

It is extremely difficult as a corporate executive to carry briefcase in one hand and a diaper bag in the other. Women who have worked to build careers and have paid their dues in a mans dominated corporate world find it difficult to risk all they had put into their career to have a baby. Some of them see themselves as strong and independent, and fear a child would only make them vulnerable and drag them down. Depending on the amount of time a mother takes off for maternity leave, her chances of advancing up the success ladder may be compromised or even impaired seriously.

In many countries of the world, legal advancements such as the Family Medical Leave Act in the U.S. have tried to increase womens opportunities to have career while still raising families. This notwithstanding in many countries women are still regarded as the nurturers and caregivers. They are the ones who are expected to stay home with a sick child. They are the parent who faces putting her career in the backburner in other to take care of some pertinent family domestic problems.

Some women still choose to have a modicum of each part of life, a chance to have children and still pursue a career. Yet, they too will have to make sacrifices. They will have to leave their children in the care of someone else for better part of the day, unless their job is the rare occupation that allows them to have their child nearby. There will inevitably be a time when she is forced to go for medical emergency, no matter how prolific her babysitters might be.

15

Some women have made the ultimate sacrifice and walk away from it all to raise children. These women find fulfillment in the appreciation they receive from their children. These are the women that their careers are affected by motherhood. They throw everything away and become completely different people, in a new world, with new ideals. Variances in life situations may require some women to work in order to be able to afford to have children.

Motherhood is a permanent state of life for every woman, whether she realizes it or not. Whether she distances herself from motherhood all together, make concessions to have a modicum of both worlds, or devote her life completely to her family and walk away from corporate world, every woman has the unenviable task of balancing the concerns of running the world with populating it. Motherhood is a wonderful experience if a woman is lucky to experience it.

2.7

The Cost of Starting a Family

For those who choose to have children early in life, the trade-off may involve more than just money. Babies cost you dearly. And these are not just about money. Your children will cost you thousands of dollars, sure, but also chunks of your youth, middle and old age, physical stamina and, at least for many women, career opportunities. Of course, all this is true at any age. But to extend the financial metaphor, deciding to have her family while she is in her 20s changes a woman's investment horizon. A younger mother has more time in the bank: more time to conceive successfully, more time to start, restart or change careers when she is ready. But she also has less in the real bank, and in these days of high college costs, she may have a significant debt load. She will have clocked few years in her career. So she will either have to nurture a new life while

16

nurturing a fledgling career or return years later to entry-level work after her school friends have moved on. She might find that she has more energy than older mothers, or less maturity; she may feel like the coolest mother at nursery school, or she may feel estranged from her unencumbered college friends. Having a family first, as Sylvia Ann Hewlett says in her book "Creating a Life: Professional Women and the Quest for Children," may be advisable for women who ultimately want careers and children. But that does not make it easy.

Sylvia Hewlett (2007) claims to document how "high-achieving" women are missing out on having children. Hewlett defines high-achieving women as those who work full time and either earn more than $55,000 per year or have a professional degree, such as JD, MD, PhD, or MBA. Hewlett asserts that high-achieving professional women neglect to create time for children, focusing instead on their careers. Her survey, the National Parenting Study, finds that, among high-achieving career women and men between the ages of 28-40, the women are far less likely to marry and have children. Among the women, 40% have children and 66% are married, whereas 53% of men have children and 80% are married.

Time Magazine talked to women across America who began their families early. Many did so by accident (about half of all pregnancies are unplanned), others on purpose. "We wanted to be young parents," says Donna Ballard, 35, of Norwalk, Iowa, who had her first child at 25. "We didn't want to be 60 when they got out of high school." For all these parents, the decision required trade-offs hard work and the recognition that having children early usually means giving up something.

17

The extra work hours needed to make ends meet can deprive the family's breadwinner of time with the children and create distance in a marriage. So can the stress of full-time motherhood. The challenge is to make sure that both partners will be comfortable in their roles and maintain their sense of self-esteem.

2.8

The Resume Gap

It is a universal conundrum for mothers in their 20s: the best years for having children coincide with the best years for establishing a career. Hewlett suggests "backward mapping": decide what you want from life by a certain age, and plan backward from there. Easier said than done, perhaps, but not for Leah Halpern, 27, of Hillsdale, N.J. Determined not to end up "a 35-year-old assistant," she took a big pay cut to move from Vanity Fair to a smaller magazine before having her baby, so she could get the more elevated job title she will need on her rsum when she goes back to work. But the isolation and condescension "nonworking" mothers face in a career-woman's world ("Oh, you stay at home! And what else do you do?") can be especially hard on women who do not have a long list of work accomplishments behind them. And taking an early break is tougher in some fields than in others.

Some women, however, see a "baby sabbatical" as a chance to define what they want out of work, like Lu Dayment, 46, of Indianapolis, who had three kids in her 20s and at 35 went to graduate
18

school in library science. "It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up," she says. Others take time off but maintain close connections to their former jobs, to ease their eventual re-entry into the working world.

2.9

Balancing Act is tough for Women

A new study shows that juggling work with family responsibilities is the biggest challenge facing women in Silicon Valley. According to Monika Henzinger, research director at Mountain View search engine company Google.

Henzinger stayed in an "easy" job at Digital Equipment Corporation for two years while she sat on a waiting list for the high-quality day care she wanted for her daughter, now 3. Only after her daughter was in the right care did Henzinger feel comfortable pursuing an opportunity at startup Google, where as director of research she works 10-hour days."Before, I didn't feel like I could do it," said Henzinger, who is expecting a second child in July. Tonight, Henzinger will be honored as one of the top 25 women in the Internet industry by professional organization San Francisco Women on the Web.

The study, called "Unfinished Business: Women in the Silicon Valley Economy, " was conducted by Community Foundation Silicon Valley and Collaborative Economics. The study found that

19

while most women (57 percent) in the region feel that job opportunities for them are getting better, there are still major obstacles holding them back.

Women cited child care as a barrier to career advancement more than any other obstacle. Twothirds of women surveyed said that the Silicon Valley region has failed to provide adequate child care options. Although Silicon Valley women now contribute substantially to family income, they still bear the brunt of household duties.

The study found that half of Silicon Valley women overall and 33 percent of women in marriages and partnerships provide the majority of their household incomes. But 47 percent also do most of the errand running, cleaning and child care, while 46 percent share those tasks. Only 7 percent of women said that someone else had the main responsibility for running the household. Other findings from the survey are: Women are more likely to hold low-paying jobs than men. In the 12 fastest-growing occupations in the region, women hold only 29 percent of high- pay jobs, averaging $72,000 a year, but 61 percent of low-end jobs, averaging $22,000 a year.

Nearly half of women (48 percent) say that child care at or near their workplace is "very important" to them; but only 19 percent have access to child care with their current employment.

20

Of college-educated women surveyed, 60 percent believe that men have better advancement opportunities than women.

2.10

The Changing Workplace

It has been said that the only thing that is constant in todays business environment is change. That is also true for the personal lives of employees which continue to change and have become more far more complex than ever before. The focus on a competitive, fast-paced global economy, the ever-changing challenges of personal and family life, and the dramatic impact of technology have forced profound changes in how we define the workplace, the workforce, work and the personal lives of employees.

Companies have long said that employees are their most valuable assets and today they face a human capital crisis. Companies today actually compete among themselves to become the employer of choice, the best place to work, the best environment, and so forth, in order to attract and retain employees and to improve productivity. Companies now view implementing effective work-life initiatives as a business imperative. Companies need to distinguish themselves from their competition by connecting the dots between issues such as overwork, stress, and increased health care costs and the advantage they can gain by implementing preventative approaches, such as work-life effectiveness. In a knowledge economy, more than ever before, employers are realizing that they must understand and address the diverse needs of their workforce in order to survive and thrive. Effective work-life balance practices which include programmes, policies,

21

benefits and practices are a critical way to walk the talk when it comes to corporate values and to create a culture that puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to human capital assets.

The economic downturn has placed tremendous pressure on employees over their long-term job security. Employees are responding by seeking out employers that offer a better work-life balance, and research shows they work harder for those that do.

In the current economic environment, work-life balance now ranks as one of the most important workplace attributes second only to compensation, according to research conducted by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) among more than 50,000 global workers. And employees who feel they have a better work-life balance tend to work 21% harder than those that do not. The critical need to ensure an adequate work-life balance for employees in the downturn is largely being neglected by employers as more and more pressure is put onto employees. In 2006, 53% of employees felt they had a good work-life balance; that number fell to 30% in the first quarter of 2009.

Several misconceptions prevent organizations from optimizing their ability to deliver on the worklife balance promise. For example, most organizations mistakenly provide costly services, such as an on-site gym or health-care services when, in fact, fewer than 20% of employees actually value these types of benefits.
22

Instead, the best organizations recognize that the most appreciated service they can provide their employees is the "gift of time." In fact, more than 60% of the employees polled in the CEB study identified flexible schedules as the most important work-life practice their employer could provide.

In addition, most organizations focus on the actual consumption of work-life services they offer. Ironically, boosting workforce productivity does not hinge on employees actually participating in the work-life services offered by their employer. Employees just need to be reassured that the service is there and that they have the option to participate if they want to. In other words, the option value of work-life balance practices is more important at improving employee effort than the actual consumption of those same work-life balance practices.

The fact that nearly 60% of HR executives polled felt satisfied with the work-life services of their organization, while just 16% of employees felt the same, illustrates a fundamental disconnect when it comes to work-life benefits. The companies who most effectively address and close that gap stand the best chance of achieving the high levels of employee attraction and retention they seek.

2.11

The Evolution of Work-Life Balance Initiatives

The work-life balance field first emerged on a wide scale in the United States in the early 1980s in order to address the child-care needs of working mothers who entered the paid workforce in record

23

numbers. In the mid-1980s elder care was recognized as another area that impacted womens ability to participate fully in the workforce. Dependent care and information and child care centers were seen as the solution to what was then called work-family issues. Most of the responses to these designed primarily to make it possible for the employee to be able to work, not to change the workplace, or necessarily to change the way work was done or to accommodate personal needs.

In the early 1990s, with the advance of technology and increased work demands, the issue of time became a major focus as women and men realized that multitasking could only stretch the day so far. At that point, organizations began to implement flexible work arrangements to address the need for more options for where and when to work. These issues continue to exit today and companies are beginning to redesign work, address escalating health care costs because of stress and overwork, and redefine benefits and total rewards all to attract, energize and engage employees. While the focus in many organizations is still on responding to real or perceived employee needs, progressive companies see real advantage in taking a preventive, proactive approach to work-life issues and linking the effort directly to business goals.

2.12

Definition: Work-Life Balance (Effectiveness)

Work-Life balance means different things to different people depending on where they are in their lives and career cycles. For many employees, work-life balance means being able to take care of child-care or elder-care needs while working; for some, it is having the time to take care of their own or family members medical needs; for others, it is the ability to go to the gym when they want to, or to learn a new skill, and for still others, it is being able to avoid commuting during peak traffic periods. Whatever the need, what is clear is that many of the policies, programmes, benefits,

24

and practices in organizations today were designed for the needs of the traditional family (i.e., stay-at-home mom, working dad), which, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, now represents less than 20% of the workforce.

Work-life balance has become part of the culture change process that is taking place in the most progressive companies as they work to engage employees, create a more results-oriented organization, foster productivity, and compete more effectively for talent. Some labels that are used in the field include work-life balance, integration, harmony and effectiveness. According to the Alliance for Work-Life Progress (AWLP, 2008), work-life balance is a specific set of organizational practices, policies, and programmes along with a philosophy that recommends aggressive support for the efforts of everyone who works to achieve success both at work and at home. The organization also includes those efforts initiated by employers to create a supportive work environment that acknowledges the personal and family commitments of their employees, supports them in fulfilling those commitments, and improves work and personal effectiveness in the process.

2.13

Why Companies Address Work-Life Balance Issues

There are at least eight very important interrelated business-related reasons why a company should have a comprehensive work-life initiative. These are discussed below:
1. To attract and retain talent: for many companies, the main reason for work-life initiatives

is to attract and hold on to talented people. Even in a difficult economy, good people are hard to find and keep. In surveys and focus groups, employees frequently report they have

25

considered looking for other jobs because their companies are not supportive of their work and personal needs. Many companies are becoming more sensitive to the proportion of women they recruit and retain, especially given that women graduates represent about half of all professional programmes (e.g. accounting, law, MBA etc). Often work-life issues are the underlying cause for women leaving an organization. Now that half of the workforce is female, and more women are taking critical roles in their organizations, it has become even more important to find ways to retain and develop them.
2. To raise morale and job satisfaction: Work & Family Inc. surveyed 153 companies for

Working Mother magazine. Out of the 40 different work-life initiatives, all but 5 had been found to increase employee satisfaction and morale. The findings show that employees are less likely to feel overworked if they have: Jobs that provide more opportunities to continue to learn Supervisors who support them in succeeding on the job The flexibility they need to manage their job and their personal and family life Input into management decision making. This holds true even when these employees work long hours and have very demanding jobs.
3. To increase productivity: companies that have studied the results of their work-life

programmes have found that they have reduced absenteeism and increased productivity. People who feel they have more control over how they manage their work and personal lives can focus more intensely on their work.

26

4. To increase commitment and engagement: employee commitment and engagement are

becoming more important with the increase in knowledge and service workers who can take their knowledge and expertise with them if they leave the job, and whose emotions how they feel impact how they do their jobs on a daily basis.
5. To reduce health care costs: Duke University Medical Center reported in a 1997 study

that workplace stress heightens the incidence of depression, anxiety, anger and a whole range of physical health problems. According to the Stress Institute of America, stress is costing U.S. employers about $300 billion per year in lost productivity, health care, and replacement costs. Employers are realizing that to get to the root of the health care cost problem, they must take a more active role in managing the health of their employees. Programmes that focus on managing specific diseases and help workers make lifestyle behaviour changes aimed at weight management, exercise, and smoking cessation can go a long way toward slowing rising costs over the long term.
6. To combat burnout: employees who feel burned out tend to leave the organization, have

less commitment and focus, be depressed, and have a host of stress-related illnesses that include heart disease and cancer as well as other minor but debilitating ailments. The more overworked employees are, the more likely they are to make mistakes at work and to feel angry with their employers for expecting them to do so much.
7. To attract investors: shareholders increasingly value companies that are good citizens, are

good to their employees, and are active in their commitments.

8. To be a good corporate citizen: it is the right thing to do and it can demonstrate support

for the community from which both clients and the workforce are drawn. Companies are becoming more aware of the connection between their employees, their customers and the

27

larger community. Today, the most progressive companies focus not only on their employees needs, but also on the larger community in which they live and work.

2.14

Other work-life related policies and benefits might include the following: i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) Gradual return to work after parental, family or disability leave Flexible work arrangements Phased retirement Sabbaticals Family sick days Subsidies to pay for child-or-elder-care services

vii) Convenience services viii) Financial assistance to equip a home office ix) x) Group insurance policies for life, home, car Subsidies for health/fitness classes, gyms, and so forth

2.15

Supportive Work Environment

A study by Karol Rose (2006) revealed that a supportive work environment impacts the workplace, its workers, and their home lives. In every case where the organization was perceived as supportive (family-friendly), flexibility and self-control were present. Those in supportive work environment felt better about their performance at home, took more time for personal relaxation, worried less about work when they did, and reported no difference in work performance. Their families interfered less with work, and they experienced fewer work-life conflicts. They were more satisfied with their jobs and their careers. They were more likely to align their future career plans with the

28

future direction of the firm. The study indicated that work and life are irrevocably connected. Work and personal life have a circular impact; one cannot be experienced without a reaction from the other.

2.16

Work-Life Strategy

In order to successfully develop, implement and manage work-life initiative there must be a strategy that is aligned with the overall business strategy. The following guiding principles have been recommended by Professor Brad Harrington of the Boston College Work & Life Roundtable (2007) to help shape a work-life strategy of organizations: 1. The employer recognizes the strategic value of addressing work and personal life issues. i) Business is practiced with sensitivity to employees personal life needs. ii) Work and personal life solutions are aligned with business goals. iii) The employers commitment to addressing work and personal life issues is viewed as a long-term investment. iv) Work and personal life strategies are flexible enough to meet changing transitional and employee needs. 2. The work environment supports individual work and personal life effectiveness or balance. i) The employers informal culture supports healthy work and personal life management. ii) The employer provides meaningful work and personal life programs and policies. iii) The employer is committed to ongoing education of key stakeholders: employees, management and the community.

29

iv) The employer strives for continuous improvement through ongoing evaluation and assessment. 3. The management of work and personal life effectiveness/balance is a responsibility shared by employer and employee. i) Managers and employees are empowered to develop solutions that address both business and personal objectives. ii) Managers and employees are held accountable for their behaviour in support of these objectives. 4. The employer develops relationships to enhance external work and personal life resources. i) Partnerships are formed to maximize the value of employer and community resources available to employees and community members. ii) The employer serves as an active role model. iii) The employer is open to working with the public sector to strengthen policies that benefit both employers and individuals.

2.17

Organizational Profile of Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited

Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited was incorporated in 1993. It opened its doors on August 15th, 1996 with the first branch in Accra. Prudential Bank is a medium-sized commercial bank specializing in meeting the banking needs of small and medium-sized businesses as well as those of individuals. Subsidiaries The bank has two wholly owned subsidiary companies namely:

30

i)

PBL Properties Limited - Engaged in Real Estate, Automobile Leasing and

Financing
ii)

Prudential Securities Limited (PSL) - An Investment and Stock Brokerage Firm.

Ownership The bank's stock is owned by the following corporate entities and individuals: i) J. S. Addo Consultants Limited ii) Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) iii) National Trust Holding Company Limited] (NTHC) iv) Ghana Union Assurance Company Limited (GUA) v) Prudential Bank Staff Provident Fund vi) Four (4) Ghanaian Individuals Branch Network As of July 2009, the bank has nineteen (22) full service branches that are networked and two (2) agency branches in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi. There are sixteen of branches located in Accra and Tema, four in Kumasi one each in Takoradi and Cape Coast. Banking Services The bank provides all modern and technology-based banking services and products necessary for the development of businesses.ATM services and SMS banking services that enables customers to obtain services such as account balance enquiry and transfer, information on salary reports on successful and unsuccessful execution of standing orders, mini statement generation and accessing full statement on mobile phones.
31

Prudential bank provides banking services to all sectors of the economy with special focus on micro, small and medium scale enterprises, fishing and cold store businesses, manufacturing, agriculture, export consumer loans, general commercial activities and project financing. Other services of the bank are, fund management, call accounts in local and foreign currencies and free cash collection services. It also provides international service which includes sight and deferred payment, import letters of credit facilities, handling of import and export bills for collection, export letters of credit, sales and purchase of foreign exchange, foreign transfers and cheque collections as well as electronic cheque code-line clearing system. Financial Statement The Bank posted after tax profit of GHS4,007,505 in 2010 compared to GHS3,435,807 posted in 2009.

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

32

3.1

Introduction

This chapter presents the methods that were used to collect and analyze data for this research. Some of the problems associated with the use of the methods are examined. The essence is that all scientific work must be replicable, and this can be done only if the researcher outlines the procedures used in carrying out the study.

3.2

Sampling Strategy

A sample is defined as a subset of some part of a larger population being any complete group of people or companies that share common set of characteristics (Zikmund, 1994). A sample size of 50 female employees of Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited from their head office and some branches in Accra was selected for this purpose.

Using sampling in this way reduces costs and makes it possible to gather vital information quickly and if the samples are properly selected, results are accurately gathered. These advantages notwithstanding, however the use of sampling could yield unreliable results if not done properly. A sampling technique such as randomization can reduce the probability of bias. In this study random sampling procedure was therefore used to obtain a representative cross-section of female employees in terms of age, literacy level and position within Prudential Bank.

Randomization is a procedure in which the assignment of subjects and the treatment of groups are based on chance. Every person is selected from the population, such that each member is given an equal chance of being chosen.

33

3.3

Sources of Data

For purposes of this research, both secondary and primary data were used. This was done to combine the advantages of both, and minimize the disadvantage of using any one of them. Secondary data refers to data that are gathered and recorded by someone else prior to the present needs of the researcher. Data of this nature were gathered from mainly from published material on the subject matter of work-life balance. An advantage of using secondary data is that obtaining it is almost always less expensive than acquiring primary data. It is also one of the quickest means of acquiring data especially when there are time constraints. Some data are very difficult to obtain from individuals, and some if obtained are distorted, and such data are best obtained through secondary sources. A danger in the use of secondary source is that data were not designed specifically to meet the needs of the current study. It is therefore necessary that the researcher has a clear focus on the use of such data so that superfluous material is not included.

Another disadvantage is the out dated value of some secondary data. With our world changing rapidly secondary data quickly becomes outdated, making predictions based on such data very difficult or unreliable. Also the accuracy of secondary data may be questionable because it was conducted by other persons and may be biased to support the vested interest of the source. To overcome these problems, primary data were also used to supplement the collected secondary data. This was obtained through the administration of a structured questionnaire to randomly selected participants.

34

A questionnaire may be defined as a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information upon a subject, or a sequence of subjects, from an informant (Casley & Lury, 1987). In the design of the questionnaire, both open and close-ended questions were incorporated. A close-ended question is one in which the respondents are offered a choice of alternative responses, and may be asked to underline or tick their responses. Close-ended questions are easier and quicker to answer, they require no lengthy writing and are straightforward to analyze. This means reduced costs, and group comparisons can easily made.

Even though open-ended questions are more difficult to administer and analyze, they are able to elicit responses which mirror the feelings, opinions and experiences of the sample population. Once the respondents have understood the intent of the question therefore, they can let their thoughts flow freely, unencumbered by a prepared set of replies. The researcher is therefore in a position to obtain ideas which may give a very useful analytical understanding of the issue(s) at the hand.

A major problem with the use of questionnaires is that of low rate of return, and this is mainly due to refusals and time constraints on the part of respondents. This problem was addressed by the researchers doing a number of follow-ups. Another problem is that of bias on the part of the respondents, when they consciously or unconsciously misrepresent the truth. This may be done in order to appear intelligent, to conceal personal information or to avoid embarrassment.

35

The structured interview was therefore used to supplement whatever information was obtained from the questionnaires, and it was used to verify some of these data. This tool involves asking questions in the same way for all respondents so that any differences between answers are then assumed to be real ones and not the result of the interview situation itself.

One of the advantages of using structured interviews is the improved response rates it has over the use of the questionnaires. Also, the interviewer can give a prepared explanation on the purpose of the study more convincingly than a covering letter.

The interview is however not devoid of shortcomings. Respondents are not anonymous and therefore may be reluctant to provide confidential information to another person, and there is also the problem of getting people to agree to be interviewed as they may be considering the time involved.

3.4

Data Analysis

The completed questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods including frequency distribution, computation of averages and percentages using descriptive data analysis.

CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

4.1

Introduction
36

This chapter presents an analysis of the research data using basic descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages as well as pie charts.

4.2

Profile of Respondents

Out of a total of 50 questionnaires distributed 45 were recovered representing a 90% response rate. All the respondents were females. The respondents have worked with Prudential Bank between one year and 9 years and they were randomly selected from the following departments of the bank: Human Resource Department Banking Official (Job Rotation) General Secretary Banking Credit Department

On the average, the respondents spend between 10 hours to 13 hours a day in the office.

Table 1 Age Profile of Respondents Age Group 19-24 25-30 31-36 37-42 No of Respondents 9 16 12 8
37

Percentage 20% 35% 27% 18%

Total 45 (Source; Field Survey, August, 2011)

100

Majority of the respondents (16) representing 35% are in the age group 25-30; this is followed by those in the age group 31-36 (12) representing 27% of the respondents. 9 respondents between the age group of 19-24 represent 20% and followed by those in the age group of 37-42 representing 18% of the respondents.

Figure 1-Age Profile of Respondents

Table 2 - Educational Level of Respondents Educational attainment Post-graduate Bachelors H.N.D D.B.S Total No of respondents 6 16 12 11 45 Percentage 13% 36% 27% 24% 100

38

Majority of the respondents, 36%, have a university degree and are followed by 27% who have HND qualifications. 24% of the respondents have D.B.S qualification with the remaining 13% having post-graduate qualification.

Figure 2 Educational Level of Respondents

Table 3 Marital Status of Respondents Category Yes No Total No of respondents 40 5 45 Percentage 89% 11% 100

40 respondents representing 89% are married whereas 5 respondents representing 11% are not married. Figure 3 Marital Status of Respondents

39

Table 4 Child Birth Status of Respondents Category No of respondents Percentage Yes 37 82% No 8 18% Total 45 100 This table shows above shows that out of the 45 respondents 37 of them representing 82% have children with 8 of them representing 18% not having children.

Figure 4 Child birth status of respondents

40

Table 5 Respondents who have dependents living with them Category No of respondents Percentage Yes 43 96% No 2 4% Total 45 100 43 respondents representing 96% have dependants living with them whereas 2 respondents representing 4% do not have dependants living with them.

Figure 5 Respondents who live with dependents

41

Table 6 Number of career moves after child birth Category More than one One Total No of respondents 3 42 45 Percentage 7% 93% 100

Only 3 respondents representing 7% have made more than one career move after having a child whereas 42 respondents representing 93% have had only one career move after child birth.

Figure 6 Number of career moves since childbirth

42

Table 7 Impact of family status on work Category Yes No Total No of respondents 41 4 45 Percentage 91% 9% 100

41 respondents representing 91% indicated that their family status tend to create problems for them at their workplace whereas 4 respondents representing 9% indicated that their family status have never created any difficulties for them at the workplace. Some of the respondents indicated that their managers complain occasionally if they have to take their children to the hospital. Others also said it is quite tedious managing their family life and work related issues. Figure 7 Impact of family status on work

43

Table 8 Effect of child-care responsibility on work Category Yes No Total No of respondents 41 4 45 Percentage 91% 9% 100

41 respondents representing 91% indicated that their child-care giving responsibilities at home tend to affect their work in the office whereas 4 respondents representing 9% indicated that their child-care giving responsibilities at home do not affect their work in the office. Majority of the respondents said on average child-related problems keep you away from work between once or twice in a month and they spend between 3 hours and 5 hours a day on child care duties.

Figure 8 Effect of child-care responsibility on work

44

Table 9 Effect of childcare responsibilities on career progression at work Category Yes No Total No of respondents 40 5 45 Percentage 89% 11% 100

40 respondents representing 89% indicated that childcare responsibilities have affected their career progression whilst 5 respondents indicated that childcare responsibilities have not affected their career progression. Majority of the respondents indicated that their energy level as well as productivity has decreased.

Figure 9 Effect of childcare responsibilities on career progression at work

45

Table 10 Help from husband in childcare responsibilities Category No of respondents Yes 10 No 35 Total 45 (Source; Field Survey, August, 2011) Percentage 22% 78% 100%

35 respondents representing 78% indicated they do not get help from their husbands in taking care of their children whereas 10 respondents representing 22% indicated that their husbands support them in caring for their children.

Figure 10 Help from husband in childcare responsibilities

46

Table 11 Conflict in managing work and personal life issues Category Yes No Total No of respondents 38 7 45 Percentage 84% 16% 100

38 respondents representing 84% indicated that they experience conflicts in managing their work and personal life issues whereas 7 respondents representing 16% said they do not experience any conflicts in managing their work and personal life issues. Personal life issues like playing with the kids, bathing and feeding them, helping with their homework, spending time with their husbands and cleaning and cooking have all been affected by the pressures of work. Figure 11 Conflict in managing work and personal life issues

47

Table 12 Ability to balance responsibilities at work and home effectively Category Yes No Total No of respondents 10 35 45 Percentage 22% 78% 100%

35 respondents representing 78% said they are unable to effectively balance their responsibilities at home and work whereas 15 respondents representing 22% indicated they are able to combine the two responsibilities effectively.

Figure 12 Ability to balance responsibilities at work and home effectively

48

Table 13 Stressful work environment Category Yes No Total No of respondents 42 3 45 Percentage 96% 4% 100

42 respondents representing 96% find their work stressful whereas only 3 respondents representing 4% do not find their work stressful. Most of the respondents indicated that trying to balance the responsibilities of work and family issues is stressful and fatigue sets in. Issues like inconsistent closing times and inflexible working hours tends to compound the problem.

They said their work schedules affect their domestic/family life in several ways such as arriving home late most of the time, inability to supervise the homework of their kids, inability to cook for

49

the family, spending quality time with their spouses, taking the family out and ultimately affects their role as mothers to their children.

Figure 13 Stressful work environment

Table 14 Consider changing jobs Category Yes No Total No of respondents 40 5 45 Percentage 89% 11% 100%

40 respondents representing 89% indicated that they would consider changing jobs if they had the option to allow them more time for their family life. Only 5 respondents representing 11% would not consider changing jobs if they had the option.

50

Figure 14 Consider changing jobs

Table 15 Changing jobs because of stress Category Yes No Total No of respondents 38 7 45 Percentage 84% 16% 100%

38 respondents representing 84% have considered changing their jobs because of the stress they go through at work whereas 7 respondents representing 16% of the sample size have never considered this option. Figure 15 Changing jobs because of stress

51

Table 16 Shift system Category Yes No Total No of respondents 0 45 45 Percentage 0% 100% 100

All the 45 respondents representing 100% indicated that the bank does not provide a shift system. Figure 16 Shift system

52

Table 17 Working from home (Telecommuting) Category Yes No Total No of respondents 15 30 45 Percentage 33% 67% 100

30 respondents representing 67% said they do not work from home whereas 15 respondents representing 13% said they work from home. The respondents who answered yes, indicated that those who telecommute work in the Marketing Department of the Bank.

Figure 17 Working from home (Telecommuting)

53

Table 18Part time workers Category Yes No Total No of respondents 15 30 45 Percentage 33% 67% 100

15 respondents representing 33% indicated that Prudential Bank hires part time workers whereas 30 respondents representing 67% indicated that the bank does not hire part time workers.

Figure 18 Part-time workers

54

Table 19 Contract workers Category Yes No Total No of respondents 40 5 45 Percentage 89% 11% 100%

40 respondents indicated that prudential bank hires contract workers whereas 5 respondents representing 11% believe that prudential bank do not hire contract workers.

Figure 19 Contract workers

55

Table 20 Flexible working hours Category No Yes Total No of respondents 40 5 45 Percentage 89% 11% 100%

40 respondents representing 89% indicated that Prudential Bank does not allow flexible working hours whereas 5 respondents representing 11% however disagreed with this assertion.

Figure 20 Flexible working hours

56

Table 21-Work/Life initiatives of Prudential Bank Category No Yes Total No of respondents 30 15 45 Percentage 67% 33% 100

Majority of the respondents, 30, representing 67% indicated that Prudential Bank does not have work life balance initiatives whereas 15 respondents representing 33% indicated that the bank has work/life balance initiatives. Most of the respondents identified the following work life balance initiatives provided by the bank: Off days for mothers when kids are sick. Maternity Sick leave

Most of the respondents said they would like to see the following additional work life balance initiatives introduced by your company: Workers should be hired and paid on hourly basis.

57

Flexible hours for working mothers. Telecommuting should be encouraged for working mothers. Shift system should be introduced

Figure 21-Work/Life initiatives of Prudential Bank

Table 22 Job Satisfaction Category No Yes Total No of respondents 43 2 45 Percentage 96% 4% 100%

43 respondents representing 96% do not have job satisfaction from the work life balance initiatives provided by prudential bank whereas 2 respondents representing 4% indicated that do have job satisfaction.

58

Figure 22 Job Satisfaction

59

CHAPTER 5
5.0 Summary of Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

The researchers are of the view that the findings made from the 45 respondents (representing 90% response rate) of the sample population mirrors the views and experience of female workers of Prudential Bank Ghana Limited given that they were randomly selected and are quite representative of a cross section of employees of the bank across the country. The age profile of the respondents would suggest that most of them have family responsibilities (both nucleus and extended family responsibilities). Additionally, 89% of the respondents are married, whilst 82% have children. As many as 96% of the respondents indicated that they have dependents living with them which means that they have significant domestic responsibilities in addition to their work schedules.

Majority of the respondents spend on average between 10 to 12 hours a day at work thereby limiting the amount of time they would have available to them to spend with their families, participate in church activities, at social gatherings, exercising, reading, doing laundry or resting and sleeping.

Another interesting observation is that most of the respondents indicated that they spend on average between 3 to 5 hours a day doing domestic chores. This means that most of the

respondents spend between 13 and 17 hours a day on work and domestic-related responsibilities leaving them with limited time to rest and recover hence the fatigue that they complained about.

60

Indeed, as many as 78% of the respondents said they find it difficult to strike the right balance between their responsibilities at work and at home. 96% of the respondents also confirmed that they find their work stressful.

As many as 89% of the respondents indicated that they would consider changing jobs to enable them achieve a balance between work and domestic life responsibilities. 84% of the respondents also said they would change jobs due to the stress they are experiencing in their current jobs. 93% of the respondents indicated they have had only one career move since they had children. 91% of the respondents indicated that their child-care giving responsibilities at home adversely affect their work. Majority of the respondents indicated that their managers complain occasionally if they have to take their children to the hospital. There seems to be a stereotype that female employees do not give off their best because of the distractions of family life and this adversely affects their promotional opportunities. The problem is further compounded by the fact that most of the respondents, 78%, said they do not get the required support from their husbands in managing their domestic responsibilities. Majority of the respondents, 30, representing 67% indicated that Prudential Bank does not have work life balance initiatives whereas 15 respondents representing 33% indicated that the bank has work/life balance initiatives. Most of the respondents identified the following work life balance initiatives provided by the bank: i) ii) iii) Off days for mothers when kids are sick. Maternity Sick leave

61

Majority of the respondents said they would like to see the following additional work life balance initiatives introduced by your company: i) ii) iii) iv) Workers should be hired and paid on hourly basis. Flexible hours for working mothers. Telecommuting should be encouraged for working mothers. Shift system should be introduced

In conclusion, the data clearly indicates that majority of employees at Prudential bank work for long hours and are stressed. They have less time outside of work to spend with their families, participate in religious activities and engage in other social activities. Consequently, majority of the respondents (89%) indicated that they would consider changing jobs to enable them effectively achieve a work/life balance and also reduce the levels of stress they were currently experiencing.

Other work life balance initiatives that can address most of the concerns of the workforce such as a shift system, telecommuting, part-time work, contract work, ability to compress work week and flexible hours of work are not available to majority of the employees at Prudential Bank Ghana Limited as indicated by the survey data.

KEY CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM STUDY i) Majority of the respondents confirmed that they work long hours and therefore have less time for their domestic and social lives and ultimately leads to burn-out and they are demotivated in their work. This confirms the first hypothesis.

62

ii) 93% of the respondents indicated that they have had only one career move since they gave birth. 91% of the respondents also believe that their family situation tend to create problems for them at the workplace which confirms our second hypothesis. iii) In terms of our third hypothesis, most of the domestic responsibilities resolve around child care and therefore having day care centres close to the workplace would go a long way in alleviating the stress that female employees go through and consequently help motivate them in their work.

RECOMMENDATIONS Given the results of this study it is recommended that: i) The Bank should consider introducing programmes that encourage social interaction amongst their staff and their families at the beginning of every quarter. ii) Prudential Bank should make such work balance initiatives as flexi hours, shift system, telecommuting, ability to compress work week (for those whose work would allow that) available to majority of its employees. iii) There bank should consider introducing paternity leave to enable fathers also take care of their children. iv) Prudential Bank should partner with Day Care Centers close to their offices where the kids of employees can attend and also provide a bus service to and from these centers. v) Extended working hours should be reduced to the barest minimum to allow employees spend quality time with their families as well as have a meaningful social life. vi) Leave should be structured such that it will fall on childrens vacation for the nursing mothers.

63

Ways to Address Work-Life Issues Companies can offer work-life programs including the following: i) ii) iii) iv) v) vi) Adoption assistance Car maintenance or repair services Career planning Child-care assistance to find and manage care Company cafeteria or store Child-care centers onsite or nearby

vii) Educational scholarships or tuition reimbursement for employees and/or their children viii) Dependent care reimbursement accounts ix) x) xi) Educational seminars for employees to help them handle personal responsibilities Elder-care case management and other elder-care support services Emergency or back-up care subsidy or on-site emergency care centers

xii) Fitness centers, on-or-near-site, and/or local centers (subsidized) xiii) Housing assistance (either financial aid or help in locating housing) xiv) Information and support for both elder-care and child-care needs xv) Literacy and remedial education mentoring xvi) Recreation site for family use xvii) Relocation assistance for families xviii) Reserved parking for pregnant mothers xix) Wellness and prevention programmes

REFERENCES

64

Allan, A. (2008) Moving Mountains: the culture change challenge. London: Working Families, pp 23-33. Alliance for Work-Life Progress (2008); published by the Institute for Corporate Productivity, pp 7-12 Aybars, A. (2007) Work-life balance in the EU and leave arrangements across welfare regimes. Industrial Relations Journal. Vol 38, No 6, November. pp569-590. Barton, and G Michael, ( 2006): Culture at Work: Building a Robust Work Environment to help Drive Your Total Rewards Strategy, pp 12-17 Bond, F.W., Flaxman, P.E. and Loivette, S. (2006) A business case for the Management Standards for stress. Research Report. Sudbury: HSE Books. Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Available at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/files40753.pdf accessed on 5 August 2011 Burke, R.J. and Cooper, C.L. (2008) the long work hours culture: causes, consequences and choices. Bingley: Emerald Group. Burud and Tumolo, (2004) Leveraging the New Human Capital Burrell, (1988: 233). . DL Collinson - Review of Sociology/Revue canadienne de , 1998 Wiley Online Library Casley and Lury, (1987), Research Methods, Prentice Hall Ceci, S and Williams, W (2003) Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Report CIPD Survey Report (October, 2003): Flexible Working & Paternity Leave: The Full Rate of Fatherhood p 3 Clements, A. (2008) Get a grip on your stressed-out staff. Human Resources. April. pp30-32.

65

Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Available at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/files42220.pdf accessed on 15 August 2011 Fleetwood, S. (2007) Why work-life balance now? International Journal of Human Resource Management. Vol 18, No 3, March. pp387-400. Flett, Christopher (2004): What Men Dont Tell Women about Business, pp 12-14 Felice N. Schwartz (2004) Management Women and the New Facts of Life

Women In Management Review, Vol. 4 Iss: 5 Hayward, B., Fong, B. and Thornton, A. (2007) The third work-life balance employer survey: main findings. Employment relations research series, No 86. London: Harrington, Brad (2007): Work-Life Evolution Study. Boston College for Work & Family Hewlett, Sylvia Ann: Creating a Life: Professional Women and the Quest for Children Incomes Data Services. (2008) Work-life balance. HR Studies, No 873. London: IDS. Incomes Data Services. (2009) Managing stress. HR studies. London: IDS.

Kacher, K. and Hastings, R. (2007) Training managers to meet business goals using work-life strategies. WorldatWork Journal. Vol 16, No 4, December. pp56-65. Murphy, N. (2007) Employers' practices in managing work-related stress. IRS Employment Review. No 886, 28 November. 12pp. Nadeem, S. and Metcalf, H. (2007) Work-life policies in Great Britain: what works, where and how? Employment relations research series, No 77. London: Stephen J. Goff1,*, Michael K. Mount2, and Rosemary L. Jamison (2006) Employer Supported Child Care, Work/ Family Conflict, and Absenteeism

66

Rankin, N. (2009) Employers' stress management activities: the IRS survey. IRS Employment Review. No 914, 29 January. 12pp. Robertson, I.T. and Cooper, C.L. (2008) Stress. CIPD Toolkit. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Rose, Karol M, 2006: Work-Life Effectiveness: Bottom-Line Strategies for Todays Workplace, pp 10-18 Shrm 2009: 2009 Survey of Work/Life Balance Report, pp 12-25 Zikmund, L K (1994), Social Research, McGraw-Hill, Inc

67

APPENDIX:
QUESTIONNAIRE ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE ISSUES AT PRUDENTIAL BANK (GHANA) LIMITED
Dear Respondent, This research is in fulfillment of a degree program by a group of students of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). The purpose of this questionnaire is to examine the effect of child care on career women and work-life initiatives of Prudential Bank (Ghana) Limited for its staff and their impact on worker motivation and satisfaction. Your cooperation in completing this questionnaire would be very much appreciated. Please be assured that whatever information you provide as part of this project would be treated confidentially.

Category A: Personal Information 1. Sex: Male [ ] 2. Age:. 3. Educational attainment: Basic [ ] Form Four Leaver [ ] O Level [ ] A Level [ ] SSS [ ] University [ ] Postgraduate [ ] Other Specify. Are you married? Yes [ ] No [ ] No [ ] Female [ ]

4. Do you have children? Yes [ ]

5. If yes, how many children do you have. 6. Ages of children

68

... 7. Do you have any dependants who live with you? Yes [ ] No [ ]

8. Ages of your dependants

Category B: Business Information 1. How long have you been working with Prudential Bank?.................................................... 2. Which Department do you work in?: .. 3. What is your job title?:. 4. On average how many hours do you spend at work on a daily basis?............................... 5. How many career moves (promotions) have you made since you were employed.. 6. How many of such career moves have come since you had a child..

Category C: Child Issues 1. Has your family status ever been an issue at the workplace? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, please explain. ... 2. Does your child-care giving responsibility at home affect your work at the office? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, please explain.. 3. On average how often do child-related problems keep you away from work in a year?

69

 4. On average how many hours a day do you spend on childcare duties?................................ 5. In your opinion, do you think childcare responsibilities have affected your career progression at work? Yes [ ] No [ ]

If yes, please explain.. ........ 6. Does your husband help in taking care of the children? Yes [ ] No [ ]

Category D: Work-Life Balance Issues 1. In order of priority, please list the most pressing domestic issues you wish you had more time for. .............................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... 2. Do you experience conflict in managing your work and personal life issues? Yes [ ] No [ ]

3. If yes, explain which areas..................................................................................................... .................................................................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................................................................

70

4. Are you able to balance your responsibilities at work and home effectively? Yes [ ] No [ ]

5. Please explain your answer.................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................... 6. What areas of your family/domestic life are affected by your work schedules? ........................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................ .................................................................................................................................................. 7. Do you find your work stressful? Yes [ ] No [ ]

8. In what ways is your work stressful?.................................................................................... 9. If you had the option, would you consider changing your job for one that allows you more time for your family? Yes [ ] No [ ]

10. Have you ever considered changing jobs because of the stress you go through at work? Yes [ ] No [ ]

11. Does Prudential Bank run a shift system in any department?.............................................. 12. If yes, please specify...... 13. Do you ever have to work from home (Telecommuting)? 14. Does Prudential Bank hire part time workers?Yes [ ] 15. Does Prudential Bank Hire contract workers? 16. Are you allowed to compress your work week? 17. Are you engaged in job sharing? Yes [ ] Yes [ Yes [ ] No [ ] ] No [ ] No [ ] No [ ]

Yes [ ] No [ ]

18. Does Prudential Bank allow flexi hours?

71

Yes [ ]

No [ ]

Category E: Prudential Banks Work Life Initiatives 1. List in order of importance to you the work life balance initiatives currently provided by Prudential Bank. ..... ... .... . ... 2. List in order of importance to you the work life balance initiatives you would like to see introduced by Prudential Bank. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................. ..........................................................................................................................................

Category F: Impact of Prudential Banks Work Life Initiatives on Worker Motivation and Job Satisfaction 1. Are you motivated in your work by the work life balance initiatives provided by Prudential Bank? Yes [ ] No [ ]

2. Do you have job satisfaction because of the work life balance initiatives provided by Prudential Bank? Yes [ ] No [ ]

72

Thank you very much for your time.

73