Determinants of Work–Life Balance among Operational Level Managers: Evidence from the Activated Carbon Industry in Sri Lanka

The research objectives are to determine the factors that influence the work-life balance of operational-level managers in the activated carbon industry in Sri Lanka. Six independent variables were studied: Work Demand (WD), Family Demand (FD), Organizational Work-Life Support (OWLS), Family Member Support (FMS), Job Satisfaction (JS) and Job Security (JSE). The target population includes 200 operational-level managers of the activated carbon industry and 100 employees were taken as a sample using a stratified sampling method. The study used primary data obtained via a questionnaire and SPSS for data analysis. The correlation analysis has shown that Work Demand, Family Demand and Job Satisfaction are positively correlated to work-life balance at a moderate level. Meanwhile, Organizational Work-Life Support, Family Member Support and Job Security are highly positively correlated. But, findings from multiple regression analysis show that while Job Security has a significant positive effect on work-life balance, other variables do not have a significant effect. The relevance of the results is the emphasis on Job Security as a key factor in work-life balance. The findings highlight the need for managers and HR practitioners to appreciate the importance of job security in improving worker well-being. Although existing literature indicates that factors such as organizational support, job satisfaction and family demands play a significant role in work-life balance, the localized context of the activated carbon industry suggests that the importance of job security lies in its ability to influence work-life balance.