Influence of Work-Life Balance on Organizational Productivity

This research project investigates the influence of work-life balance and enrichment experiences on organizational productivity, with a specific focus on IKEA. The study examines various approaches to work-life balance, including active, passive, beneficial, and harmful balance, while also identifying key barriers to implementation, such as unrealistic demands and unsupportive relationships. The research employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing an interpretivism philosophy and an inductive approach, with questionnaires as the primary data collection method. The literature review explores existing research on work-life balance, organizational productivity, and the benefits of supporting employees' well-being. The research findings, based on primary and secondary data, are analyzed and interpreted to determine the relationship between work-life balance, enrichment experiences, and organizational productivity. The report concludes with recommendations for improving work-life balance practices and enhancing employee well-being to boost productivity, along with suggestions for alternative research methodologies. The study emphasizes the importance of work-life balance in fostering employee satisfaction, reducing stress, and ultimately, improving organizational performance within the context of IKEA's corporate culture.

RESEARCH PROJECT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Present report taken into consideration on influence of approaches of work-life balance
and enrichment experiences on organizational productivity. This research will be stated about the
different approaches related to the work-life balance and enrichment experiences and its impact
on the organizational productivity. In literature review, information will be collected by using
secondary sources like books, articles, websites, internet sources and others. In research
methodology, different tools and techniques will be used such as research philosophy,
approaches, data collection methods, sampling and others. These all are helpful in collecting and
analyzing the data in an effective manner for getting positive outcomes.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................................6
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................9
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.......................................................................................13
RESEARCH OUTCOMES.......................................................................................................................25
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................27
REFLECTION & RECOMMENDATION FOR ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......28
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................29

Title: Influence of approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experiences on
organisational productivity.
INTRODUCTION
Background of Research
Work- life balance is mainly used to explain balance that working person requires among
allotted work time and some other life aspects. It is state of the equilibrium under which the
personal life demands, family life and professional life is equal. Enrichment experience is related
to make the richer and also gain better experience to enhance quality, desirable and also
ingredient experience that will help sin enrich the staff members at workplace (Barber, Conlin
and Santuzzi, 2019). IKEA is multinational group that designs as well as sells the kitchen
appliances, ready to assemble furniture and the home accessories. It was founded in year 1943 by
Ingvar Kamprad. In IKEA, work life balance extends from Swedish cultural roots of company
and its main focus is on its co- workers in order to develop corporate culture.
Rationale of Research
The primary reason why this study is to be carried out and effectively related to the
effects on organizational effectiveness of approaches to work-life balance and enhancement
experiences. In addition, it allows researchers to significantly increase their expertise in working
life balance methods and to perform research in a well developed and efficient way, in addition
to various diverse techniques as well as the tools. This is further established that current research
can be carried out as an academic objective which will help students learn about the balance
between work and life (Beham and et. al., 2017).
Aim
“To investigate influence of approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experiences on
organizational productivity. A study on IKEA.
Objectives
 To identify the approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experience.

 To ascertain the major barriers to implementation of work- life balance and enrichment
experiences
 To investigate relationship between work life balance and enrichment experience and
organizational productivity.
Questions
 What are the various approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experience?
 What are main barriers to implementation of work- life balance and enrichment
experiences?
 What is relationship between work life balance and enrichment experience and
organizational productivity?

LITERATURE REVIEW
This part of research described the published data regarding the specific subject area
within given time period. In literature review, data has been collected by using the secondary
sources such as published list of articles, papers and several other records or sources identify the
present and past state of knowledge. This is a summary of what other researchers wrote on
similar subjects, classification and evaluation. Literature review is therefore described as a
thorough and systematic, wide-ranging, critical review of scholarly publications, audio visual
material, unidentified print materials or personal communications. Under this part, information
and data about the different approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experience.
Various approaches of work-life balance and enrichment experience
According to opinion of Johanna Rantanen, Ulla Kinnunen, Saija Mauno and Kati,
Tillemann (2020) Work-life balance explains prototype of splitting the energy and time among
work and some of the other necessary life aspects. IKEA organisation enable the staff members
to attain the work- life balance to motivating the staff members so that they can work effectively
and this also provides the enrichment experience to employees. There are different approached
related to work- life balance and enrichment experience and these are active balance, passive
balance, beneficial balance and harmful balance. Staff members belonging to every kind are
mainly expected to vary qualitatively from the each other in context to role engagement and
psychological functioning (Sirgy and Lee, 2016). The balance of work and life means balancing
stress with family, friends and self's everyday pressures. Existing workers expect more flexibility
and greater say in their job environment. Balanced workers appear to feel more inspired and less
depressed at work, which increases business profitability and decreases employee-management
disputes. IKEA have a reputation for supporting the balance between work and life are very
desirable for workers and can create a large pool of applicants for new jobs. Their retention rates
also appear to be higher, which results in less long-term preparation, loyalty and greater domestic
expertise. On the other hand, workplace that enables the staff member to attain the work life
balance is motivating along with gratifying to workers which makes happy. A happy employee
that requires the work life balance are attained mainly stay with manager and also more
productive.

Other than this, IKEA group welcome all the dimensions of diversity. Diverse workforce
is better for co- workers, customers and for IKEA business. Equality and Diversity policy of this
company stated that working with the differences aids IKEA growth as individual and as a
company. It believes gender equality is human right. IKEA Company believes in developing
work environment where all the co- workers feel respected, appreciates, welcomes, no matter
from where they come.
Barriers to implementation of work- life balance and enrichment experiences
On the basis of Dr. Mariette Jansen (2020) the main barrier to maintaining harmony in
working life and experiences of enrichment is that workers do not know the system. In fact,
management support is also one of the main obstacles to the quality of working life. Other than
this, there are some barriers related to execution work- life balance and enrichment experiences
given below:
Unrealistic demands- Demands which arise at workplace and the life throw can easily
mount up towards incredible levels. The unreasonable demand at workplace impacted the
personal time like technology overload and weekend meetings are mentioned as more pressure.
Demands for personal life add to working conditions, when time is needed to accommodate
family or friends and to consume in working hours.
Unsupportive relationships- At the workplace, unsupportive relationships and aversive
behavior developing complex as well as unproductive work environment while making the
people to feel isolated. On the other hand, unsupportive relationship in personal life where on
one help to each other and developed unhappiness as well as frustration (Chan and et. al., 2016).
Relationship between work life balance and enrichment experience and organizational
productivity
On the basis of Larry Kim (2020), the work life balance is regarded as person who
monitors and manages life and career vision with success and satisfaction. Balance of work life
ensures that workers change the working style to best match between work and personal areas
and to achieve sustainable growth and productivity in the long term. The work life balance
reduces the experience for stress employees. If employees spend the majority of days working
and feel as if they are ignoring other important elements of life, stress and misfortune will come

about. An employee who does not take time to look after himself ends up reducing their
productivity and efficiency (Sirgy and Lee, 2018). The work life balance and enhancement
experience and organizational efficiency are interrelated related. The balance of work life leads
an organisation successfully to boost its workers 'productivity and motivation. It also strengthens
the corporate reputation and keeps staff properly. Work- life balance is a situation where there is
less conflict situation responsibility of the home and work. The effective work life balance is
helpful in make improvement in the organisational as well as family relations. It is also helpful in
make improvement in efficiency of working and also employee’s performance. Other than this,
work- life balance provides the better enrichment experience to the staff members and this can
lead to eliminating work- life conflict. It makes improvement in job performance through making
the employees loyal, committed, and satisfied and also minimizing the employee’s turnover by
reducing the absenteeism.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The methodology of research refers to a method that investigators systematically address
a study issue. This is basically the systematic method by which researchers describe, analyze and
forecast the study principle in terms of their work (Graham and Dixon, 2017). There are some
useful methods in research methodology mention below:
Research philosophy- There has been interpretivism philosophy used because this is
based on the qualitative method and provides the better way to collection as well as analyse of
data (Jiang and Men, 2017).
Research approach- There has been inductive research approach used because it is
helpful in evaluating and interpreting information is used to evaluate information or work-life
balance and enrichment experiences.
Research choice- In conducting the present research, there has been qualitative method
used as a mono method. This research choice is effective in using because it provides the better
understanding regarding the work life balance and the enrichment experience (Khan and Fazili,
2016).
Research strategy- Questionnaire has been used as part of the business analysis to gather
information on the work-life balance and enrichment experiences. The key reason behind
questionnaire is chosen because it helps researchers collect relevant and accurate information and
data without requiring additional time and costs (Lee and Sirgy, 2018).
Data collection and analysis- There has been primary data collection method used as
developing questionnaire. The main reason behind using the questionnaire is that it provides the
opinions of the chosen respondents. Questionnaire mainly designed so that this would be
answered through the selected respondents in an easy manner. The benefits of using
questionnaire are that questions included in questionnaire can easily understand through
respondents with tabulation of results (Lee and Sirgy, 2018). On the other hand, for analysis of
data, Microsoft Excel used for presenting data graphically. Themes have been developed on the
basis of collected data.

There are two major types of secondary and primary data collection methods. The
researchers conducted a questionnaire to collect well-defined information in a primary data
collection section in order to meet current research requirements. The key data collection tool
used to create a questionnaire has been used (Nilsson, Blomqvist and Andersson, 2017). The key
reason behind the application of the primary method is that it offers new and reliable knowledge
on the particular subject. At the other hand, research has been collected through secondary
methods and the researchers will use books, websites, online articles, magazines, etc.
Time horizon- In conducting the present investigation, there has been cross- sectional
time horizon used because in this time was use in this investigation over specific period of time.
Other than this, focus of the cross sectional time horizon is one current situation.

Sampling- There are two sampling methods that are called probability and non-
probability. All methods are effective but probability sampling is used in order to perform
current investigations, as it allows an investigator to pick a sample from a larger and random
population. 50 respondents were selected through this sampling technique (Ollier-Malaterre,
2016).
Research Ethics- As an investigation consists the primary investigation; the research
ethics were mainly applied to assure that outcomes of an investigation are mainly included to be
relevant and robust. Anonymity, confidently and informed consent are the main ethical principles
which researcher should be followed by conducting an investigation. For the informed consent, it
included giving respondents included in primary research with proper understanding of research
objective and also enabling potential respondents to participating in primary. For anonymity,
details or information of participants to primary information are not mainly included or not
linked to primary research outcomes (Pradhan, 2016). On the other hand, in confidentiality
outcome of research are shared only with those who have stake in outcomes and also a part of
Investigation in particular capacity.

Research Limitation- The research limitation included in present study is time for the
completion of work as well as ability of investigator to involve large sample size for conducting
primary investigation for completion time. Investigator was limited timing guidelines for
finishing the research with all parts to study that need to be completed as well as included in
specified period of time for research work. In context to this, for ability of an investigation to
involve large sample size for primary Research, Limited period of time for finishing means that
an investigator had to allot enough time for the each part of research to be worked effectively
(Nilsson, Blomqvist and Andersson, 2017). Resulting time for conducting primary research
limited responses attained through an investigator for questionnaire. An investigator was
likewise impacted through identification of questionnaire respondents and using random
sampling method provided for determines issue.