Work–life balance and performance relations during COVID 19 outbreak: a case study among university academic staff

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of work–life balance (WLB) on the employee motivation (EM), job satisfaction (JS) and emloyee performance (EP) of academic staff at universities.Design/methodology/approachIn this regard, the authors collected 490 valid data from academic staff of major public and private universities in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. WLB was evaluated under three dimensions as work interference with personal life (WIPL), personal life interference with work (PLIW) and work personal life enhancement (WPLE).FindingsThe results of the analyses showed that WIPL and PLIW negatively and significantly affected EM but did not have any significant impact on JS. WPLE affected both JS and EM significantly and positively. Lastly, JS did not have significant impact on EP while EM did.Research limitations/implicationsAs the research was conducted in Kurdistan Region of Iraq, it cannot be generalized to other countries and cultures.Practical implicationsBesides, the study suggests theoretical and practical implication as it was a special study proposed during COVID 19 lock downs.Originality/valueThere are very limited or no research works which attempt to study the pros and cons of WLB during such a catastrophic time, the study is useful for the university administrators and researchers in this field.