Occupational Stress and Work-Life Balance in the Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

The manufacturing industry has become a crucial sector in Malaysia, leading to a high demand for employees, especially in management positions. However, job stress is a prevalent issue that can affect employees' work-life balance. Thus, this study aims to identify the factors that contribute to job stress in the private sector, specifically at the management level, which is vital for ensuring smooth daily operations. Private sector employees have the most control over occupational stress. The study focuses on conflict at work, job requirements, and job environment as contributing factors. A self-administered survey questionnaire was used to gather data, with 201 sets distributed to employees in food manufacturing at Selangor. The analysis of 190 valid questionnaires using the latest version of Statistic Packages for Social Science (SPSS) revealed that there is a significant influence of occupational stress on employees' work-life balance in the manufacturing industry with the work environment as the most influential factor. Conflict at work is the second most influential factor, while job requirements do not significantly contribute to job stress. The findings of this study can help managers and business owners in the manufacturing industry to understand the factors that cause employee, and job stress and encourage them to focus on implementing strategies to reduce stress in the workplace.