Relationship between Flexible Working Arrangements and Job Satisfaction Mediated by Work-Life Balance: Evidence from Public Sector Universities Employees of Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose: The research paper focused on the relationship between flexible working arrangements, work-life balance, and job satisfaction in Karachi public sector universities. The purpose of this research is to investigate the null hypothesis that there is no relationship between flexible working arrangements, work-life balance and job satisfaction of public universities employees in Karachi. Design and Methodology: The research design is descriptive as we determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Our independent variable is flexible working arrangements which include: flexi-time, contractual working, work shifts, and telecommuting, that are provided to employees to improve their productivity and maintain work-life balance. A structured questionnaire is designed to collect approximately 200-sample size via online and by university visits. Survey forms were distributed using a random sampling method among more than nine different public universities of Karachi. The research is quantitative in nature and analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM) by using smart PLS. Findings and Recommendation: The findings show that flexible working arrangements are positively and significantly correlated with work-life balance. The study also revealed that work-life balance is a strong mediator between flexible working arrangements and job satisfaction. The importance of providing suitable flexible arrangements within an organization is highlighted in the recommendations to improve employees’ satisfaction, enhance their performance, maintain work to family enrichment and hence increase productivity. Originality: The study included both quantitative and qualitative data and examined the relationship of flexible working arrangements, work-life balance and job satisfaction from the viewpoint of pubic university in Karachi city.