CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION1.1 Background of the Study

Today, work life balance has become increasingly pervasive concern to both employers and employees of most organizations. Work life balance which primarily deals with employee’s ability to properly prioritize between wok and his/her life style, social life, health, family etc. is greatly linked with employee’s productivity, performances and job satisfaction. Where there is proper balance between work and life, employees tend to put in their best efforts to work because their family is happy.Clark (200) defined work life balance as satisfaction and good functioning at work and at home with a minimum of role of conflict. It could be condition of equilibrium where the demands of a personal work equals that of his personal life.A central characteristics of work life. Balance is the amount of time a person spends at work. The in cation that longs works work hours may harm personal health, endanger safety and increase stress. Developing economics challenges and labour market pressures added to poor social infrastructures, poverty high unemployment and corruption, these condition further execrate the work lie average Nigerian worker and life of the Nigerian which aims is to make a cognitive psychological coping behaviours that stimulate desirable satisfaction and effectual workers in Nigerian are affected by the lack of work flexibility, elevated work pressures that desirable the performance and productivity of the work force.Inadequate work life balance is a problem that poses a big risk to workers wellbeing, their performances as well as the organizational performances many employees often have difficulties, in attempting to balance employment responsibilities with their social lie. Given the benefit of work life balance practices and the potential to help improve employee’s jobs performances in times of increased organizational commitment, job satisfaction, reduction on the turnover rate, most organization has introduced programs to assist the employees in achieving a balance work life which include, flexible working hours, employees assistance program and leave programmes.Most research studies have shown that when there are happy homes, workplaces automatically become conflict free and enjoyable places to be. Increasing attrition rates and increasing demand or work life balance have forced organizations to look beyond the run mere human resources interventions. Unfortunately, the growing gap between work and social life is intensifying. The problem of this current working I situation are diverse and reaching from clinically time pressure to decrease of birth rates and working mothers. Despite the populating of work life balance conflict as a topic of academic and practitioner debate, and the mounting prevalence of work life balance practices (aka family-supportive or family friendly policies) in organization around the world(Kersley Atal, 2005,) research on the organizational effects of such practices is not well integrated. Today work life balances have become the subject o wide disciplines ranging from psychology, from management, of human’s resources to organizational behaviour.The reason or such interest is due to the fact that almost everyone has a problem of work-life balance competing multi-faced demands between work and home responsibilities have assume increase relevance or employees in recent years, due to large part of demographic and work place changes, such as, a quarter numbers of women in the work force (dual career couples), transformation in family structures (a rise in the number of single parents) a growing reluctance to accept the longer hours culture and technological advancements in respect to this changes and conflict the generate among the multiple roles that individuals occupy, organization are increasingly pressured to designs various kinds of practices intended to facilitate employees effort to fulfill both their employments relate and personal commitments. The way of how work life balance can be achieved and enhanced is an important issue in the filled o human resource.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

There is a growing concern that the quality of homes and workers life is declining and thereby, causing poor workers contribution and performances at workplaces. Studies have shown that when there are happy homes, workplaces automatically become a conflict free and enjoyable place to be. This has made most management of business organizations to look beyond the mere attracting and maintaining activities of the human resources management to embrace the concept of work lie balance of their workers. This no doubt is deliberately designed to improve employee job performances in terms of increase organizational commitment, job satisfaction, reduction in the rate of employee turnover, etc. it is also believed that organizations introduces these programs to enhance applicability of work life balance that will in turn assist employee in achieving a conducive working condition which includes flexible working hours, employee assistance programs and leave programsHowever, inspire of all of these, most executives of business organizations have not yet found the need to embrace the concept of work life balance. Some of them sees it to be vigorous and adversely to effective attainment of organizational efficiency and objectives.It is against this background that this study is designed to evaluate the impact of work life balance an organization productivity and how Nigerian workers cope with adverse working conditions in their various domain. Management and has received significances attention from employers, workers, government, academics researchers and the popular media.Therefore, the importance of this topic shall be discussed based on the hospitality industries, the overall purpose of this study shall be the finding of suitable opportunities and instruments for the implementation of work-life balance for the hospitality industry.

1.3 Purpose/Objective of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between work-life balance and its effect in productivity other specific objective of the study include.i. To examine the relationship time management and organization productivity.ii. To examine the relationship between work flexibility and organizational productivity.iii. To examine the relationship between leave plan and organizational productivity.iv. To examine the influence of culture on the relationship between work life balance and organizational productivity.

1.4 Research Questions

In order to achieved the objectives of this study the following research questions are employed to guide the researcher.i. To what extent does not work life balance influence organizational productivity?ii. To what extent does time management influence organization productivity?iii. To what extent does work flexibility affect organizational productivity?iv. To what extent does leave plan affect organization productivity?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis adopted to guide the process of the research findings:HO1: There is no significant relationship between time management and organization productivity.HO2: There is no significant relationship between work flexibility and organizational productivity.HO3: There is no significant relationship between leave plan and organizational productivity.HO4: There is no significant relationship between work life balance and organizational productivity.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The research or findings of this study is designed to benefit the society and the respective corporate organizations, particularly the hospitality firms within port-Harcourt.The studies cover the mean hospitality firms in port-Harcourt and Nigerian at large. At the end of the study, the research will open up the elements that makeup work life balance and employees productivity.Hence if the recommendation made after the research will benefit the followingIf taken seriously:1. Corporate bodies2. Hospitality firms3. Employees4. Managers5. The society at large.

1.7 Scope/Delimitation of the Study

The content scope of the study work life balance and organizational productivity have the following dimensions time management, work flexibility and leave plan, measured by effectiveness and efficiency. The geographical of limited selected hospitality firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The units of analysis are Presidential Hotel and Le Meridien Hotel in Port Harcourt.

1.8 Definition of Terms

The following terminologies are operationally defined below;BALANCE: Something of equal weight used to provide equilibrium.ORGANIZATION: A group of people or other legal entities with an explicit purpose and written rules.PRODUCTIVITY: The state of being fertile or efficient.WORK LIFE: This is the relationship between you and the commitment in the rest of your life and how they impact one another.WORK: This is a placed where one is employed.