The Work-Life Balance of Medical Officers at Teaching Hospital Kandy, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The work-life balance has become a much discussed topic in today‘s context in relation to many groups that are affected by many complexities and highly demanding nature of the modern world. This research focused on the work-life balance of medical officers in the Kandy Teaching Hospital. The study emphasized on the impact of work environment, family environment, family and community groups, physical well-being, mental well-being, personality, and financial stability on the work-life balance of medical officers. Further the research tried to study the variation between demographic factors and employee work-life balance. A quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted for the total population of medical officers at Kandy Teaching hospital which consisted of 86 respondents. The collected data was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. It is concluded that out of the seven independent variables except personality and financial stability all the variables have significant relationship with work-life balance of medical officers of teaching hospital, Kandy. Further the study revealed that except with departments where the medical officers work, work-life balance does not vary with other demographic factors. Based on the research findings the following recommendations were made: Teaching Hospital Kandy must reduce the number of duties and to distribute the responsibilities equally within the medical officers. The stress created by the family members on the medical officers should be addressed in a personal basis and resolved. The medical officers have to be counseled on not to get too stressed, and managing the pressure of maintaining a certain social image and standard. This study also recommends educate the general public about the different challenges faced by the medical officers about the work-life balance and to give them the relevant support. Further the hospital must provide gym facilities and availability of healthy food at hospital canteen to support the physical well-being of the medical officers.