Flexible work arrangements, work-life balance, and employee engagement among working mothers in the banking sector in Kampala District

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between flexible work arrangements, work-life balance, and employee engagement among working mothers in the banking sector in Kampala District. The study sought to examine the relationship between flexible work arrangements and worklife balance, assess the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee engagement, determine the relationship between work-life balance and employee engagement, and investigate the mediating role of work-life balance in the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee engagement. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 213 working mothers through a structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS Version 27. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses were conducted. Findings revealed that flexible work arrangements showed minimal and statistically nonsignificant associations with work-life balance dimensions, indicating that flexible work policies did not substantially reduce work-family conflict. While part-time work exhibited a significant positive relationship with employee engagement (r = .182, p = .008), job sharing was significantly negative (r = -.170, p = .013). Other flexibility options, such as flexitime and remote working, showed no significant relationships with engagement. Similarly, work-life balance dimensions were weakly and insignificantly associated with engagement, and the mediation effect of work-life balance was not supported. Overall, the results suggest that although flexible work policies exist, their implementation is limited in practice. The study concludes that genuine managerial support, realistic workload adjustment, and an enabling organisational culture are essential for translating flexibility into improved engagement and balance among working mothers.