Work-life balance practices and employee engagement in commercial banks in South Sudan, a case study of Ecobank, South Sudan.

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between work-life balance practices and employee engagement in commercial banks in South Sudan focusing on a case study of Ecobank. Specifically, it examined the relationship between flexible work arrangements and employee engagement, the relationship between autonomy and employee engagement and the relationship between work-leave arrangements and employee engagement. Data was collected from 86 employees across departments in the bank from a target population of 110. Results showed that flexible work arrangements have a significant relationship with employee engagement (r = .567, p < .001), autonomy had a significant relationship with employee engagement (r = .602, p < .001), and work-leave arrangements had significant relationship with employee engagement (r = .413, p < .001). Autonomy emerged as the strongest predictor of employee engagement (Adjusted R Square = .377), followed by flexible work arrangements (Adjusted R Square = .359) and work leave arrangements (Adjusted R Square = .230). The study concluded that the implementation of flexibility still faces practical and cultural challenges unique to the local environment, which influence employees’ perceptions of fairness and empowerment. It was also concluded that in the challenging environment of South Sudan, where operational complexities and regulatory demands are high, the balance between granting employees decision-making freedom and enforcing necessary protocols is particularly significant. The study recommends that for Ecobank’s Management Team, it would be beneficial to actively assess and address the practical challenges limiting the full adoption of flexible work arrangements. It is also recommended that senior Management should prioritize improving staffing levels and cross-training initiatives to address workload challenges, enabling employees to take their full leave without compromising service delivery