Year: 2026 | Month: September | Volume: 13 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 373-389
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260936
Work-Life Balance Practices and Employee Performance Among County Governments in Kenya’s North Rift Region
Peter Kiplagat Kiptum1, Dr. Pamela Eng’airo2, Dr. Nehemiah Kosgei3
1Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business and Economics, The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya,
2,3Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business and Economics, The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.
Corresponding Author: Peter Kiplagat Kiptum
ABSTRACT
Work-life balance (WLB) has become an increasingly important human resource management concern because persistent conflict between work and personal responsibilities may undermine employee effectiveness, whereas supportive work arrangements may enhance employee performance. This study examined the relationship between selected work-life balance practices and employee performance in county governments in Kenya’s North Rift Region. Specifically, the study examined work-family priorities conflict, flexible work arrangements, employee assistance programs, and leave policy as predictors of employee performance. The study was guided by Role Theory, Work-Family Border Theory, and Social Exchange Theory. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was adopted, comprising a quantitative correlational component and a qualitative explanatory component. The target population comprised 7,252 employees from selected county governments in Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, and Nandi counties. Using Yamane’s sampling procedure and proportionate stratified random sampling, 379 employees were selected for the quantitative component. Of the 379 questionnaires distributed, 329 were returned and 306 were usable, representing a usable response rate of 80.7%. In addition, nine senior managers participated in key informant interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The regression model was statistically significant, F (4,301) = 82.734, p < .001, explaining 52.4% of the variance in employee performance (R² = .524; adjusted R² = .518). Work-family priorities conflict was negatively and significantly associated with employee performance (β = −.328, p < .001). Flexible work arrangements (β = .297, p < .001), leave policy (β = .234, p < .001), and employee assistance programs (β = .168, p = .001) were positively and significantly associated with employee performance. Work-family priorities conflict emerged as the strongest predictor in absolute standardized terms, followed by flexible work arrangements, leave policy, and employee assistance programs. The qualitative findings reinforced the quantitative results by highlighting heavy workloads, unclear role expectations, limited flexibility, inadequate awareness of employee assistance programs, and challenges in accessing leave. The study concludes that work-life balance should be treated as an organizational performance issue rather than solely an employee welfare concern. County governments should reduce structural sources of work-family conflict while institutionalizing feasible flexible work arrangements, strengthening employee assistance programs, and improving the accessibility and administration of leave.
Keywords: Work-Life Balance; Employee Performance; Work-Family Conflict; Flexible Work Arrangements; Employee Assistance Programs; Leave Policy.
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