Strategic Work-Life Balance and External Labor Mobility in Public Level Five Hospitals In Kenya

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of strategic work-life balance practice on external labor mobility in public level five hospitals in Kenya. The study adopted the mixed research design method involved a variety of analytical methods. The Spillover Theory of work-life balance was used to explain the relationship between the variables under study. The study targeted a population of 4,388 medical officers and nurses in the fourteen public level five hospitals in Kenya, from which a sample of 353 respondents were selected using stratified random sampling methods while purposive sampling technique was used to select the eight (8) public level five hospitals representing the former provinces in Kenya. Quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential methods. The descriptive statistical tools include the frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings of this research indicated that strategic work-life balance practice was a significant predictor of external labour mobility. The study recommended that the County Executive Committee Members in the department of health to develop a policy framework to ensure that there are flexi-work programs in place, childcare policies/facilities and holding rooms (nap pods) in the health care facilities. Future researchers should focus on other strategic human resource management practices influencing external labour mobility especially on generational groups such as strategic recruitment and selection, strategic orientation/induction programs, strategic voice, strategic involvement and participation, strategic employee relations, strategic human resource planning and strategic reward management practice.