Work-Life Harmony and Work Place Culture in Quick Service Restaurants, South East, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between work-life harmony and workplace culture in quick service restaurants (QSRs) in Southeast Nigeria, focusing on Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi States. The specific objectives were: Ascertain the effect of employee well-being on work place culture; Assess the influence of employee workload management on work place culture; Examine the influence of employee flexible work schedule on work place culture in quick service restaurants, South East, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design and drew data from 354 respondents selected through multistage sampling from a population of 3,096 QSR employees. The independent variables of work-life harmony employee well-being, workload management, and flexible work schedule were analyzed in relation to the dependent variable, workplace culture. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis with SPSS version 23. Findings revealed that employee well-being had a significant positive effect on workplace culture (B = 0.378, β = 0.369, t = 7.501, p = 0.000). This indicates that QSRs that prioritize employees’ mental and physical health foster more supportive and productive workplace environments. Workload management also showed a statistically significant positive influence on workplace culture (B = 0.117, β = 0.107, t = 2.212, p = 0.028), suggesting that equitable distribution of tasks and proper workload scheduling enhance organizational culture and employee morale. Similarly, flexible work schedule significantly affected workplace culture (B = 0.233, β = 0.266, t = 5.105, p = 0.000), implying that flexible scheduling options promote adaptability and employee engagement. The regression model (R = 0.571, R² = 0.326, F = 53.323, p = 0.000) showed that the three predictors collectively explained 32.6% of the variance in workplace culture. The study concludes that improving employee well-being, managing workloads effectively, and providing flexible work arrangements are vital for creating a healthy, harmonious, and sustainable workplace culture in Nigeria’s quick service restaurant sector.