An Exploration of Work-Life Balance Practices in Ethiopia: Leaders’ Role in Incorporating Family-Friendly Policies and Initiatives and Employee Coping Mechanisms

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the work-life balance of banking sector employees in Ethiopia with specific attention to leaders’ role in incorporating family-friendly policies and initiatives and existing individual coping mechanisms by applying a descriptive research design and quantitative research approach. The survey results indicated a moderate level of work-life balance and a high level of perceived social support. The main sources of support were domestic employees, live-in nannies, relatives, spouses and daycare centres. Most employees used their annual leave to address family issues. Examinations of the Ethiopian Constitution, Labour Law and Federal Service Proclamations indicated relatively generous leave arrangements and their implementation in the banking industry was confirmed. Organisationally initiated family-friendly initiatives in the form of material support-education, health, transportation, insurance and loans with lower interest rates-were provided. None of the surveyed banks, however, had family support-childcare centres, childcare subsidies, breastfeeding hours and eldercare centres. Similarly, workplace flexibility-flexible working hours, part-time employment, job sharing, compressed work weeks, reduced work hours and telecommuting-was nonexistent. It is hoped that the findings will attract policymakers, organisational leaders and human resource managers to incorporate more need-based employee benefits. The chapter concludes with implications for human resource managers and the authors’ concluding remarks.