Discovering harmony: unravelling the work-life balance of hotel employees in Oman: an explorative study of luxury hotels in Muscat

Purpose- The main aim of this study is to analyse the work-life balance initiatives practised in Muscat hotels. The study also aims to examine the influence of work-life balance initiatives on employee career development and retention. Methodology- As the objective of this study was to assess and quantify several factors to provide findings, quantitative research was used. A descriptive research design was employed to collect extensive data by thoroughly detailing the topic or testing hypotheses. The sampling technique used in this study was purposeful sampling, with hotel employees in Muscat serving as the major target group. Responses from 164 individuals were gathered for the study using a questionnaire. Findings- Flexible Working Hours (4.27) was the work-life balance practise used in hotels to assist employees in finding a balance between work and family life. Career breaks (4.35) have the highest mean rating for work-life balance practises that motivate employees to stay with their employers. The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between work-life balance and employees’ career development, with a Pearson's r value of 0.451 and a p-value of 0.000 < 0.01. Further, the Pearson’s r correlation shows that work-life balance and employee retention are positively and significantly correlated, with the obtained Pearson's r value of 0.634 and a p-value of 0.000 < 0.01. Conclusion- The results of this research indicate that hotels that promote work-life balance will reap benefits such as higher job satisfaction, lower turnover rates, possibilities for career advancement, better morale, and higher organisational productivity. Keywords: Work-life balance, luxury hotels, employees, career breaks, work-life balance initiatives JEL Codes: N30, J53, M54