Title: A Conceptual Framework Linking Work-Life Balance Practices, Psychological Wellbeing and Employee Engagement among Academic Staff at Private Universities in Uganda
Authors: Barbara Lynn Amanya
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
Pages: 13-15
Publication Date: 2025/12/28
Abstract:
This study presents a conceptual framework illustrating the causal relationship between work-life balance practices (WLBPs), psychological well-being, and employee engagement among academic staff in private universities in Uganda's Central Region. Grounded in Ryff's (1995) multidimensional model of psychological well-being and contemporary WLBP literature, the framework identifies three core dimensions of work-life balance: flexible work arrangements, leave programmes, and wellness initiatives, including employee assistance and health programmes. These practices are theorized to enhance autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. In turn, these well-being dimensions reinforce vigor, dedication, and absorption, which constitute employee engagement. The framework extends prior models by incorporating demographic variables such as gender, marital status, and institutional position as intermediaries influencing the strength of these relationships. Overall, the framework highlights the complex, interdependent pathways through which WLBPs shape psychological well-being and engagement, offering a robust foundation for empirical inquiry within higher education institutions.