Article
Global Business Review
17(3S) 1S–15S
© 2016 IMI
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0972150916631071
http://gbr.sagepub.com
1
Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India.
2
PhD Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India.
Corresponding author:
Rabindra Kumar Pradhan, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Science, Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur 721 302, India.
E-mail: rkpradhan@hss.iitkgp.ernet.in
Effect of Work–Life
Balance on Organizational
Citizenship Behaviour:
Role of Organizational Commitment
Rabindra Kumar Pradhan
1
Lalatendu Kesari Jena
2
Itishree Gita Kumari
2
Abstract
Balancing work and life stands as an on-going challenge in contemporary times. Today’s global market
place demands conflicting professional responsibilities in the form of unflinching ‘work–life commit-
ment’. In organizational context, a high quality of work–life balance is essential to continue attract-
ing and retaining its employees. This kind of practice is having significant implications on employee
attitudes, behaviours, well-being as well as organizational effectiveness. In contemporary times, many
multinational corporations (MNCs) have been found focusing on organizing work–life programmes
as these are becoming an intelligent choice to help in increasing job satisfaction among employees
and in career accomplishment. On the other hand, the popular concept of ‘organizational citizenship
behaviour’ inherently strives from its employees to extend their discretionary behaviours beyond the
expected normal duties. However, this kind of anticipated behaviour of employees is somehow silently
contradicting the notion of work–life balance. Thus, in this context, the influences of work–life balance
on organizational citizenship behaviour need to be explored. Keeping this objective in mind, the present
study examines the effect of work–life balance on organizational citizenship behaviour. It examines the
role of organizational commitment on the relationship between work–life balance and organizational
citizenship behaviour. A survey was conducted using a set of established questionnaire on work–life
balance, organizational citizenship behaviour and organizational commitment with employees and execu-
tives of manufacturing industries in eastern India. The study reports significant effects of work–life
balance on organizational citizenship behaviour. It also shows the mediating effect of organizational
commitment on the relationship between work–life balance and organizational citizenship behaviour.
The study has suggested implications for researchers and practitioners in the field of human resource
management and experts in the area of organizational development.