Impact of Work - Life balance on Career Advancement of female software quality assurance engineers

Abstract

Work-life balance has traditionally been defined solely in terms of work and family obligations. Besides those two perceptions, many factors are affecting work-life balance where a person places a different value on the different factors depending on the sector in which they work. Better work-life balance enables employees to succeed in their careers. The effect of work-life balance factors on the career advancement of female SQA employees in the Sri Lankan IT industry is investigated in this study. Factors affecting stability between work and life such as Organizational Support, Organizational Culture, and Career Aspiration, etc have been identified through the review of the literature. An online survey was conducted with 357 female SQA employees who work in the IT industry in Sri Lanka. The data set is analyzed following a quantitative approach. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that organizational support, work arrangements, career aspiration, and family support all have a significant impact on female SQA employees' career advancement. A series of recommendations have been introduced to strengthen the work-life balance of female SQA workers, thus advancing their careers. The results of this study can be used by both employers and workers to achieve those strategies that have the most persuasive positioning in the hopes of achieving work-life balance and career advancement for female SQA employees.