THE NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY
ISSN: 0331-4111 e-ISSN: 2736-075X
Volume 23, No. 1, June 2025
Pages 128-143
DOI: 10.36108/NJSA/5202.32.0170
Challenges of Work-Life Balance among Academic Staff in Selected Universities in South-Western Nigeria
1 Immaculetta Enya, 1 Ifeanyi P. Onyeonoru and 2 Patience Onyinyechi Ibe
1 Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
2 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ebonyi State University, Isieke, Nigeria
Abstract
This study investigated the challenges of Work Life Balance (WLB) encountered by academic staff in selected universities in South-Western Nigeria. The University of Ibadan, University of Lagos and Lead City University were selected. This study was guided by compensation, spillover and work/ family boarder theoretical framework, while the cross-sectional design was adopted. A mixed-methods study design was adopted. Responses from questionnaires were complemented with data from in-depth interviews to ensure extensive insights and analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and correlation statistics analysis at p< 0.05, while qualitative data were content-analyzed. Findings revealed that most respondents encountered various challenges with WLB, arising from stressors such as heavy workload (74%), unpaid overtime (78%) and the lack of effective institutional support towards WLB (77%). University administrators understand and take into consideration the unique nature of academic staff’s jobs, thereby some flexibility should be built into the schedules of academic staff to enable them to cope with the requirements of academic tasks and their daily life activities.
Keywords: Work life balance, work-life conflict, South-Western universities, spill over theory