Work Life Harmony and Employee Career Advancement in Quick Service Restaurants, South East, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between work-life harmony and employee career advancement in quick service restaurants (QSRs) across Southeast Nigeria. The study specifically evaluated the effect of perceived organizational support, family responsibility, and societal expectation on employee career advancement. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to collect quantitative data from a sample of 354 employees selected from twelve major QSRs located in Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Abia States. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire validated by experts, and reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.882, indicating strong internal consistency. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis, while multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance using SPSS version 23. The findings revealed that perceived organizational support had a positive and statistically significant effect on employee career advancement, indicating that employees who feel supported by their organizations are more likely to progress in their careers. Family responsibility also showed a strong positive and significant influence on career advancement, suggesting that effective management of family roles enhances career growth. However, societal expectation did not have a statistically significant impact on employee career advancement. The study concludes that elements of work-life harmony particularly organizational support and family responsibility management significantly foster career advancement in QSRs. It recommends that QSRs strengthen mentorship programs, provide family-friendly policies, and institutionalize wellness initiatives to enhance employee development and retention.