THE IMPACT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND THE MODERATING EFFECT OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE – EVIDENCE FROM IT PROFESSIONALS IN JAFFNA

Abstract

Employee retention is a major concern in many industries. The Information Technology (IT) industry in global employee turnover rates from 2013 to 2018 was at 23%. In Sri Lanka, employee turnover of the IT workforce has doubled from 6.6% in 2004 to 13% in 2006. This study investigates the impact of work-life balance on Employee Retention among IT professionals in Jaffna. It examines the impact of the mediating role of employee engagement and the moderating role of workplace violence. While existing literature has explored the direct and positive impact of these variables, there remains a notable gap in understanding how workplace violence influences these dynamics. Specifically, context-specific research within the Sri Lankan IT sector is limited. A narrative literature review methodology was adopted to synthesize findings from both global and local research. This study employed a quantitative approach. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 150 IT professionals in Jaffna through both online and paper-based questionnaires using a convenience sampling method. The collected data is analyzed using linear regression analysis through SPSS to examine the direct, mediating, and moderating effects. The results revealed that higher perceptions of work-life balance significantly enhance employee retention, and this relationship is partially mediated by employee engagement. Additionally, workplace violence was found to moderate this relationship, weakening the positive effects. This research seeks to provide actionable insights for IT companies in Jaffna to cultivate a supportive and engaging environment. The findings of this study may not be fully generalizable to IT professionals beyond the Jaffna District due to the use of convenience sampling.