ABSTRACT

The research paper was written to identify the effectiveness of implementing family friendly practices in reducing turnover amongst academicians in private higher education institutions, with the mediator effect on job satisfaction. The practice includes the dimensions of (a) providing flexible working arrangements, (b) parental leave and (c) childcare benefits. Thus, these three variables were evaluated for their relationship with turnover, and whether there is any significant or effective association among the variables. Retaining the employee is always the main issue faced by many institutions and many scholars have formulated strategies to minimise the turnover. Most of them claim that if the strategies are properly implemented, organization turnover reduced and thus developing a highly committed and motivated

employee. Hence, this study has developed four (4) questions and ten (10) hypotheses.

To test the hypotheses, a sample of 316 employees from different educational institutions was selected through a cluster sampling method, to respond to the questionnaire. Data were analysed using multivariate statistical analysis, which is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The outcome of the research provided researchers with an understanding that flexible work arrangements, provision of parental leave, childcare benefits and job satisfaction have a significant negative relationship with turnover. Besides that, the outcome also shows a significant positive relationship between flexible work arrangements, parental leave and childcare benefits with job satisfaction. The outcome also confirmed a significant mediation effect of job satisfaction towards family friendly practices and turnover. This study has shown a positive outcome where the effectiveness of the policy has brought the workers to perform better and also improve the overall group performance in each department. Eventually, the research helps to improve the employment quality of Malaysian Private Higher Education Institutions, including teaching, research, environment and work culture in the country.

Keywords:Family friendly practices, turnover, job satisfaction, flexible work arrangement, parental leave, and childcare benefits.

JEL Classification: O15