Browsing by Author "Karunarathne, R.A.I.C."

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BALANCING ACT: HOW FLEXIBLE WORK SHAPES JOB SATISFACTION IN IT INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Perera, B.H.W.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Job satisfaction is important for organizations to achieve success, and work-life balance helps to achieve job satisfaction. It is important to examine the impact of flexible working arrangements on job satisfaction, as it is a major workplace change in the modern business world. Although scholars have already examined the effect of flexible working arrangements and their outcomes, there is less research in the context of Sri Lanka. Thus, this study aims to examine the impact of flexible working arrangements on job satisfaction through the mediation effect of work-life balance. This research study was conducted as a cross-sectional study with a quantitative research design and data collected from 169 executive-level employees in three IT companies in Western Province, Sri Lanka. Hypotheses were tested using linear regression with the aid of Andrew F. Hayes's process for SPSS. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant impact of flexible working arrangements on job satisfaction. Moreover, work-life balance mediates the relationship between flexible working arrangements and job satisfaction. Their findings inform the literature by emphasizing the importance of work-life balance in enhancing job satisfaction and offering valuable insights for Sri Lankan organizations to effectively implement flexible working arrangements.
The Impact of Career Anchors on Job Satisfaction: The Moderating Effect of Gender (A Study of Executive Level Employees in ABC Company)
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2019) Jayarathna, L.M.,; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
In this new era of knowledge management, competition for career advancement becomes one of the key issues of human resource management. A growing number of employees stuck in the middle of their careers due to different reasons, such as poor knowledge about technical/functional competence, general managerial competence, autonomy /independence, security/stability, entrepreneurial creativity. Service/dedication to a cause, pure challenge, and lifestyle which makes dissatisfied employees. This is especially true for women employees that the lifestyle and service anchors emerged from the responses of female samples. Although anecdotal evidence proved that career anchor has a significant impact on job satisfaction, from extant empirical evidence, we know little about how career anchor influences job satisfaction. Thus, the current study aims to examine the impact of career anchor on job satisfaction and to study how this relationship varies across employee gender. Based on prior literature, the researcher developed a conceptual model and developed two hypotheses to test the model. The model was empirically tested by collecting data from 56 executive employees in one of the reputed organizations in the leather and footwear industry in Sri Lanka. The sample was selected using simple random sampling method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. The results of regression analysis showed that there is a significant impact of career anchor on job satisfaction. However, the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between career anchor and job satisfaction was not significant. Hence, organizations should be aware of the career anchor of employees and no need to consider gender as a moderating role of these two variables.
Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Perception of Organization Change and Organization Commitment: In Airport and Aviation Industry in Sri Lanka
(International Postgraduate Research Conference 2019, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Warnakula, U.S.; Dhammika, K.A.S.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Air travel remains a large and growing industry by accelerating economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and is therefore central to the globalization-taking place in many other countries. The aviation industry plays a significant role in the development process in each and every country. Most airlines have been struggling to cope up with the competition that is generated in the Airline Industry. As a solution, most airlines have chosen organization change. In addition, the airline industry in Sri Lanka has been struggling to cope up with the growing economy and competition as well. Mihin Lanka, the low cost airline in Sri Lanka ceased operations in 2016, 10 years after its commencement. SriLankan Airlines is also in negotiations with the government on restructuring and the BIA is planning for new developments. In this stage employees have to face critical situations with organization change. The operational staff exerts an emotional labor and they also have to face unexpected situations with their customers everyday. Since airline and airport front line staff have direct contact with passengers for long periods of time, their behavior and emotional attitude toward passengers heavily shape the customers’ perception of the airline’s image as well as the image of the country. Due to the structural changes in the industry, cabin crew, ground handling, and airport staff experience higher levels of stress and fatigue, which can result in some negative behavioral outcomes such as lack of commitment. As the level of emotional intelligence varies across different individuals, the way they respond to organizational change may differ. Prior research has found that very few employees get adapted easily to new changes, but most of them are struggle to adapt. However, from the results of previous research, it can be seen that the level of emotional intelligence has influence on organizational outcomes. The result of the pilot study has revealed that the lack of communication from higher management, political influences, pay-cuts and reduction of premiums as the main issues that employees experience. Moreover, supervisor and managers revealed that customer complaint, employee issues, employee’s complaints to the management, absenteeism, and employee turnover are higher at Airport and Aviation Industry. However, there has been a general lack of empirical evidence which systematically analyzes the connection between the construct of emotional intelligence, organizational change and organizational commitment and as well as the lack of research on the Sri Lankan context. Thus, the main objective of this study is to empirically examine the impact of emotional intelligence on organizational change and organizational commitment. Based upon the deductive research approach, this research tests a model to understand how emotional intelligence influences organizational commitment through perception of organization change. To attain this objective, the survey method will be used for data collection from Airport and Aviation front line staff and the sample of the study is drawn with simple random sampling. Future Research can replicate this study in different contexts and use cross-cultural data.
Impact of Emotional Labor on Employee Performance: Mediating Effect of Employee Well-Being
(Department of of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Padmasiri, H.R.D.S.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Although, the prior research extensively examined the antecedents of employee performance, a little is known about the effect of emotional labor on employee performance, particularly in the Sri Lankan context. Hence, bridging the gap in the context, the current study examined the impact of emotional labor on employee performance. Based on extant literature, the researcher developed a conceptual model which explains the effect of emotional labor on employee performance through employee well-being. Data were collected from 117 front line employees from 4 leading commercial banks in Sri Lanka to test the model. Data were analyzed employing correlation, regression and descriptive statistics with the support of the SPSS. The results show a significant impact of emotional labor on employee performance, where employee performance increases by 22.6%. Further, mediating analysis results show that employee well-being partially mediates the effect between emotional labor and employee performance. Overall, this study highlights the importance of emotional labor to improve employee performance, in particular service sector organizations. The study’s data are cross-sectional. Thus, future studies are encouraged to use a longitudinal research design with different samples. It is recommended that banks and other service organizations take necessary action to develop individual employees’ emotional regulation appropriately.
Impact of Flex-Work on Employee Performance: A Study of Executive Level Employees in IT Industry in Sri Lanka
(Department of of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Nayanathara, S.W.A.W.M.D.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Employee performance plays a vital role in every organization as a significant building block. It is crucial to examine the effect of flex-work on employee performance in the modern business world since it is a widely discussed topic during COVID-19 pandemic situation. Although scholars have already examined the effect of flex-work practices and their outcomes, the results are inconsistent. Thus, the current study intends to address the lacuna in literature. Hence, the purpose of the study is to examine the impact of flex-work on employee performance. To attain this purpose, the researcher collected data from 169 executive-level employees in three IT firms in the western province in Sri Lanka. As this is a cross-sectional study data collection is limited one point in time. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression with the aid of SPSS. The study's findings revealed that there is a significant impact of flex-work on employee performance, where employee performance will increase by flex-work. Based on the findings, the researcher gave recommendations to improve employee performance through improved flex work. The sample of this study is limited to executive-level employees in 3 IT firms. Thus, the cross-validation of this study's findings to be done in various industries comparatively among a more significant sample in subsequent studies is recommended, which will add more insights to the present study's substance.
Impact of Psychosocial Work Environment on Stress at Work: Moderating Role of Personality
(Department of of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Neelawala, N.G.O.N.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
The current study examines the psychosocial work environment’s impact on stress at work based on job demand-resource theory. Further, this study examines the effects of personality on the psychosocial work environment and stress at work as a moderator. Using a standard questionnaire, data were collected from 126 executive level employees in automobile dealer companies in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. The data were analyzed using simple linear regression with the aid of SPSS 26.0. The results of this study show that psychosocial work environment has a significant impact on stress at work. More specifically, the results revealed that job demands have a significant positive impact on stress at work while job resources have a significant negative effect on job stress. However, these relationships vary across employee personality, where the impact of job resources is strong for employees with type A personality. The study’s data are cross-sectional. Thus, future studies are encouraged to use longitudinal research designs with people from various industries. Further, future studies could present a multi-level analysis. In line with extant research, this study contributes to increasing the understating of job demand-resource theory. Moreover, this study presents several implications for managers to reduce stress in the workplace.
IMPACT OF SELF-ESTEEM ON CAREER SUCCESS: THE MEDIATION ROLE OF SHAME
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Upashani H.P.C.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Career success is a key outcome for individuals and organizations, and self-esteem is an indicator of career success. However, the emotional challenge of individuals, specifically shame, can potentially influence this dynamic. While studies have explored the relationship between career success and self-esteem, few look at the mediating role of shame, especially in Sri Lanka. This study aims to examine the impact of self-esteem on career success through the mediating effect of shame. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected using structured questionnaires from 120 executive-level employees in the food manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka. Hypotheses were examined through linear regression analysis and mediation testing using Andrew F. Hayes's process software in SPSS. The findings validate that self-esteem has a positive strong influence on career success, confirming that individuals with higher self-esteem can achieve better work outcomes. It was also found that shame partially mediated this relationship and that individuals who were feeling shame may struggle to fully express their self-esteem in career success. The findings demonstrate the psychological complexities of career growth and suggest the hypothesis that shame may be an obstacle to mental attainment in a career. The study contributes to the existing literature by noting the importance of emotional considerations for career development in Sri Lanka. It gives practical guidelines for organizations, suggesting that organizations need to build environments conducive to self-esteem and minimizing the detrimental effects of shame. Employee well-being initiatives, mentorship schemes, and emotional resilience training can be implemented.
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employee Performance: A Study Based on Operational Level Employees in ABC Company
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2019) Jayasinghe, J.M.D.I.A.,; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Employee performance is vital to any organization as it is an important aspect of employee work-related behavior. Over the last five years, researchers have extensively studied antecedents of employee performance and they have found that employee motivation, working environment, and rewards are predictors of employee performance. Moreover, recent studies have found that leadership is crucial for employee performance, more especially, transformational leadership. However, these studies are based on samples from western and we do not know how western understanding of these relationships applicable to culturally and economically different economies, i.e. Sri Lanka. Thus, the purpose of the study is to examine the impact of transformational leadership on employee performance. Based upon prior literature, the researcher developed one hypothesis and data were collected from 82 operational level employees in ABC Company which was one of the leading companies in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka, at one point in time. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and simple linear regression were used to analyze data. According to the findings of the study, transformational leadership had a significant impact on employee performance which is consisted of prior research findings. Thus, this study recommends managers to develop the transformational leaders in the organization to enhance employee performance.
Impact of Transformational Leadership on Organizational Climate of Five Star Hotels in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, 2021) Karunasekara, D.S.P.C.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
This study focuses on examining the impact of transformational leadership on organizational climate. To attain this objective, the researcher collected data using a self-administered questionnaire from 312 employees who are working in 25 five star hotels in Sri Lanka. The survey participants were selected using simple random sampling method and the researcher distributed 500 questionnaires. However, only 312 employees responded, thus the respond rate equates to 62%. It was analyzed data using narrative statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and regression analysis methods. The results of simple linear regression showed that transformational leadership has a significant positive impact on organizational climate. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
IMPACT OF WORK - ROLE OVERLOAD ON WORK - FAMILY BALANCE SATISFACTION: THE MODERATING EFFECT OF PEER SUPPORT
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Madhuhansi, R.M.J.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
In the current context, work and family play a major role in a person's life. Due to the competition and complexity that comes with globalization, it has become imperative for people to be employed. Due to the work role overload, people's inability to balance their family and work in a satisfactory manner has become a major problem facing people all over the world. This has indirectly affected the mental health of employees. Because of this, attention has been focused worldwide on studying the impact of work role overload. Therefore, this study aims to understand how this work role overload relates to work-family balance satisfaction and the moderating role of support given by peers in the workplace. Accordingly, this research study was conducted as a cross-sectional study and used a standard questionnaire for data collection. The study population was the executive-level employees of ABC Telecommunication Company, and 230 executives participated in this study, representing all the departments in the company. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the collected data, and descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and Andrew F. Hayes Process for SPSS (v.4.3) were used to test the impact of work role overload on work-family balance satisfaction and the moderating effect of peer support. The results of this study showed that the work role overload negatively related to employees’ work-family balance satisfaction. Further, as we proposed, the moderating effect of peer support on the relationship between employees’ work role overload and work-family balance satisfaction was significant, and higher peer support weakens the negative impact of work role overload on work-family balance satisfaction. Findings of the research study contribute to the persistence of existing theories regarding work-family balance satisfaction and the work role overload. This study also helps ABC Company to identify the work role overload of employees, especially at the executive level, and implement relevant strategies to create a supportive work environment that helps employees balance family and work in a satisfying way. However, focusing only on peer support among the various types of social support, only executive-level employees are used for the study, and only one company in the telecommunications sector is focused on, which are major limitations of this study.
Impact of Work from Home on Work-Life Balance: Study of Employees’ Experience during Covid-19 Pandemic
(Department of of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2020) Nizath, S.M.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
Covid-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of human life. Many employees start work from home during this pandemic situation, which disturbs employees’ regular work and non-work schedules. However, there were limited studies that examine the effect of Work from Home on Work-Life Balance. Thus, the current study examines the effect of Work from Home on Work-Life Balance and examines the moderating role of gender. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 301 employees who started work from home during Covid-19 pandemic. The data were analyzed using regression with the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS 26.0 version). The results show that Work from Home significantly impacts Work-Life Balance, where Work from Home decreases employee Work-Life Balance. However, the moderating effect of gender was insignificant. The study makes a significant theoretical contribution by addressing the inadequacy of Work from Home policies by supporting the argument that the employees face so many challenges when performing organizational activities at their home. It is suggested that managers and practitioners should have a better understanding of the individuals and organization before implementing Work from Home practices to the employees. Cross-validation of this study’s findings in various industries and different cultures comparatively among a more extensive sample in subsequent studies is recommended, which will add more insights to the present study’s substance.
IMPACT OF WORK LIFE BALANCE ON EMPATHY AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AT ABC HOSPITAL: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF SUPERVISOR SUPPORT
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Yasodhya, M.G.S.H.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
The increasing demands in the healthcare sector call for an enhanced understanding of work-related factors influencing healthcare workers' empathy. The motivation for this study stems from the central role that empathy plays in patient care and the challenges faced by healthcare workers in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The primary aim of this research is to explore the impact of supervisor support on the work-life balance-empathy relationship. A quantitative approach was employed, with a cross-sectional survey design. The data were collected from 100 female staff nurses in ABC Hospital using established measures of work-life balance, supervisor support, and empathy. Statistical tests including correlation, regression, and mediation analysis via SPSS were utilized to examine the hypothesized relationships. Key outcomes indicate that work-life balance has a beneficial influence on empathy and that supervisory support highly mediates this effect. Nurses who have more improved work-life balance score higher in empathy, and positive supervisory support also strengthens the effect. Such findings reinforce the importance of ensuring a positive work environment in promoting employee well-being and improving the outcomes of patient care. The research contribution is twofold. Conceptually, it contributes to work-life balance and empathy research by incorporating supervisor support as a mediator. Empirically, healthcare organizations should prioritize strategies that maximize supervisor support and work-life balance initiatives in a bid to maximize empathetic care.
IMPACT OF WORKLOAD, COWORKER PRESSURE AND SUPERVISOR PRESSURE ON EMPLOYEE PRESENTEEISM IN THE APPAREL INDUSTRY
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Ekanayake, H.E.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
One of the major challenges facing Human Resource Management (HRM) today is presenteeism, which has a detrimental effect on employee productivity, which in turn affects corporate productivity and goal achievement. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent employee presenteeism, which is defined as turning up for work when unhealthy. The study aimed to determine the following three things: 1) to find the impact of workload on employee presenteeism; (2) to find the impact of co-worker pressure with understand the effect of supervisor pressure. This study has an analytical approach, a cross-sectional time horizon, and an individual unit of analysis. A literature review offered some empirical evidence upon which a theoretical framework was developed. A simple random sampling strategy was used to collect survey responses from 170 non-executive employees of Brandix Essential Koggala from a leading apparel industry company in Sri Lanka. It was found that employee presenteeism ranges from average to high, with workload, coworker pressure, and supervisor pressure. The findings of this study showed that there is a significant positive impact.
PARENTING STYLES DURING ADOLESCENCE AND THEIR IMPACT ON UNDERGRADUATES’ SELF-ESTEEM
(Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Perera, R.A.C.S.; Karunarathne, R.A.I.C.
This study is motivated by the need to understand how different parenting styles during adolescence influence self-esteem in undergraduate students, and this study explores the impact of parenting styles during adolescence on the self-esteem of undergraduates. Using a quantitative survey approach, the data were collected from undergraduate students from the Faculty of Management of the University of Kelaniya. The primary focus is on investigating how parenting styles during adolescence impact on the self-esteem of undergraduates. The research acknowledges that the self-esteem of undergraduates may differ depending on the parenting styles they have experienced during their adolescence. A comprehensive literature review leads to the foundation of the research, integrating theories and verifiable findings regarding the variables. The conceptual framework shows the interaction between self-esteem and parenting styles. Using a quantitative research approach, the study uses surveys and SPSS analysis to collect and interpret data. By exploring the relationship among these variables, this research expects to provide a deep comprehension of how these parenting styles influence the self-esteem levels of undergraduates.