THE INTERSECTIONAL EFFORTS OF STAKEHOLDERS IN RESOLVING THE QUESTION OF WORK LIFE BALANCE AMONGST UNIVERSITY STAFF IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the collaborative and conflictual roles of Staff Unions (ASUU, SSANU, NASU), University Management, and the Federal Government in addressing the Work-Life Balance (WLB) challenges faced by university staff in Nigeria. Drawing on the Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the Institutional Theory, the paper examined the efficacy of WLB policy negotiation (union advocacy) versus policy implementation (management/government funding). Using an illustrative mixed-methods approach, the paper outlined the findings: that WLB is significantly poor due to implementation failures. The analysis revealed that Government financial commitment (or lack thereof) is the primary determinant of WLB outcomes, despite robust advocacy by Staff Unions. The research concluded that a sustainable resolution demands an integrated, tri-partite framework rooted in accountability and adequate funding, moving away from the prevailing adversarial industrial relations model