Work-Life Balance and Employee Performance Among Female Workers in the Nigerian Banking Sector: Evidence from First Bank Nigeria, Enugu Branch

This study examines the relationship between work-life balance and job performance among female employees in the Nigerian banking sector, with a case focus on First Bank Nigeria, Enugu Branch in the South East geopolitical zone. Female workers in Nigerian banking institutions frequently navigate the competing demands of professional responsibilities and domestic obligations within a cultural context that continues to assign primary caregiving roles to women. The study employs a survey research design with 110 female employees serving as respondents, selected through purposive sampling. A validated questionnaire drawing on the Work Interference with Personal Life scale captures respondents' work-life balance perceptions. The study is theoretically grounded in the Work-Family Border Theory, which conceptualises the boundaries individuals draw between work and home domains. Findings reveal that respondents working more than ten hours per day report significantly lower self-rated performance scores and higher stress indicators. Flexible work arrangements, where available, are strongly associated with improved performance and reduced absenteeism. The study also documents the disproportionate burden placed on female branch managers who lack formal institutional support for managing personal commitments. Recommendations include the introduction of remote working options, formal maternity return support programmes, and management sensitivity training on gender-responsive HR practices. This research contributes an important gender dimension to HRM studies in South East Nigeria. Keywords: Work-Life Balance, Female Workers, Banking Sector, Employee Performance, Gender.