MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS REVEALS LOW LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG UNMARRIED FEMALE WORKERS IN SABAH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i4.1276Keywords:
unmarried, marital status, life satisfaction, work, multi-regression analysis, womenAbstract
This study investigates the persistent issue of work-life conflict among female government workers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. While prior research largely focuses on married women, this paper highlights that unmarried female government servants (single) also face significant work-life conflict. This quantitative study employed convenience sampling to gather data from 348 female government servants across three government institutions. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, with multi-regression analysis used to examine the relationship between work-life conflict and life satisfaction. The findings challenge the traditional belief that unmarried women encounter less stress outside of work and that government jobs ensure emotional stability. The results revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between work-life conflict and life satisfaction for both married and single women. Notably, single female government servants were observed to be more affected by work-life conflict than their married counterparts, particularly in the strain-based dimension. The study concludes that work-life conflict is a prevalent issue for all female employees and calls for more inclusive support. Recommendations include revising job guidelines to prevent discrimination, offering stress and time management workshops, and providing counseling services. Additionally, providing unmarried women with opportunities in decision-making roles is suggested to boost their self-esteem and help close the gender gap.
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