Employment Management in Transition: The Roles of Leadership, Work–Life Balance, and High-Performance Practices

Abstract

Employment management has experienced a substantial transformation as organizations navigate competitive challenges, workforce expectations, and institutional limitations. This study explores the impact of leadership, work-life balance, and high-performance methods on employment management results in Bangladesh. A convergent mixed-methods design was employed, utilizing the ability motivation opportunity (AMO) framework and the resource-based view. Primary data were gathered from 200 employees in corporate, financial, and educational organizations in Sylhet and Dhaka, supplemented by 15 key informant interviews with senior HR officials and 10 focus group sessions with employees. Supplementary policy and institutional papers provided more context for the findings. Quantitative research utilizing structural equation modeling revealed that high-performance practices significantly elevated job satisfaction and commitment, which subsequently facilitated reductions in turnover intentions and improvements in perceived performance. The quality of leadership enhanced these impacts by reinforcing psychological safety and perceptions of fairness, while supportive work-life balance policies alleviated conflict and improved employee retention. Qualitative findings substantiate that leadership behaviors and adaptable work arrangements are becoming increasingly vital in industries undergoing swift technological and demographic transformations. The amalgamation of survey, interview, and group data underscores that employment management is most efficacious when cohesive practice bundles are synchronized with employee requirements and contextual circumstances. This study enhances HRM literature by providing a multilevel, mixed methods perspective on employment management transitions, delivering theoretical insights and practical recommendations for managers and policymakers. We consider the implications for designing robust human resource systems in emerging economies.