Abstract:
This study examines the impact of work-family support (WFS) policies on work
engagement, with self-esteem, acting as a mediator, among female non-managerial
employees in the carpet manufacturing industry in Negombo, Sri Lanka. Female
workers face considerable challenges balancing professional and family roles,
highlighting the need for organisational policies that enhance engagement. Hence,
this quantitative study was conducted by collecting data via a structured questionnaire
adapted from validated sources, with reliability confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha,
from 234 female employees. Using the multiple regression analysis and mediation
analysis in SPSS, results showed that WFS policies such as organisational facilities
(B=0.221, P=0.03), smart working (B=0.155, P=0.001), parenting and pregnancy
policies (B=0.194, P=0.02), and communication and psychological assistance
(B=0.210, P=0.007), significantly improve work engagement while return to work
management (B=-0.034, P=0.620) hinders work engagement. Self-esteem partially
mediates this relationship, indicating that these policies enhance psychological well-being, which in turn promotes greater job involvement. This study contributes to
existing knowledge by focusing on a less-explored manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka
and provides practical recommendations for HR professionals to design gender-sensitive support systems to boost employee engagement and organisational
sustainability
