Thank you for your Unit 4 Individual Project submission. Here, I looked for a total of 8–10 pages and that all sections of the Research Prospectus were complete, with the previous and additionally completed sections of:

· Title Page

· Abstract

· Introduction

· Research Method Rationale

· References

· Appendices (optional)

Please review and act upon the Next Steps listed below in full before final submission.

Now, for the last Individual Project of the term, you’ll refine and produce a final version of the Research Prospectus. Please remember, as posted in the curriculum and discussed at length in Live Chat, the Research Prospectus is an official university milestone document for your dissertation journey. A successful Prospectus is one that meets all requirements for content, length, and plan for your dissertation study.

Next Steps:

1. Remove all guidance text and comment bubbles; and “accept” track changes (also turn off track changes) before you complete and submit your final Individual Project.

2. Use spell check, use Grammarly, and review your document in full for proper APA. Proofread your document thoroughly. The final Research Prospectus MUST be formatted as per the template as well as contain accurate APA formatting. If steps 1 & 2 are incomplete, the final submission will not pass.

3. After additional updates and revision, submit your paper to the Smarthinking tutoring service for a final paper review. This time select different review options than you have previously and then incorporate Smarthinking tutor feedback into your final paper. (Remember, Smarthinking takes about 24 hours.)

4. Finally, use the “Final Individual Project Research Prospectus Self-Evaluation ” rubric (with the blue header) below to conduct a self-evaluation, clicking on EACH box to designate “Meets” or “Does Not Meet” for each section.

5. If you did NOT meet ALL the criteria under the “Meets” column(s), identify the work to be completed (or continued), in the last column.

6. Then, retain the “Final Unit 6 Individual Project Research Prospectus Self-Evaluation” Rubric on the first page of your final Unit 6 Individual Project BEFORE submitting for grading.

Abstract

The process of creating a balance between work and personal is very intricate in regard to the crucial requirement of promoting balance. Gaining a work-life balance is crucial for the lives of all persons since it generates reliable family management and allows the working persons to attain mental satisfaction. Every person has many parts of their life that promote better outcomes depending on their expectations. In this regard, there is a crucial requirement of promoting better work management when a person creates a structure for dealing with all their needs. It gets easy to facilitate job satisfaction when negative components like stress, pains, aches, digestive issues, and issues of hypertension affect a person's capability of working. This paper shall analyze various concepts involved in offering a balance between work and personal lives to facilitate proper wellbeing for all persons involved. Stress is detrimental and causes the persons involved to get affected by improper employee management while they may attempt to conform to organizational expectations. This study shall perform analyses of all structures to improve on appropriate work management. Comment by Thiry, Katie: No indent, per APA.

Keywords: work management, work-life balance, mental satisfaction

Introduction

Many people have a hard time juggling work and family life in today's ever-busier work environment. Roopavathi and Kulothungan (2021) pointed out that a lot of people have been looking for a work-life balance, which is also called (WLB). However, very few have found meaning or term that fits. It is about changing the way people work so that they can do other things, like taking care of their children or elderly relatives, at the same time. WLB does not mean that there is an equal amount of money. WLB is a mix of interactions between different parts of a person's life. The benefits and drawbacks of that imbalance can affect many different parts of society. The drawbacks caused by the WLB will affect both the employee and the employer. These drawbacks could have a bad effect on the employee's job and life satisfaction, mental wellbeing, physical health, and how well it will affect how well they work at their job at their company. Comment by Thiry, Katie: Use consistent font style and size.

Similarly, Kohll (2018) cautioned that People who have a good work-life balance are more likely to have a good work environment. Stress can cause hypertension, digestive problems, chronic aches and pains, and heart problems in the body which are all detrimental health issues that might affect a person's capability of balancing their personal and work life (Gragnano et al., 2020). Also, long-term stress can hurt the way your mind works. It can make you more likely to be depressed and anxious as well as sleepless. The focus of this study will be to identify factors that lead to WLB issues across all agencies. The results identified by this study will help stakeholders to make sound decisions regarding WLB among it is employees.

Study Problem

The problem to be addressed in this quantitative study is the lack of flexibility to balance work and home life by photographers at Company X in San Antonio. When the Employees starts complaining that they can’t attend activities or functions for their children or personal problem, it is understandable that workers are stressed out as they strive to keep up with the demands of their professions and the needs of their families (Kossek & Lautsch, 2018). A more harmonious work-life balance could be achieved when one is able to work and at the same time maintain to participate in helpful and required social activities. A balanced work-life necessitates adaptability. Finding a good work-life balance promotes the concept of workplace flexibility. The experience of the researcher had it that Employees are more productive when their employers allow them to work flexible hours, work from home, and work in various locations. Employees sometimes need their respective authorities to show understanding when it comes to taking unexpected time out because of personal reasons or unforeseen circumstances. Comment by Thiry, Katie: You still have not isolated a researchable problem. Comment by Thiry, Katie: Review this sentence. What are you trying to communicate here?

Many firms, institutions, and companies struggle with staff retention. This struggle is prevalent in professional disciplines like IT and others (Hoanca & Craig, 2019). Therefore, offering some degree of flexibility to employees (among other incentives) might be helpful. Employers should begin by offering an accommodating schedule to both full and part-time employees while at the same time ensuring that the core needs of the company are satisfied. Flexibility in the schedule can sometimes be misused by employees, but the common understanding that both parties must work to achieve the goal of the company will help to save money in terms of human costs. Employer-sponsored insurance does not have to be made available to part-time workers (Chung & Van der Lippe, 2020). Also, they aren’t compensated for overtime. Part-time workers have an easier time juggling their professional and personal lives because of the fewer hours they work.

Allowing employees to set their work schedules may also benefit a company. When employees have options rather than being told when they should be working, they may better manage their personal life. Even though it varies by industry, some businesses might let their employees set their work hours. The chance to set up one’s schedule is a highly sought-after privilege in the business world.

Study Purpose

The purpose of the quantitative search approach/design is to evaluate the potential ways of ensuring flexibility to balance work and home life by photographers at Company X in San Antonio. Maintaining a healthy work environment necessitates those employees strike a solid work-life balance. It is also crucial to the productivity of the employees (Alarcon et al., 2021). Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is critical for avoiding burnout and lowering stress. Anxiety disorders, such as persistent stress, are quite common in the workplace. High blood pressure, digestive difficulties, prolonged discomfort, and cardiac issues are all side effects of an inhospitable work environment. Chronic stress has been linked to depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The effects of a stressful workplace can have profound consequences for one's mental health. Burnout happens in the workplace when people are subjected to prolonged periods of high stress. Employees who work a lot of overtime hours risk being burned out. Exhaustion, mood swings, impatience, and a decrease in work production are all symptoms of burnout. A favorable work environment can enhance creativity and ensure that ideas flourish to the point of realizing groundbreaking discoveries (Maestre, 2019). Comment by Thiry, Katie: This reads like an essay vs supporting your purpose section. Review the goal of a purpose statement.

Sampling method

Sampling is a method of data reduction (Tagawa, 2020). Stratified sampling will be used in the research for photographers in San Antonio. Stratified sampling is a probability tool that is used in surveys (Parsons, 2014). It is the sampling type that is needed in a statistically represented study (Napolitano et al., 2018). The method will help in grouping the photographers for analysis and presentation of issues relating to work and home life. The sampling method can minimize errors without compromising the accuracy of the evaluation to be made (Yu et al., 2019). The general population is separated into groups with comparable features, known as strata, because of this strategy. Use it when different subgroups may have varied interests, and you want to ensure that all of them are represented. By removing sample bias, stratified sampling increases the accuracy and representativeness of the results. The issue is that it requires knowledge of the necessary sampling frame properties (details of which aren’t always readily available), and it is difficult to decide which qualities to stratify by. A stratified sample of the same size as a random sample can produce more accurate results. In some circumstances, smaller sample size is needed to provide the same level of precision as a stratified sample; hence the latter is preferred. In addition to reducing the researcher's effect, this strategy produces a more representative sample by eliminating researcher bias.

Proposed Sample Size

A sample is a subset of the population used in the study. The population cannot be accessed during the research process. Therefore, a representation of the population, the sample is used during the research. The sample is the selected group of entities that the researcher uses to collect data and is less than the population. The sample size is expected to be 30 photographers, both employers, and employees from across San Antonio, with special reference to those in company X.

Data Collection Method

Interviews will be the data collection method applied in this research. This is an excellent approach to obtaining data on the issue of work and home balance for photographers in San Antonio. The method is good since it can incorporate the feelings and opinions of the photographers in Company X, and it is possible to gather quotes useful in striking a balance between home and work life. The interviews will be casual and formal, depending on the situations at hand. The interviews will present details about work and home life for the photographers in the region.

Data Analyst Software

Business intelligence (BI) software is one of the most widely used types of data analysis. These business analytics-specific tools will be useful for any data analyst responsible for acquiring, interpreting, and reporting critical results. Predictive analytics, self-service, and complex SQL modes enable these systems to scale to any level of comprehension without requiring extensive IT intervention. Analysts can identify trends and make tactical decisions by presenting a wide range of key features. Business intelligence is a must-have element for any data analytics tool list, and data pine is suitable for both novice and advanced users. This all-in-one platform promises to make the entire analysis process more efficient and time efficient.

Research Question

The study research questions are as follows and offer a reliable method of handling work management in terms of promoting accurate work assessment to facilitate productivity.

Q1

What strategies can be implemented for photographers in company X that will ensure Comment by Thiry, Katie: This is not a RQ. A list of strategies is easy to come by. What is already known about your topic? What are you aiming to contribute to the body of knowledge?

flexibility to balance work and home life?

Q2

How shall the photographers promote appropriate photograph collection for the research direction?

Q3

According to the criteria of gender, age, employment type, leisure activities, and engagement in extra work events, how shall the research generate appropriate outcomes in relation to the persons involved?

Q4

Are there any special extracurricular activities that persons in the work environment engage in to support their balance?

Q5

Is it possible to implement adaptability to events that occur in different person lives when they are required to facilitate a balance between their work and their social life where all are equally important?

Q6 Comment by Thiry, Katie: You’re introducing too many RQ. Ensure you have focus.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the proper handling of employees in terms of the ability to remain productive and provide for their families concurrently?

Hypothesis(es)

H10

That a flexible work environment will yield numerous advantages for both employer and

employee.

H1A

Work balance can get attained once employees realize their intricate connection to work environments that are mandatory for their needs.

H1B

External environmental factors affect the capability of employees to work effectively, and thus they need extra support for their wellbeing.

H1C

Workers can adapt to any type of environment regardless of its type as long as they integrate zeal in their actions.

Research Method Rationale

The research method selected for this study surveys. The use of surveys is highly imperative since it promotes appropriate management of research components based on the existence of a large amount of data that can get collected and serve the entire research area. Data collection for the work-balance requirement shall get conducted as expected in regard to Research Prospectu Comment by Thiry, Katie: Incomplete sentence.

Introduction Comment by Thiry, Katie: Why is the intro here?

Many people have a hard time juggling work and family life in today's ever-busier work environment. Roopavathi and Kulothungan (2021) pointed out that a lot of people have been looking for a work-life balance, which is also called (WLB). However, very few have found meaning or term that fits. It is about changing the way people work so that they can do other things, like taking care of their children or elderly relatives, at the same time. WLB does not mean that there is an equal amount of money. WLB is a mix of interactions between different parts of a person's life. The benefits and drawbacks of that imbalance can affect many different parts of society. The drawbacks caused by the WLB will affect both the employee and the employer. These drawbacks could have a bad effect on the employee's job and life satisfaction, mental wellbeing, physical health, and how well it will affect how well they work at their job at their company.

Similarly, Kohll (2018) cautioned that People who have a good work-life balance are more likely to have a good work environment. Stress can cause hypertension, digestive problems, chronic aches and pains, and heart problems in the body which are all detrimental health issues that might affect a person's capability of balancing their personal and work life (Gragnano et al., 2020). Also, long-term stress can hurt the way your mind works. It can make you more likely to be depressed and anxious as well as sleepless. The focus of this study will be to identify factors that lead to WLB issues across all agencies. The results identified by this study will help stakeholders to make sound decisions regarding WLB among it is employees.

Study Problem

The problem to be addressed in this quantitative study is the lack of flexibility to balance work and home life by photographers at Company X in San Antonio. When the Employees starts complaining that they can’t attend activities or functions for their children or personal problem, it is understandable that workers are stressed out as they strive to keep up with the demands of their professions and the needs of their families (Kossek & Lautsch, 2018).