Beyond bricks and mortar: Work-life balance and project performance of Ghana's construction professionals – Does co-worker relationship quality matter?

This study aimed to investigate the effect of work-life balance on project performance among construction professionals, with an emphasis on understanding how co-worker relationship quality influences this dynamic. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design was adopted. Validated questionnaires were used to gather data from 335 construction professionals, selected via convenience sampling to reflect the dynamic and dispersed nature of the construction sector. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 28.0) and SmartPLS version 4, employing PLS-SEM to examine the hypothesised model and assess relationships among latent constructs. To ensure the model's predictive accuracy and relevance, we adopted the PLSpredict method and the cross-validated predictive ability test, comparing our model's predictions against established benchmarks. Results indicate both work-life balance and co-worker relationship quality had significant positive effects on project performance. Moreover, the co-worker relationship quality was found to play a crucial moderating role in this relationship, with a harmonious co-worker relationship further enhancing the positive effect of a balanced work-life on project performance of construction professionals. Construction firms are advised to prioritise initiatives promoting work-life balance, recognising its pivotal role in enhancing project outcomes. Furthermore, fostering positive co-worker relationships can amplify these benefits, indicating the need for team-building and positive workplace culture initiatives. While work-life balance has been extensively studied in other sectors, this research fills a significant gap in the construction management literature, especially regarding the role of co-worker relationships quality in moderating the work-life balance and performance nexus. Lastly, the current study contributes to the work-life balance, co-worker relationship quality and project performance discourse by dissecting this relationship through a confluence of social exchange theory, JD-R model, and conservation of resources theory.