STRENGTHENING WORK-LIFE BALANCE FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES OF SMES IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD INNOVATION FOCUSED ON LOCAL RESOURCES AND GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

Abstract

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play a strategic role in supporting national economic growth, particularly in the food industry sector, which utilizes local resources that are globally competitive. The sustainability of food MSMEs is determined by several factors, one of which is the quality of human resources (employees), especially women. Female employees in the food MSME sector face the challenge of juggling dual roles—work and family responsibilities. One issue that is receiving increasing attention in human resource management is the implementation of work-life balance. This community service activity aims to strengthen work-life balance among female employees at Nutsafir Cookies to support sustainable local food innovation that is globally competitive. The activity was carried out through a combination of observation, interviews, and simple mentoring across the preparation, implementation, and evaluation stages. The results of the community service activity at the Nutsafir Cookies SME provided business owners and female employees with an understanding of the importance of maintaining a balance between work and family life (work-life balance). This has established the implementation of work-life balance as a key strategy for improving both employee well-being and business productivity.