Research on work-life balance: a gender structure analysis

Abstract

In this chapter, the authors argue that fundamentally work-life balance needs to be framed with gender theory. The authors use gender structure theory to argue for a multilevel analytical approach to research on work-life balance (Risman 2018b, 2018a). Most work-life balance scholarship concentrates on one level of analysis: either the individual, interactional, or macro-level. We argue that researchers should contextualize their findings with evidence at each level of analysis, even as any given study focuses on one analytical level. Further, research on work-life balance must attend to both the material and cultural aspects of the gender structure. We close with a set of recommendations based on the evidence presented in the article. We conclude that work-life conflict is not inevitable; scholars and practitioners should use the excellent body of knowledge covered in this review to change households, workplaces, and the entire gender structure to make work-life balance possible for all.