The challenges of being "Always Online": A qualitative study on the work-life balance predicament of counselors in Chinese universities - An analysis based on NVivo15.

Tourism and hotel industries position themselves to grow on after the pandemic. As the Hotel industry has entered the recovery stage, the management is back to experiencing some classic human resources issues such as long working hours, shift duties, etc. This results in a lack of Work-Life Balance (WLB) among most hotel employees. This research aims to find out if boundary management influences work-life balance moderated by goal-self concordance. This research uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Square (PLS) version 4.0 software as the analysis tool. With the convenience sampling method, the number of samples collected is 99 employees. Data collection is conducted by distributing Google Forms to hotel employees. The data has passed all criteria of the outer model test. For the result of the inner model test, Boundary Management has a moderate level of influence on WLB by 58.6%. The result of the effect size f2 shows that Boundary Management influences WLB by 0.283. The two-tail test also shows that Boundary Management influences WLB. However, the Goal-Self Concordance does not moderate between Boundary Management and WLB. Theoretically, employees need to develop their personal goals to achieve this Balance. Practically, the hotel is recommended to improve their employees’ WLB by giving them autonomy to choose their work schedule and discuss about setting boundaries between work and family.AbstrakIndustri pariwisata dan perhotelan memposisikan diri untuk terus tumbuh setelah pandemi. Ketika industri Perhotelan telah memasuki tahap pemulihan, pihak manajemen kembali mengalami beberapa permasalahan klasik sumber daya manusia seperti jam kerja yang panjang, tugas shift, dan lain-lain. Hal ini mengakibatkan kurangnya Work-Life Balance (WLB) di antara sebagian besar karyawan hotel. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui apakah manajemen batasan berpengaruh terhadap work-life balance yang dimoderatori oleh goal-self concordance. Penelitian ini menggunakan Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) dengan software Partial Least Square (PLS) versi 4.0 sebagai alat analisisnya. Adanya metode convenience sampling, jumlah sampel yang dikumpulkan adalah 99 karyawan. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan cara menyebarkan Google Form kepada karyawan hotel. Data telah lolos seluruh kriteria uji model luar. Untuk hasil uji inner model, Manajemen Batas mempunyai tingkat pengaruh sedang terhadap WLB sebesar 58,6%. Hasil effect size f2 menunjukkan Manajemen Batas mempengaruhi WLB sebesar 0,283. Uji dua sisi juga menunjukkan bahwa Manajemen Batas berpengaruh terhadap WLB. Namun, Goal-Self Concordance tidak memoderasi antara Manajemen Batas dan WLB. Secara teoritis, karyawan perlu mengembangkan tujuan pribadi mereka untuk mencapai Keseimbangan ini. Praktisnya, pihak hotel disarankan untuk meningkatkan WLB karyawannya dengan memberikan kebebasan memilih jadwal kerja dan mendiskusikan batasan antara pekerjaan dan keluarga.

Telepressure in the workplace, represented as an employee's concern and urge to reply fast to work-related communications through the use of information and communication technologies, which may be concerned about poorer employee work-life balance and the employee’s inferior well-being. This study aims to identify the relationship between telepressure and work-life balance. This study further tested the moderating role of marital status between telepressure and work-life balance. Data for the present study was collected from 558 volunteers from Malaysia by getting responses through online surveys. The employing simple technique was convenience. Data was analysed through PROCESS macro using SPSS. Results showed the significant influence of telepressure on work-life balance. Results further confirmed that employees' marital status moderates this relationship of telepressure on work-life balance. Results also found that the telepressure is seen high among married people but low among single people. Present study’s model is supported by the Role Conflict Theory. Which covers the conflicts arises between work and personal life of employees as a result of extra demand of work. This is a unique combination that is important in the post-COVID context, and it was less explored previously. While no study has been found covering "telepressure->marital status->work-life balance" in context of Malaysia previously.

SummaryInitial evidence suggests that older workers enjoy higher work–life balance than young workers. Yet little is known about the mechanisms of this effect or the robustness of age differences when accounting for differences in life context. We introduce and test the boundary management account of aging and work–life balance, which suggests that older workers maintain stronger work–nonwork boundaries as a pathway toward work–life balance. Both in Study 1 (cross‐sectional;N = 298 bank employees) and in Study 2 (aggregated diary entries;N = 608 workers), older workers reported better work–life balance and stronger boundaries at work than young workers; and stronger boundaries at home (Study 1). In both studies, stronger boundaries were related to better work–life balance, and boundary strength mediated the relationship between age and work–life balance. Study 2 additionally suggests that the use of boundary management strategies is responsible for stronger boundaries at higher age. Analyses accounted for differences in family and work context characteristics (both studies) and boundary preferences (Study 1). The findings corroborate evidence of older workers' enhanced work–life balance and suggest that it results from more successful boundary management with age rather than merely from changes in contextual factors or boundary preferences.

This paper contributes to cross-cultural literature on work–family relationships by testing not only hypotheses about the impact of work and family demands and gender at individual level on work–family conflict (WFC), but also at country level. Concretely, several theories commonly used in the literature (role conflict, boundary management and social support theory) are used to analyzed how national culture dimensions affects WFC. Using information about employee residents in each of the countries interviewed in the Second European Quality of Life Survey and also GLOBE dimensions of national culture, the paper shows that the relationship between work and family demands and WFC is universal and equal phenomenon throughout Europe. In line with gender role theory, demanding and stressing work have stronger effects on women’s WFC than on men’s. While opposite to it, household hours also have stronger effect on women’s WFC than on men’s. Moreover, the paper shows that national culture affects how people perceive work–family relationships. In line with integration/segmentation hypotheses derived from boundary management theory, uncertainty avoidance decreases WFC. Moreover, in line with social support, human orientation decreases the level of WFC, especially for men. Eastern Europe and Mediterranean countries have higher levels of WFC, while Scandinavian countries are those that have lower levels of WFC.

War Everywhere: Human Rights, National Security, and the Law of Armed Conflict in the Age of Terrorism

Research Aims: This study investigates the impact of personality traits, job demands, and emotional intelligence on work-life balance (WLB) among Indonesian educators, with burnout and boundary management styles serving as mediating factors. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employed a quantitative research approach, gathering survey data from 295 Indonesian educators. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4 was conducted to examine direct, indirect, and moderating effects. Research Findings: Conscientiousness positively influences boundary management, while neuroticism has a detrimental effect. Increased job demands contribute to higher burnout levels, which, in turn, negatively impact both work-life balance (WLB) and boundary management. Burnout serves as a mediator in the relationships between job demands, conscientiousness, and neuroticism with WLB, whereas emotional intelligence moderates the impact of job demands on burnout. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study expands the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Boundary Theory by incorporating personality traits, burnout, boundary management, and emotional intelligence, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding work-life balance (WLB) in the education sector. Managerial Implication in the South East Asian Context: Educational institutions should prioritise strategies that enhance educators’ well-being. Measures such as optimised resource allocation, workload adjustments, and the promotion of boundary management practices can mitigate burnout and enhance job satisfaction. These interventions are particularly critical in Southeast Asian education systems, where resource constraints and high job demands pose significant challenges. Research Limitation & Implications: The cross-sectional design of this study restricts causal inferences, and the findings are specific to Indonesian educators, limiting their generalizability to other contexts.

In the recent times, the issue of work - life balance has gained more attention due to the reason that an individual's work life and personal life may present conflicting demands on one another while the demands from both the spheres are equally important. Work - life balance refers to maintaining the balance between performing roles and responsibilities at work and at home. This problem is more for women employees because of the type of roles they play at home and the spill over of personal life over work life and vice - versa. In India, entrepreneurship has traditionally been considered a male prerogative. However, in tandem with a changing socio - cultural environment and an increase in educational opportunities, women have started recognising their inherent talents and business skills. Therefore, the major objective of the present study was to develop and validate an appropriate tool to illustrate the work - life balance (WLB) issues faced by women employees. We also sought to understand the important factors influencing the WLB of these women Employees. This study revealed that role overload, dependent care issues, quality of health, problems in time management and lack of proper social support are the major factors influencing the WLB of women employees in India. Furthermore, even though most of the entrepreneurs examined in this study suffers from WLB issues, there are significant differences in the level of WLB issues faced by the various categories of women employees.

The objective of this study was to evaluate work-life balance and employee productivity and to identify which factors of work life balance have more influence on employee productivity. Specifically, the following specific objectives were pursued: 1. determine the respondents profile in terms of Age, Gender, Marital Status, Educational Attainment, and Number of years in the Organization. 2. determine the productivity and work-life balance in terms of Job stress, Role Overload, Long Working hours, Work-Family conflict, and Job Satisfaction. 3. determine the productivity and work-life balance in relation to employees Age, Gender, Marital status, Educational attainment and Number of Years in the Organization. The findings revealed that work life balance is associated with employee productivity. The data collected from banking sector employees both male and female were tested. These revealed that there is a significant relationship between work life balance and employee productivity. Results implied that Role overload, Long-Working hours, and Work-family conflict have a significant relationship with the Age, gender, and marital status of the Employees of Banco de Oro Unibank in Cagayan de Oro in terms of their productivity. Thus, the above factors should be considered by the organization in giving out work-loads to their employees in order to maintain Employee productivity in bank operations while at the same time giving the Employees the liberty to live a balanced life. While the significant variables mentioned should be closely attended to by the organization, other factors contributing to Bank Employees Productivity and Work-Life balance should also be considered. Keywords: Work-life balance, banking institutions, productivity

This study investigates the predictive relationship between key organizational and personal factors and the overall perception of work–life balance (WLB) among professional women in Delhi NCR. Drawing on a structured survey of 543 working women across IT, education, healthcare, government, and corporate sectors, the research identifies Work–Life Balance Challenges (WLB-C), Organizational Support (OS), and Coping Strategies (CS) as critical variables influencing WLB outcomes. The study is grounded in Role Conflict Theory, Border Theory, and the Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory to understand the dynamic interplay between work demands and personal well-being. Using multiple linear regression analysis in SPSS, results reveal that WLB-C has a significant negative impact on WLB, while OS and CS positively contribute to improved balance. The regression model explains 62.7% of the variance in WLB (R² = 0.627, p < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis also confirms significant associations among the study variables. These findings underline the importance of workplace policies, supervisor empathy, and individual coping strategies in managing role strain and promoting psychological well-being. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers and HR professionals to implement flexible work arrangements, mental wellness programs, and gender-sensitive support systems. It also contributes to the growing body of WLB literature in the Indian urban professional context.

PurposeResearch on the impact of patriarchy and patriarchal norms on women’s work-life balance is scarce. A typical patriarchal society, such as Nigeria, tends to be organised based on gender, and the construct is embedded in the culture. This paper aims to investigate the impact of patriarchy on women’s work-life balance in a non-Western context: Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt a qualitative research approach to enhance their insight into the issue of patriarchy and women’s work-life balance. Data for the study were collected over a four-month period, using semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection.FindingsThe findings of the thematic analysis reveal the impact of patriarchy on women’s work-life balance in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Nigeria. Women’s aspirations to achieve work-life balance in this part of the world are often frustrated by patriarchal norms, which are deeply ingrained in the culture. The findings of this study reveal that male dominance of and excessive subordination of females, domestic and gender-based division of labour and higher patriarchal proclivities among men are the ingredients of a patriarchal society. These issues make the achievement of work-life balance difficult for women.Research limitations/implicationsThe extent to which the findings of this research can be generalised is constrained by the limited sample size and the selected research context.Practical implicationsThe insights gleaned from this research suggest that there are still major challenges for women in the global south, specifically Nigeria, in terms of achieving work-life balance due to the prevalent patriarchy and patriarchal norms in the society. Strong patriarchal norms and proclivity negatively affect women’s work-life balance and in turn may impact employee productivity, organisational effectiveness, employee performance and employee punctuality at work. However, an Australian “Champion of Change” initiative may be adopted to ease the patriarchal proclivity and help women to achieve work-life balance.Originality/valueThis paper provides valuable insights by bringing patriarchy into the discussion of work-life balance. This issue has been hitherto rare in the literature. It therefore enriches the literature on work-life balance from a patriarchal perspective.

The issue of work-life balance (WLB) has received rising attention globally. Academic leaders are said to have a compromised WLB situation as they juggle multiple roles involving a wide range of challenging factors in their work-life environment. Yet, academic leaders, particularly in the context of developing countries, have to deal with gruelling circumstances ranging from lack of funding to political interference. On top of that, empirical studies on the WLB of academic leaders from the developing world are scant. Given this, this study examined WLB issues among academic leaders from public universities in Ethiopia to provide empirical evidence to narrow the knowledge gap on WLB (of academic leaders) from various contexts, especially from the less developed part of the world. Accordingly, the study surveyed the WLB circumstances of academic leaders in the study setting using a standard questionnaire, and a total of 205 complete questionnaires were collected from academic leaders of eight Ethiopian public universities. The (descriptive) analysis relied on mean analysis to assess the level of WLB among the academic leaders. The study found that the academic leaders’ WLB is severely compromised across all dimensions of WLB that this study drew on (role overload, quality of health, dependent care issues, time management, and support networks). Thus, in addition to extending the subject of WLB among academic leaders to less explored territories, this study provides empirical contributions as well as practical/managerial and social implications.

This conceptual paper explores the impact of leadership styles, work-life balance, and the physical environment on psychological well-being using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as the theoretical framework. In the contemporary workplace, evolving job demands, rising expectations for mental health support, and persistent stressors like job insecurity have increased the need for organizations to prioritize employee well-being. Leadership is identified as a critical mediating variable that enhances or mitigates the effectiveness of job resources, such as work-life balance and physical environment, in promoting psychological well-being. Transformational and servant leadership styles are emphasized for their role in fostering supportive work environments that buffer the negative effects of high job demands. Additionally, the paper underscores how well-designed workspaces and balanced work-life integration can significantly enhance employee well-being, contributing to higher engagement and performance. The JD-R model provides a robust lens through which the interactions between job demands, resources, and leadership can be examined. This framework offers organizations practical strategies to safeguard employee psychological well-being by fostering leadership that advocates for flexible work arrangements and supportive physical environments. Future research should empirically validate the proposed relationships to further refine the role of leadership in promoting employee well-being.

Work-life balance is an issue of increasing importance to organizations in their attempt to build sustainable competitive advantage through effective management and leverage of human capital. As Malaysia progresses along its path of economic transformation, the issue of work-life balance is becoming highly critical in its aim of becoming a developed economy. This study aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of work-life balance among the Malaysian workforce. Two opposing theories, Role Conflict Theory and Role Accumulation Theory, are utilized to frame the conceptual model of work-life balance. Using Malaysian working adults as sample, this research adopted a two-stage data collection procedure. First, phenomenological investigation was conducted to uncover the lived experience of work-life balance among participants. Secondly, with data collected from questionnaire survey, structural equation modeling technique was executed to verify the conceptual model of work-life balance. From the phenomenological investigation, work-life balance emerged as a “sense” of the individual. Work-life balance is found to be an individual-based experience which is related to a sense of constraint, a sense of value of various life roles, and a sense of encroachment between the boundary of work and nonwork. A strong sense of “unbalance” is signified with a sense of not being in control, not being able to participate, as well as a sense of stress and guilt. Phenomenological findings with respect to conceptualization, antecedents and outcomes of work-life balance offered important insights to verify and validate the conceptual model of work-life balance which was to be tested in a subsequent stage. At the second stage of the study, results of the structural equation modeling affirm that both conflict and enrichment aspects of work-life balance occur simultaneously, and hence offer support for the Role Accumulation Theory, instead of Role Scarcity Theory. The results show that work-to-nonwork effects and nonwork-to-work effects both contribute to the experience of work-life balance. Findings pertaining to antecedents show that (i) while work overload and work conflict increase work-to-nonwork conflict, but peer support lowers work-to-nonwork conflict. (ii) Work ambiguity reduces work-to-nonwork enrichment; whereas work role flexibility and support from supervisor and peer leads to higher work-to-nonwork enrichment. (iii) Overload, conflict, ambiguity and demand in nonwork roles lead to higher nonwork-to-work conflict, whilst nonwork flexibility and family support reduce nonwork-to-work conflict. (iv) Nonwork role ambiguity and family support lead to lower and higher nonwork-to-work enrichment respectively. Regarding outcomes of work-life balance, the study finds that (i) work-to-nonwork conflict links positively with job stress and life satisfaction; (ii) work-to-nonwork enrichment links positively with job satisfaction and career satisfaction, but negatively with job stress; (iii) nonwork-to-work conflict relates positively to individual’s turnover intention and organizational commitment, but negatively with job performance; (iv) nonwork-to-work enrichment links positively with organizational commitment, job performance, and turnover intention.

<p>Work-life balance is an important issue in today’s world and the different strategies used by people to manage their work and their personal life can have a great impact. Two studies were conducted (study 1: n = 117; study 2: n = 293) to examine how boundary segmentation preferences (studies 1 & 2) and boundary integration strategies (study 2) affect work-family conflict and enrichment. Results from structural equation modeling partly confirmed the hypothetical model in both studies. Study 1 showed that work-home segmentation preference negatively predicted work-family enrichment, while home-work segmentation preference negatively predicted family-work enrichment. Study 2 provided similar results, as it showed that work-home segmentation preference negatively predicted work-family enrichment. It also showed that work-home segmentation preference positively predicted work-family conflict and home-work segmentation preference positively predicted work-family enrichment, while work-life integration strategy positively predicted work-family conflict, family-work conflict, work-family enrichment and family-work enrichment. No significant relationship was found between life-work integration strategy and any of the dependent variables. Findings from these studies highlight the importance of using appropriate boundary management strategies in order to promote a better work-life balance. They also enhance current knowledge related to boundary management and work-life balance by examining relationships with work-family enrichment.</p>

PurposeThis paper examines the relationship between the institution’s organizational work-life-balance (WLB) policies and practices and subsequent challenges faced by Nigerian workers. The paper argues that institutions shape WLB practices (and policies), and thus, constitute WLB challenges.Design/methodology/approachRelying on qualitative, interpretive approach, and the institution-based view of organizational practice, the study investigates the relationship between institutions, WLB practices/policies, and subsequent challenges that female workers undergo, using 25 semi-structured interviews.FindingsThe findings reveal Nigeria’s unique institutional context frames and foster challenges for female workers. Also, it was identified that institutional and sociocultural pressures on female employees demonstrate that consequent challenges, while common to female workers in other countries, are more intense and challenging in Nigeria because of its peculiar institutions and context.Research limitations/implicationsThis study offers an opportunity to unpick how institutions are important in understanding organizational practices as part of wider social structures, which influence organizational realities, including WLB. The qualitative, exploratory approach undertaken can limit generalizing the findings.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the emerging concept of WLB discourse from the developing countries’ perspective. It also reveals how WLB discourse differs from nonwestern context and emphasizes previously identified challenges that female workers experience based on WLB practice. The study also sheds light on how institutions shape organizational practice.