Work-life Balance Perceptions Research Articles

Moving up without moving forward! Managing career plateau in COVID-19: a dual serial mediations

PurposeAlthough the research stream in the area of career plateau acknowledges its ramifications, yet investigation on how this phenomenon can be reduced is sparse. This study aims to address this gap by illuminating the role of proactive personality (PP) as a factor of minimizing plateau via playful work design (PWD), career adaptability (CA) and perceived work-life balance (PWLB).Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study design was applied and structural equation modelling was used to assess the hypothesized relationships among PP, CA, PWD, perceived work design and career plateau. A total of 338 employees from public and private universities were sampled from February 2020 to July 2020.FindingsThe results highlighted that CA mediated the relationship between PP and PWLB, as well as, PWD mediated the association between PP and PWLB. Further, the authors got support for both serial mediation paths i.e. PP, CA, PWLB and career plateau and PP, PWD, PWLB and career plateau.Originality/valueThe findings of this study provide much needed ways to overcome career plateau in the academic sector. Moreover, the use of multiple serial paths has enhanced the underlying factors of PP and career plateau nexus.

Examining the Impacts of Work-Life-Balance (WLB) on Quality of Life (QOL): Focusing on Employees in Service Industry

Purpose - The main purpose of this study is to investigate service industry employee’ perceptions of Work-Life-Balance (WLB) and the influences of these perceptions on their overall Quality of Life (QOL). The study hypothesizes that employees’ overall Quality of Life is influenced by Work-Life-Balance. Design/methodology/approach - The target population for this research consisted of service industry employees. The data was collected using the online-survey method and 449 usable responses were analyzed using AMOS program. Findings - The results indicated that psychological environment and family environment positively affected overall quality of life each, and work environment negatively influenced on overall quality of life. Research implications or Originality - Despite the importance of Work-Life-Balance (WLB), most of previous studies have investigated WLB from company perspective while limited research has examined employees’ WLB perceptions. The findings of this study enrich knowledge of WLB from employee perspective especially in service industry.

Academic Medicine Faculty Perceptions of Work-Life Balance Before and Since the COVID-19 Pandemic

How the COVID-19 pandemic has affected academic medicine faculty's work-life balance is unknown. To assess the association of perceived work-life conflict with academic medicine faculty intention to leave, reducing employment to part time, or declining leadership opportunities before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. An anonymous online survey of medical, graduate, and health professions school faculty was conducted at a single large, urban academic medical center between September 1 and September 25, 2020. Self-assessed intention to leave, reducing employment to part time, or turning down leadership opportunities because of work-life conflict before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 1186 of 3088 (38%) of faculty members who answered the survey, 649 (55%) were women and 682 (58%) were White individuals. Respondents were representative of the overall faculty demographic characteristics except for an overrepresentation of female faculty respondents and underrepresentation of Asian faculty respondents compared with all faculty (female faculty: 649 [55%] vs 1368 [44%]; Asian faculty: 259 [22%] vs 963 [31%]). After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty were more likely to consider leaving or reducing employment to part time compared with before the pandemic (leaving: 225 [23%] vs 133 [14%]; P < .001; reduce hours: 281 [29%] vs 206 [22%]; P < .001). Women were more likely than men to reduce employment to part time before the COVID-19 pandemic (153 [28%] vs 44 [12%]; P < .001) and to consider both leaving or reducing employment to part time since the COVID-19 pandemic (leaving: 154 [28%] vs 56 [15%]; P < .001; reduce employment: 215 [40%] vs 49 [13%]; P < .001). Faculty with children were more likely to consider leaving and reducing employment since the COVID-19 pandemic compared with before the pandemic (leaving: 159 [29%] vs 93 [17%]; P < .001; reduce employment: 213 [40%] vs 130 [24%]; P < .001). Women with children compared with women without children were also more likely to consider leaving since the COVID-19 pandemic than before (113 [35%] vs 39 [17%]; P < .001). Working parent faculty and women were more likely to decline leadership opportunities both before (faculty with children vs without children: 297 [32%] vs 84 [9%]; P < .001; women vs men: 206 [29%] vs 47 [13%]; P < .001) and since the COVID-19 pandemic (faculty with children vs faculty without children: 316 [34%] vs 93 [10 %]; P < .001; women vs men: 148 [28%] vs 51 [14%]; P < .001). In this survey study, the perceived stressors associated with work-life integration were higher in women than men, were highest in women with children, and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The association of both gender and parenting with increased perceived work-life stress may disproportionately decrease the long-term retention and promotion of junior and midcareer women faculty.

The impact of poor work-life balance and unshared home responsibilities on work-gender identity integration

ABSTRACT The degree to which gender and organizational social identities are perceived as compatible has been proven a key factor in promoting creative performance, job satisfaction and organizational commitment of female workers. But what are the factors that help them develop a high level of Gender-Work Identity Integration (GWII)? Previous studies have focused on organizational aspects (i.e., gender stereotype threat, perceived respect in the organizational context). We focus on the relational and family sphere and tested a model where the perception of poor Work-Life Balance (WLB) is used as a predictor of GWII. Then, this relationship was moderated by gender and the degree of shared responsibilities in the household (e.g., house chores, care for children and/or elderly, menial household duties, etc.). The model was tested in two separate studies. Study 1 (cross-sectional, N = 916 employees living with a partner, 31% women) revealed that for women whose home responsibilities are not shared, achieving GWII proves more challenging. On the other hand, when home responsibilities are shared with a partner, the effect of poor WLB on GWII is not significant. Cross-lagged analyses in longitudinal Study 2 (N = 82 female workers living with a partner) confirmed the findings in Study 1 and the direction of the hypothesized associations. These findings provide a better understanding of factors that contribute to gender equality in work and home life.

워라밸 인식과 관광체험, 관광태도, 관광행동 의도 간의 영향관계 연구 : 사회경제적 지위에 따른 조절효과

Since the introduction of the 52-hour workweek rule in South Korea, an increasing number of employees are pursuing a work–life balance (WLB). This has led to an increase in demand for tourist activities; however, the relationship between WLB and tourism has not been explored. To provide customized tourist services, the types of tourism experiences preferred by individuals who pursue a WLB need to be understood. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine such individuals’ perceptions of WLB and its impact on four types of tourism experiences (entertainment, escapist, aesthetic, educational), attitudes toward tourism, and visit intentions. Furthermore, since WLB and the type of tourist activity are often determined by socioeconomic status, income and education were included as moderating variables. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling and a multigroup invariance test. The results revealed that, while all four types of tourism experiences were positively explained by WLB, the experiences that contributed to visit intentions were the entertainment and escapist factors. Lastly, different relationships were found between the high/low education and income groups. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Work-Life Balance Research in Athletic Training: Perspectives on Future Directions.

Work-Life Balance Research in Athletic Training: Perspectives on Future Directions.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Egyptian Women Psychological Empowerment and Work-Life Balance

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Egyptian Women Psychological Empowerment and Work-Life Balance. The study was conducted on (107) Egyptian working women in different sectors and located in the Greater Cairo region. An online survey link was sent directly to these respondents to answer. They were selected using the non-probability judgmental sampling method; the only criterion for inclusion was that these respondents were working women operating in the Egyptian business context. Research hypotheses were tested using correlation and multiple regression analysis. After testing the effect of Egyptian working women’s psychological empowerment dimensions on the perceived work-life balance, it was concluded that competence and self-determination dimensions were the two main psychological empowerment dimensions that positively affected the perceived work life balance. The other three dimensions: meaning, impact, and trust dimensions, had an insignificant effect on the perceived work-life balance. This research will help in designing a practical roadmap showing how to empower women psychologically while preserving their well-being and balancing their work-life duties and responsibilities. In addition to implementing work-life strategies and HR policies that will support working women in Egypt. Most of the studies have tackled the positive benefits of women empowerment and ignored its consequences on women’s emotional and psychological well-being. Besides, few researches have been empirically administered on working women’s psychological empowerment especially in Egypt.

Perception of Work-Life Balance among Married Female Librarians in University Libraries in South-East Nigeria

This survey study discusses the perception of work-life balance among married female academic librarians in university libraries in South-East Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 90 married female academic librarians from a population of 150 female academic librarians working in the university libraries. The study examines the perception of family and organizational factors of work-life balance among the respondents. The results reveal that the married female academic librarians have a positive perception of family and organizational factors of work-life balance; however, perception of the organizational factor has a slightly higher mean score than the family factor. The study highlights strategies that could enhance work-life balance among the respondents and recommends the implementation of practices and policies such as flexible work schedule, cancellation of overtime and shift duties, and better remuneration to improve work-life balance among academic librarians.

Do Orthodontists and Orthodontic Residents Perceive that Work-Life Balance and Work-Family Conflicts Affect Their Organizational Commitment?

AbstractObjectives Two of lives’ most important domains may be in conflict with each other. This study investigated the association between perceived work-life balance (WLB), work interference with family (WIF), family interference with work (FIW), and organizational commitment (OC) of Nigerian orthodontists and orthodontic residents.Materials and Methods Consultant orthodontists (n = 37) as well as orthodontics residents (n = 33) responded to an electronic questionnaire.Statistical Analysis Multivariate analysis of variance assessed significant differences among demographic and career features on WLB, WIF, and FIW. Spearman’s correlation coefficient and then multiple regression analysis examined relationships among perception of WLB, WIF, FIW, and OC.Results Perceived WLB and WIF had statistically significant negative correlation with OC among Nigerian orthodontic practitioners. However, the study finds a positive, but not statistically significant correlation of perception of FIW and OC.Conclusion Perceived WLB and WIF are significant contributors to levels of OC among Nigerian orthodontists and orthodontic residents. Multiple regression analysis identified a model that includes perceived WLB, WIF, and FIW that accounts for 16.7% of the variation in OC.

Perceived work–life balance and organizational talent management: mediating role of employer branding

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of perceived work–life balance on the perceived level of employer branding attraction valueand organizational talent management. Accordingly, the structural model is developed that delineates the interactions among these and explores the mediating effect of employer branding attraction value between the relationship of work–life balance and organizational talent management.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on survey results and review of literature in terms of their implications for the proposed framework. Data have been collected by convenience incidental sampling from middle-level executives working in different information and technology (IT) companies. The model and posited hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling analysis.FindingsPerceived work–life balance was found to be positive and significantly predicted the employer branding attraction value and organizational talent management. The study also showed that there exists a significant and positive correlation between employer branding attraction value and perceived organizational talent management. Further, employer branding attraction value found to be a mediating construct between the relationship of work–life balance and organizational talent management.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study will add insight into the human resource practitioners to design cost-effective and prolonged popular practices in order to meet the employees work and personal expectations under the organizational association. The research investigated issue within focused IT sector employees to understand and solve the issues generated with changing factors in an organizational environment such as increasing women participation, duel earning couple, and maintaining the difference between various categories of employees at the practice level.Social implicationsThe study has value at both the scholarly and practice level. At a scholarly level, the research investigated an important contemporary issue at both level individual as well as organizational level. In practice if organization implements people friendly work-life balance policies, then this will be surely be helpful in organizational productivity in form of talent management and employer branding and further this will improve the personal and professional performance of most elementary component of developing society.Originality/valueWork–life balance much more depends upon employees' perception, but so far the study has neglected the impact of this perception on other organizational attributes maintained under human resource management. Changes in demographic characteristics and interchangeable role of the youth population in organizations and society as well thrive for the newer approach to deal with the personal and professional aspects of the employees.

Work-life balance among newly employed officers – a qualitative study

BackgroundA military career puts great demands on the individual as regards combining working life and private life. The military and the family both demand time, energy, engagement, and commitment from the individual. Finding an appropriate balance between work and non-work might be particularly complex during military training and deployments that require extended periods away from home. The aim of this study was to investigate newly employed officers’ perceptions of work-life balance and its implications for future careers.Participants and procedureThis article is based on 34 semi-structured interviews with newly employed officers and non-commissioned officers in the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF). The interviews were analyzed according to the six-phase ap-proach of coding and theme development by thematic analysis.ResultsThe analysis resulted in the emergence of three main themes: coping with different loyalties, individual and organizational strategies, and concerns about the future. All officers expressed loyalty to their work and organi-zation, but these perceptions were influenced by significant others in private life. High ambitions in combination with stressful working conditions made organizational supportive strategies important, but these differed be-tween units. Concerns about a constantly high workload and lack of recovery were highlighted, as well as con-cerns about future career and family building.ConclusionsIn order to retain qualified personnel, the SAF should provide support and create conditions that help employ-ees to balance work and non-work. A career in the Armed Forces will inevitably entail a reduced work-life bal-ance, and our results show that the newly employed officers are highly aware of this. To ease the pressure, the SAF could be clearer about the expectations on their new employees.

Faculty perceptions of work-life balance: the role of marital/relationship and family status

This study examined correlates of work-life balance perceptions for faculty from various marital/relationship and family statuses, using data from the multi-institutional survey of faculty from the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) project at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Indicating lower work-life balance among single (rather than married/partnered) faculty, our findings call for colleges and universities to directly address the work-life struggles of single faculty members with and without children. Our findings also underscore the central importance of institutional support for making personal/family obligations and an academic career compatible for all faculty, supports that are correlated with better faculty work-life balance at the level of both individual faculty and the institution. In addition, we argue that institutional supports are particularly important for early-career faculty, who assessed their work-life balance consistently lower than faculty at higher ranks.

Work-life management for workforce maintenance: A qualitative comparative study

Nowadays, owing to the changing nature of the work environment, with its ever-increasing demands, the quality of working life and its relationship with the individual’s wellbeing are recognized worldwide as vital for the workforce. This study analyzes the role of employees’ perception of five quality of working life attributes (specifically workplace conditions, working life autonomy, corporate citizenship, remuneration, and workplace diversity and inclusion) in ensuring the individual’s wellbeing focusing in particular on workers’ perception of work-life balance, working life opportunities, and health and wellness. The results of the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis reveal the same various configurations for the three outcomes that suggest a new perspective towards understanding the factors in employees’ working life that enhance their wellbeing, and so improve workforce maintenance. The results have managerial implications related to work-life management for workforce maintenance.

Work-life balance policies in high performance organisations: A comparative interview study with millennials in Dutch consultancies

The literature on work-life balance primarily focuses on how individuals cope with high work demands. This study, however, investigates how young professionals experience the work-life balance support offered by organisations. Twenty-four millennial consultants were interviewed to explore their perceptions of work-life balance and organisational support policies in an extreme work context. Twelve consultants worked for strategy houses with an average working week of around 60 hours, while the other 12 worked for general management consultancies with average working weeks of roughly 50 hours. Our comparative findings suggest that overall work-life balance perceptions stay positive in both settings. In strategy houses, where work pressures are highest, reported policies and practices go beyond health programmes, training and coaching, which are the most common work-life balance measures. Strategy houses monitor their consultants’ work-life balance experience weekly, provide options to outsource components of the work, and offer multiple forms of compensation. These further policies are much appreciated. Despite these positive assessments, we also observe an increase of negative work-life balance experiences due to the higher work pressures at strategy houses. There is, therefore, some ambiguity in the work-life balance perceptions of consultants, who recalibrate what are ‘normal’ work demands and reframe and refocus on the bright side of work life. Such occupational ideologies indicate a ‘dirty work’ experience.

The (in)compatibility of identities: Understanding gender differences in work-life conflict through the fit with leaders.

Women's concerns about work-life balance are cited as a key factor underlying their continued underrepresentation in particular domains and roles. This gendered pattern is often attributed to factors in the home, such as women's disproportionate share of domestic work and childcare responsibilities. We offer an additional explanation that focuses on workplace identities. Across four studies, we demonstrate that perceptions of work-life balance are not only a matter of balancing time, but also a matter of balancing identity, and that the availability of attainable leaders plays a key role in determining these processes. More specifically, a survey study (Study 1, N=1223) among participants working in a historically male-dominated profession shows that gender differences in work-life balance perceptions are, in part, explained by women's perceived lack of fit with leaders and, in turn, their perceptions of incompatibility between who they are at home and who they are at work. In Studies 2 (N=207), 3a (N=209), and 3b (N=191), we demonstrate that gender differences in anticipated work-life balance can be ameliorated through exposure to attainable female leaders. These findings have implications for organizations that seek to recruit and retain women and demonstrate that issues of identity are crucial for facilitating work-life balance.

The work-life balance of blue-collar workers: The role of employee engagement and burnout

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of employee engagement and burnout on the perception of work-life balance, particularly on blue-collar workers. The study sample comprised of 91 employees of the production section (blue-collar workers) in a multinational company in Jababeka-Cikarang. Sampling was carried out using a stratified technique of proportional approach. The instruments used in this study are The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS), and Work-Life Balance Scale. The study used primary data collection through survey method and secondary data from the company for analysis. Multiple regression analysis showed that employee engagement and burnout influence participants’ perceptions on work-life balance. The result indicates that employee engagement and burnout explained 17.6 percent on the variability of participants’ perceived work-life balance.&#x0D;

Achieving Work-Life Balances through Flexible Work Practices

The paper aims to examine flexible work practices and employees' perception of work-life balance. The main purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between flexible work practice and work-life balance. The study is descriptive and co-relational. It is based on the perceptions of employees and includes the questionnaire to 160 employees of service-based organizations working on a different level at Kathmandu Valley. The sample consisted of managerial and nonmanagerial employees who were interested to participate in this study. It is found that employees feel that a flexible work schedule is the right kind of system for their kind of job and they prefer flexibility at work. Flexibility work practice was found to have a positive impact on the employees. It made them more responsible as they were able to manage time at work and fulfill the personal commitment. This paper is useful to academicians and organizations to understand the impact of FW practices on work performance. The findings in this study would help managers and organizations in Nepal to formulate flexible work schedules to improve the work-life balance of human resources working in the organization.

Role of perceived work–life balance between work overload and career commitment

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to examine the mediating effect of perceived work–life balance (WLB) between work overload and career commitment among law enforcement officers in India. The study also explores whether satisfaction with organizational WLB strategies moderates the relationship between work overload and perceived WLB.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on a sample of 819 law enforcement officers through a structured questionnaire based data collection. The reliability coefficient of the scales varied between 0.86 and 0.94. The study adopted a hierarchical multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe result supported the mediating role of perceived WLB in the relationship between work overload and career commitment. It also demonstrated that the impact of work overload on perceived WLB would be diminished among employees having high levels of satisfaction on organizational WLB strategies.Practical implicationsThe research findings have significant policy implications for the organization under study and a reference for many others with deteriorating WLB to amend the existing policy or formulate new measures.Originality/valueThe present study expands the scant literature on the mediating role of perceived WLB between work overload and career commitment. The study also furthers the literature by exploring the moderating roles of WLB strategies between work overload and perceived WLB.

Work–life balance of librarians at the Kenneth Dike library in Nigeria

PurposeThis study examined the interceding influence of work–life balance (WLB) among library staff at the Kenneth Dike Library and its implication for the provision of information. The research sought to respond to the following questions: the effect of demographic variables on the WLB of librarians and their perceptions of WLB within the intimate environment.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a positivist research paradigm because the nature of the research revealed a single social reality which can be measured quantitatively, using a reliable instrument such as a questionnaire. The total sampling technique was used to zero in on the staff of the library, in which the entire library population was included in the study.FindingsThe findings suggest that male librarians enjoy a better WLB than their female counterparts. Also, the results indicate that librarians, irrespective of their marital status, focused on job-related activities minding their marital status and therefore, marital status could influence the WLB of librarians. Similarly, priority is not being given to their work, to the detriment of caring for the family.Research limitations/implicationsThe study suggests that age causes the WLB to change, the implication being that an ageing workforce has an impact on adaptation, output and innovation.Originality/valueThis paper sheds light on the WLB among librarians at the Kenneth Dike Library (KDL); therefore, information acquired from this study is imaginative and valuable to understand better how information professionals react to official and personal engagement.

Analysis of Gender Perceptions in Health Technology: A Call to Action

Gender diversity has been linked to positive business results. Yet limited data exist to characterize the gender landscape in health technology, a field that draws employees from both biomedical engineering and medicine. To better understand the state of gender diversity in this industry, we developed a survey to explore leadership representation and perceptions of workplace equality, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. Data from 400 + health technology professionals revealed that women are significantly underrepresented in senior leadership and that men and women experience the workplace differently. Men believe in greater numbers than females that senior leaders are focused on recruiting and promoting women, promotion criteria are equitable, and the major barrier to leadership roles for women is work/family balance. In contrast, women perceive a less meritocratic and inclusive workplace in which their ability to rise is hampered by exclusion from influential communication networks and stereotyping/bias. Perhaps as a result, more than one-third of female respondents are considering leaving their current jobs, citing dissatisfaction with management and a desire for greater advancement opportunities. This study highlights significant gender perception differences in health technology that require further study and proactive remediation for the field to fully realize the benefits of gender diversity.