Work life balance
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Understanding Work-Life Balance: Key Insights and Implications
Defining Work-Life Balance: Concepts and Terminology
Work-life balance (WLB) is a multifaceted concept that encompasses various definitions and interpretations. Some scholars emphasize balancing the demands of paid work and family responsibilities to minimize conflict and maximize satisfaction1. Others view it as the blurring of boundaries between work, family, and leisure time1. Alternative terms such as work-family balance, work-life integration, and work-life harmonization are also used to describe this balance1.
Importance of Health and Family in Work-Life Balance
Recent research highlights that workers value health as much as family in their work-life balance considerations. The work-health balance (WHB) has been shown to have a significant impact on job satisfaction, sometimes even more than the work-family balance (WFB)3. Factors such as age, gender, parental status, and work ability can moderate the effects of WFB and WHB on job satisfaction, indicating the need for tailored approaches to WLB for different worker groups3.
Organizational Performance and Work-Life Balance
A meta-analysis of 58 studies reveals a positive relationship between work-life balance arrangements and organizational performance. Key performance indicators such as career motivation, employee attendance, recruitment, and retention are significantly improved with effective WLB policies5. This underscores the importance for organizations to implement WLB strategies to enhance productivity and reduce turnover5.
Structural Approaches to Work-Life Balance
Research suggests that structural approaches, rather than individual efforts, are crucial in addressing work-life balance. This involves considering workplace cultures, occupational roles, and gender inequalities1. Policies aimed at WLB should recognize these structural factors to be effective1.
Cross-National Perspectives on Work-Life Balance
A cross-national study across New Zealand, France, Italy, and Spain found that work demands, hours worked, and family demands negatively impact WLB, while job autonomy and supervisor support positively influence it10. Resources such as job autonomy and supervisor support can buffer the negative effects of high demands on WLB, highlighting the importance of supportive work environments10.
Emerging Themes and Future Research Directions
Recent literature reviews and bibliometric analyses have identified emerging themes in WLB research, including flexible work arrangements, gender differences, and the impact of organizational culture7. Future research should continue to explore these areas and address gaps such as the impact of situational factors and the role of WLB in high-stress environments7 9.
Conclusion
Work-life balance is a complex and evolving concept that requires a holistic and structural approach. By understanding the diverse factors that influence WLB, including health, family, organizational support, and cultural contexts, both employees and employers can work towards creating more balanced and productive work environments. Continued research and policy development are essential to address the dynamic nature of work-life balance in contemporary society.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
Work/Life Balance
Work-life balance efforts may lead to poor-quality jobs due to factors like increased permeability between work and home, technology, and weak union protections.
Work – life balance: Exploring the connections between levels of influence in the UK public sector
Connecting work-life balance issues at macro, organizational, and individual levels is crucial for effective policy and practice implementation in the public sector and voluntary sector.
Work–Life Balance: Weighing the Importance of Work–Family and Work–Health Balance
Work-health balance is as important as work-family balance, explaining more of the variance in job satisfaction, with age, gender, parental status, and work ability influencing these effects.
Observational Study
Rigorous Journal
Highly CitedWork—Life Balance?
Work-life balance is a dynamic, less reductionist concept that incorporates emotions, autonomy, control, and identity, rather than a static, reified entity.
How Is Work–Life Balance Arrangement Associated with Organisational Performance? A Meta-Analysis
Work-life balance arrangements positively impact organizational performance, particularly in career motivation, attendance, recruitment, and retention, with gender, sector, and employee hierarchy playing moderating roles.
Meta-AnalysisRigorous JournalWork-Life Balance: an Integrative Review
Work-life balance involves engagement in work and nonwork life, minimal conflict between social roles, and is linked to overall life satisfaction.
Literature ReviewHighly CitedWork–life balance: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis
Work-life balance research focuses on flexible work arrangements, gender differences, work-life interface, and policies and practices, with emerging themes including gender discrepancy and organizational culture.
Systematic ReviewThe relation between work-family balance and quality of life
Work-family balance is associated with higher quality of life for professionals in public accounting, with those spending more time on family experiencing a higher quality of life than those with balanced schedules.
Observational StudyHighly CitedEmployee Work-Life Balance: A Meta-Analysis Review
Work-life balance is a complex concept that involves a subjective assessment of balance between work and life beyond work, with high stress environments like police organizations benefiting from its examination.
Meta-AnalysisA Cross-National Study on the Antecedents of Work–Life Balance from the Fit and Balance Perspective
Job autonomy and supervisor support positively impact work-life balance, while work demands and hours negatively affect it across four countries (New Zealand, France, Italy, and Spain).
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