Work-life balance (living for work or work for living?)

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Figure 1: Work-life balance

According to HR ZONE, (2023) “Work-life balance refers to the level of prioritization between personal and professional activities in an individual’s life and the level to which activities related to their job are present in the home”.

In 1986, the term "Work-life Balance (WLB)" was introduced, although it had been used in everyday language for several years. Interestingly, work/life programs existed as early as the 1930s (Meenakshi, et al., 2013).

 

Figure 2: Wok-life balance factors


The rising use of technology that reduces the significance of physical location in defining work-life balance has made the concept of work-life balance a hot topic. Previously, there was a distinct border between business and personal life since it was difficult or impossible to bring work home.

 It has become easier for employees to be "permanently" at work due to the development of mobile technology, cloud-based software, and the spread of the internet, blurring the line between work and personal life. According to some pundits, managers' autocratic rule has been supplanted by smartphones and "always-on" access to the office (HR ZONE, 2023).


Video 1 


 

Five basic models of work-life balance

Zedeck and Mosier (1990) and later O’Driscoll (1996) identified five basic models of work-life balance (Sen & Hooja, 2018).

01.   Segmentation Model- The individual's life is divided into two areas. One of them is a work domain, and the other is not. Since the person has clearly defined life segments, they do not interfere with functioning and one segment has no bearing at all on the other

02.   Spillover Model - One domain can have a good or negative impact on the other. An individual's work-life might affect their family life, and vice versa, in regard to their job experiences. Such spillover experiences are noticeable when the person either works flexible hours or chooses to work from home.

03.   Compensation Model - A person tries to make up for what is lacking in one area by filling it in with something in the other. If a person's workplace is uninteresting and unsatisfying, they could make up for it by being involved in school-sponsored activities or being proactive in volunteer work that would be recognized and valued by the community

04.   Instrumental Model - activities in one sphere are instrumental and supportive in success in other spheres of life. A worker may take up a job which is boring and dull in order to fulfill the desires of the family, e.g., education

05.   Conflict Model - asserts that when demands are strong in all areas of life, people must make difficult decisions that may lead to conflict and a potential overload

 

Determinants, Nature & Consequence of Work-Life Balance


Figure 3: Determinants, Nature & Consequence of Work-Life Balance

(Guest, 2002)

 

Whose job is it to achieve a good work-life balance?

It is difficult to give a general answer because different societies have different understandings. However, this is an important question that everyone must ask themselves. The survey participants reported that 39% of the responsibility lies with the individual, 20% with the manager, 34% with the employer and 7% with the government (Dragani, 2012).

 

What contributes to poor work-life balance

55 % of those polled claimed it was because they were working from home. It's interesting to note that another 38% admitted they felt bad for not taking time off from work. Combining these responses reveals that 93% of respondents feel compelled to bring work home. This emphasizes the potential distinction between the work-life balance in the 20th century and the present. Due to the fact that almost all modern workers carry electronic devices connected to their jobs, also draws attention to the risk that young professionals working in the oil and gas sector now face (Dragani, 2012).

 

Reasons for a work-life conflict

  • Increased responsibilities at work and home
  • Working longer hours
  • Stress Level
  • Number of dependents in the family
  • Taking care of family needs
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Income

Figure 4: Work-life balance factors

 

The Negative Effects of Work-Life Conflict

Long work hours and highly stressful jobs not only hamper employees’ ability to harmonize work and family life but also are associated with health risks, such as increased smoking and alcohol consumption, weight gain, and depression. Work-life conflict has been associated with numerous physical and mental health implications. According to a 2007 study by Duxbury and Higgins, women are more likely than men to report high levels of role overload and caregiver strain. This is because women devote more hours per week than men to non-work activities such as childcare, elder care and are more likely to have primary responsibility for unpaid labor such as domestic work (Meenakshi, et al., 2013)

  

How to Improve the work-life balance

  • Accept that there is no ‘perfect’ work-life balance.
  • Find a job that you love.
  • Prioritize your health.
  • Don’t be afraid to unplug.
  • Take a vacation as and when required.
  • Make time for yourself and your loved ones.
  • Set boundaries and work hours.
  • Set goals and priorities (and stick to them).
  • Flexible working hours

Conclusion

Balancing professional and personal life can be challenging, but it's essential. Love and work are the cornerstones of being human and both are very important for happiness. Improvements in people management practices, especially work time and work location flexibility, and the development of supportive managers, contribute to increased work-life balance.

Finally, self-management is important, people need to control their own behavior and expectations regarding work-life balance.

 

References

Dragani, J., 2012. The Way Ahead. [Online]
Available at: https://jpt.spe.org/twa/worklife-balance-21st-century?gclid=CjwKCAjwue6hBhBVEiwA9YTx8OIHQRcJS_by9qwkGtjO5tO4eRxOejr0KYElkArHwZs7Cicuc4pq9RoC1xgQAvD_BwE
[Accessed 22 April 2023].

HR ZONE, 2023. HR ZONE. [Online]
Available at: https://www.hrzone.com/hr-glossary/what-is-work-life-balance
[Accessed 22 April 2023].

Meenakshi, P., Subrahmanyam, V. & Ravichandran, K., 2013. The Importance of Work-Life-Balance. IOSR Journal of Business and Management (IOSR-JBM), 14((Nov. - Dec. 2013)), p. 35.

Sen, C. & Hooja, H. R., 2018. Work-Life Balance: An Overview. International Journal of Management and Social Sciences Research (IJMSSR) , Janulary, 7(2018), p. 6.


Comments

  1. Anonymous23 April 2023 at 23:22

    GOOD SUBJECT TO DISCUSS, BUT MAIN THING IS TO BE CONSIDERED MUST BE SELECTING A JOB WHICH MACH WITH INDIVIDUALS LIFE.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Satheesh24 April 2023 at 10:55

    Very nicely presented. This is a critical topic and you have demonstrated very understandable manner.
    Thank you for sharing the post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mafaz24 April 2023 at 18:43

      Hi Sathees, thank you for your comment.

      Delete
  3. Mafaz24 April 2023 at 18:48

    Hi friends, work-life balance has to be managed in everyone's life. Looking forward to your comments and life experiences, what types of issues face, and how it was managed. It will be helpful for others as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mafaz24 April 2023 at 19:08

    Recently, during my son's birth, we had a hard time as we live abroad. I found it difficult to manage work, family with my daughter, and the situation for delivery and after...
    So, I decided to send my family back to Sri Lanka for a couple of months to manage the situation. So that I can have my vacation during the delivery time and could visit my parents as well.
    The situation was managed well.
    Also, during the vacation, I could finalize and enroll in my MBA program with ESOFT.
    Hope you all also had such experiences and looking forward to sharing from your end.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Vinojkanth 26 April 2023 at 22:16

    Yes, this was a most important topic to discuss, well said about our present situation. Balancing the professional and personal life is challenging thing but Self-management is important. Thanks for share this.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mafaz26 April 2023 at 23:42

    Thank you for the comment Dilani

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mafaz26 April 2023 at 23:43

    Yes, Self-management is always key

    ReplyDelete
  8. Raihana27 April 2023 at 11:30

    Establishing a proper work life balance is a must

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rubinie Rajendran27 April 2023 at 21:48

    The productivity of an organization depends on its staff. When an employee's work-life balance is stable, they will be greatly happy at work, which is where the importance of work-life balance comes into play. As a result, productivity increases.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous29 April 2023 at 23:12

    You have selected good topic to discuss real world of all of our jobs.

    ReplyDelete
  11. FazilMBA20234 May 2023 at 16:17

    Most interesting topic, We must choose a career that appeals to our passions.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Srimali MBA 20234 May 2023 at 20:40

    Hi Mafaz.When we talking about the topic that related to HRM you have chosen here very important and essential topic.It is really nice one.Welldone and thank you for sharing this with us

    ReplyDelete
  13. Amila Devapriya4 May 2023 at 21:46

    It is important for employers to understand that their employees have personal lives outside of work and need time to recharge and take care of themselves

    ReplyDelete
  14. MOHAMED RAHMATH RALLY5 May 2023 at 05:17

    You have selected good topic to discuss real world of all of our jobs.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sameer MBA 20235 May 2023 at 16:53

    work life balance is important, it helps to employee to concentrate their job , company can expect the good productivity

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mafaz5 May 2023 at 17:58

    Thank you for the comment.

    ReplyDelete

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