Work-life balance: A landscape mapping of two decades of scholarly research.

Work-life balance has gained increasing popularity among scholars and practitioners since the beginning of the century. Despite significant attempts to consolidate this burgeoning field, the scholarly knowledge on work-life balance research remains fragmented and detached due to extant number of publications in the area and the mostly subjective approaches used to encapsulate the literature. As such, the current study presents an objective overview of work-life balance research between 2000 and 2020. Using bibliometric techniques, the authors examined 1190 articles indexed in Scopus database to identify the conceptual structure and current dynamics in the field. During the critical period between the reconceptualization of word-life balance and the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, the findings reveal that the field was growing exponentially as a multidisciplinary research area. Most of the scholarly work originated in the US, UK, and Australia with a "locally-centralized-globally-discrete" collaboration pattern among scholars. The most relevant and developed research themes included, in addition to work-life balance, topics related to gender and family life. Furthermore, new emerging research directions had evolved beyond the traditional constructs including job security, flexible working hours, individual productivity, and work-life conflicts. The study contributes to the current knowledge on work-life balance by providing critical insights into the evolution of the field and offers potential avenues for scholars who are interested in this critical research domain and the changes it has experienced post pandemic.

Work-Life Conflict, Burnout, and Associated Factors Among Hydroelectric Power Plant Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Power plants are associated with numerous occupational health and safety risk factors, with psychosocial risks being particularly significant. This study examines work-life conflict and burnout among power plant employees and discusses the factors associated with these issues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study focused on employees at three hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. The inclusion criteria included employees with at least one year of tenure. Using cluster sampling, three plants were selected in Adana, Ankara, and Samsun. The sample size was determined to be 262, and 201 employees participated, yielding a 76.7% response rate. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, which encompasses the sub-dimensions of a valid and reliable scale: The Work-Life Conflict and Burnout sub-dimensions of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire-III (COPSOQ-III) were used to measure the dependent variables. The independent variables included age, education level, total and weekly working hours, perceived health status, and department. The dependent variables were work-life conflict and burnout. Ethical approval was obtained from the Gazi University Ethics Committee. Statistical analysis compared the Pearson chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Yates correction with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age was 40.83 years, with an average tenure of 11.54 years and a weekly work time of 43.51 hours. Most participants (94.5%) were male; technical unit workers comprised 71.6%. Health issues included smoking (39.8%) and chronic diseases (19.9%). Concerns about the working environment include insufficient knowledge about safety (25.4%) and lack of knowledge about risk assessments (32.3%). Many workers reported lacking personal protective equipment (11.4%) and rest areas (15.4%). Negative health impacts from work were noted by 31.8%. In addition, 51.2% believed that noise levels were outside the acceptable range. Two-thirds of employees reported inadequate measures against physical risks in the workplace. Many participants experienced work-life conflict (13.9%) and burnout (14.5%). High work-life conflict was significantly associated with younger age groups, less tenure, and negative perceived health status. Burnout was significantly related to the duration of employment, weekly working hours, and perceived health status. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the seriousness of burnout and work-life conflict among hydropower plant workers, emphasizing the need for administrative and organizational interventions to alleviate these issues. Regular occupational health and safety training, involvement in risk assessments, fair workload distribution, supportive work environments, and counseling services are recommended to reduce burnout and improve work-life balance.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis That Seeks to Describe and Understand the Personal Experience of Burnout in General Practitioners.

Minimal research has explored the personal experience of burnout in doctors from any medical speciality. Consequently, we aimed to provide a relatable description and understanding of this globally recognised problem. We employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) of face-to-face interviews with seven general practitioners (GPs) in Northern Ireland, having selected interviewees best able to speak about burnout. We sought to understand how these GPs understood their burnout experiences. Our participants' continuous work involved more than their busy weekdays and also working on supposedly off evenings and weekends. In addition, draining intrusive thoughts of work filled most, if not all, of their other waking moments. There was no respite. Work was 'always there.' Being constantly busy, they had no time to think or attend to patients as doctors. Instead, participants were going through the motions like GP automatons. Their effectiveness, efficiency, and caring were failing, while their interactions with patients had changed as they tried to conserve their now-drained energy and empathy. There was no time left for their families or themselves. They now "existed" to continuously work rather than "living" their previous, more balanced lives that at one time included enjoying being a doctor. Worryingly, participants were struggling, isolated, and vulnerable, yet unwilling to speak to someone they trusted. We intend our burnout narrative to promote discussion between medical colleagues and assist in its recognition by GPs and other doctors. Our findings warn against working excessively, prioritising work ahead of family and oneself, and self-isolation rather than seeking necessary support.

Under pressure - Nursing staff's perspectives on working hours and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increased pressure on healthcare systems. During periods when the demands exceed the capacity of healthcare organizations, adaptive strategies are used to meet these demands. During the COVID-19 pandemic, working hours for nursing staff were reorganized and extended. This has posed challenges for recovery, which may be a key factor for maintaining health and safety under such conditions. Objectives: The aim of the study was to bring insights into how nursing staff perceived their working hours and recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if they experienced any changes in their sleep and well-being. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was chosen, as it is suitable for gaining insight into perceptions and experiences. Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Sixteen registered nurses and six certified nursing assistants from four Swedish hospitals participated in the study. Results: The organization of working hours during the COVID-19 pandemic was considered suboptimal and resulted in more demanding working hours and poor recovery. Nursing staff experienced loss of control as they lost influence over working hours, working hours became more unpredictable and the boundaries between work and leisure became blurred. Nursing staff also experienced a decline in their health and well-being, including extreme fatigue, impaired sleep and physical/mental changes. Conclusion: The strategies used by healthcare organizations to meet increasing demands during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to impaired recovery and well-being of nursing staff, which could generate negative feedback loops contributing to depletion of resources at the organizational level.

Finding the optimal balance: father-athlete challenges facing elite Nordic skiers.

Background: In the last decade, a growing body of research has focused on the many aspects and challenges of combining parenthood with elite sport. Although the number of father-athletes is significantly higher than the number of mother-athletes, few studies to date have focused on male athletes' experiences in a parenting context. Aim: The aims of the present study were to explore how father-athlete challenges manifest among elite Nordic skiers in Norway, and to better understand how male athletes balance their priorities as they initiate, maintain, and/or discontinue their athletic career as a father-athlete. Methods: Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 world-class male Nordic skiers in Norway (3 athletes without a child, 4 current father-athletes and 3 former father-athletes) and the content was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Four main stages were identified in the father-athlete transition: (a) Expecting incompatibility (b) Taking the step, (c), The first blow, and (d) Finding the optimal balance. Through these stages the informants expected/had experienced challenges such as performance decline, disturbed sleeping patterns, fear of sickness and role conflicts. To manage these challenges, the father-athletes had developed various strategies to balance their dual roles (e.g., adapting training and competition seasons). Among the benefits, the father-athletes mentioned that they had become more structured, time efficient and ruthless with their priorities, enhanced motivation to train and a better work-life balance. Conclusion: This study offers valuable insights into father-athlete challenges that can be used to support career longevity and work-life balance among male athletes.

Challenges and aspirations of neurosurgery residents in Germany: Insights from a questionnaire-based survey.

OBJECTIVE: Neurosurgery residents in Germany face numerous challenges including receiving comprehensive surgical training with adequate learning opportunities, achieving balanced work life equilibrium, maintaining a positive work environment and navigating career prospects. The objectives of this study are to assess overall satisfaction with the training program, identify factors contributing to dissatisfaction, explore various dimensions of the training program, evaluate the psychological well-being of residents, and ascertain their preferences for future subspecialties. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted anonymously among neurosurgery residents from various training hospitals, nationwide. The survey utilized a quantitative questionnaire as data collection tool. The data collection took place from June 2021 to January 2023. RESULTS: The survey encompassed 120 neurosurgery residents, with a gender distribution of 55 % male and 45 % female. The respondents were primarily from university hospitals (53 %), followed by community hospitals (38 %) and private hospitals (9 %). In terms of training program satisfaction, 37 % reported moderate satisfaction, 39 % indicated below-moderate satisfaction, and 28 % experienced above-moderate satisfaction. The predominant causes of dissatisfaction identified were insufficient surgical exposure (reported by 39 % of respondents), suboptimal educational content (38 %), and inadequate research opportunities (32 %). Additionally, 24 % of respondents highlighted psychological stress, and 36 % reported frequent experiences of burnout. A majority (63 %) indicated a workload of 60-80 h weekly. About half of the residents indicated a future specialization interest in neurosurgical oncology. CONCLUSION: The results of the survey findings provide valuable insights into the challenges and aspirations of neurosurgery trainees in Germany. These results serve as a basis for improving the training system, enhancing the working environment, and guiding future planning in this field. To optimize the training of residents, it is important to address issues such as limited surgical and research opportunities and psychological well-being. The expressed interest in subspecializing offers guidance for shaping the training program's future direction.

Labor shortage of physicians in rural areas and surgical specialties caused by Work Style Reform Policies of the Japanese government: a quantitative simulation analysis.

Objective: The Japanese government's physician workforce reform, which commenced in April 2024, introduced regulations on physicians' working hours. However, in areas facing physician shortages such as rural regions and surgical medical specialties, healthcare provision relies heavily on the extended working hours of each physician. The anticipated impact of this reform, when implemented, was significant. Materials and Methods: Using publicly available government data, we estimated the current working hours of physicians in various medical specialties in each prefecture across Japan. Subsequently, we calculated the ratio of surplus or deficit physicians when hypothetically assuming that all physicians adhered to the regulatory upper limit of 58.4 working hours per week nationwide. Results: Assuming that all physicians work to the regulated maximum, there would be a shortage of doctors in various medical specialties across Japan, such as surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine. Geographically, shortages of doctors are observed in rural prefectures such as those in the Tohoku region, particularly in emergency- and surgery-related specialties, indicating a critical shortage of physicians in rural areas. Additionally, it has become evident that even in medical specialties with a calculated surplus of physicians nationwide, the margin of surplus is generally only a few percentage points. Conclusion: Currently, rural areas and surgical medical specialties in Japan have limited leeway in the physician workforce, and the strict application of workforce reform may lead to a severe shortage of physicians in these areas. It is noteworthy that as similar reforms may subsequently be implemented in other countries, analogous challenges would arise. Thus, the implementation of workforce reform requires a flexible approach to minimize its negative effects, which widen the existing disparity in the workforce.

Work-life balance and the psychosocial work environment in Finnish working life: The case of gender and family life stages.

BACKGROUND: Work-life balance is associated with many positive effects at multiple levels and demands increased research attention. In the international literature on work-life balance, the term "gendered life-course" has been used to describe the differences between men and women in work biographies. However, whether this term applies to the Nordic work context remains underexplored. OBJECTIVE: This study examined Finnish men's and women's subjective experience of the association between work-life balance and the psychosocial work environment (work demands and social support at work) across the life course, devoting special attention to family life stages encompassing the care of (young) children. METHODS: Data from the Quality of Work Life Survey 2018 were utilized to conduct binary logistic regression analyses (N = 3790). Separate analyses were conducted for men and women. RESULTS: A significant association between family life stage and high work-life balance was found for women but not for men in the Finnish working life. Women in family life stages involving the care of young, dependent children reported the lowest odds of high work-life balance. For both men and women, a positive association between social support at work and high work-life balance was found, while a negative association was found between work demands and high work-life balance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors in both the work and family settings for work-life balance. Further, the findings call for an expanded focus on gender equality, also including issues in unpaid work in addition to issues in paid work.

Impact of metamorphoses from desk to E-commute - an acumen of professionals: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The deadly pandemic COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. Due to worldwide lockdown, economy was severely compromised. Everyone was in fear of the consequences that would be faced. Many unprecedented changes happened because of this pandemic. People confined themselves at home to maintain social distancing and mitigation of risk factors. This posed many challenges to the individuals or work force with, and many times the work was compromised. Objectives: To explore the current and changes in work pattern and to assess the overall quality of life of professionals working from home. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by circulating a structured questionnaire through online platform. A snowball sampling method was adopted. Totally, 520 respondents participated in this study. Results: Out of 520 participants, males accounted for 57.9% and 41.3% were females. Majority (45.8% males and 40.9% females) were engaged in the software or IT companies. A higher proportion of males were engaged in administration (6%), architecture (10%) and transportation (5.3%) sector, whereas more females were engaged in finance (10.7%) and law (3.3%) sector. 73.1% males worked for more than 12 hours a day in contrast to only 26.9% of females. As the working hours are reducing, the overall quality of life of the participants was increasing significantly with P = 0.008. For those with moderately increased work-life balance, near about half of the participants had overall quality of life between 50 and 75% (P < 0.001). Conclusions: In order to increase efficiency at work place, definite laws should be in place to protect the mental as well as overall well-being of professionals working from home. Elaborative research in this field is required in order to generalize the results.

Empowering Voices: Cultivating a Supportive Network From the Women in Medicine and Health Care Symposium.

Description There are many studies, some discussed in this article, that recognize the numerous issues faced by women in medicine and the health care field. In response to the prevalence of these challenges, Riverside Community Hospital's General Medical Education department organized the second Women in Medicine & Healthcare Symposium on November 17, 2023. The symposium featured a panel of women leaders addressing challenges, such as work-life balance, maternity leave, fertility concerns, and family planning. Personal stories and studies on gender bias and infertility shed light on the shared experiences of women physicians. The positive response prompted Riverside Community Hospital to view the event as the first step in creating a supportive community.

"Are We Soft?" Importance of Aligning Career Goals with Work-Life Balance.

This Perspective discusses changing attitudes of research trainees regarding work-life balance and emphasizes the importance of properly aligning one's short- and long-term career goals with one's work-life balance preferences and/or responsibilities.

Dual career in sport and non-sport work: Exploring experiences of North American professional female ice hockey players.

Grounded in role strain theory, this study explored the dual career experiences of North American female ice hockey players who were also involved in full-time non-sporting work, focusing on factors that produced and reduced their role strain. We interviewed ten professional ice hockey players who held full-time non-sport jobs at the time of their interview. Our reflexive thematic analysis revealed that the multitude of factors leading to role strain among professional female working-athletes were notably significant, spanning societal expectations and environmental complexities. The imposition of the superwoman persona, demanding excellence in both hockey and work roles, combined with inconsistent expectations from professional and athletic supervisors intensified stress and undermined well-being. The study's findings emphasize the need for robust support systems and adaptive strategies, such as effective communication, careful planning, and proactive self-care, which can mitigate these pressures. Furthermore, the athletes' narratives revealed a pressing call for empathy and flexibility from coaches, employers, and the broader sports community, suggesting that improvements in these areas could enhance the professional and personal experiences of these working-athletes. The findings provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by dual career female athletes, as well as current strategies aimed at supporting and enhancing their experiences. Furthermore, these results deepen our understanding of how professional female athletes in North America can achieve greater well-being by addressing the factors that produce and reduce role strain factors.

Challenges in Medicine, Magnified by the Pandemic: A Dual Battle for Female Physicians.

INTRODUCTION:  We aimed to understand how the pandemic impacted work hours and employment status of female physicians.  Methods: An anonymous survey of female physicians was distributed through social media and email lists from 12/2021 to 2/2022. Primary outcomes were changes in physicians' work schedules and employment status. Analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended items and qualitative content analysis of open-ended responses. RESULTS:  We restricted our analysis to four specialties: obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, anesthesia, and pediatrics (n=626). The majority (92%) of respondents had caretaking responsibilities; 43% changed work schedules to accommodate those responsibilities. Around 17% of physicians changed jobs. The most common reasons for job changes included: negative work environment, lack of work-life balance, burden of work, and lack of efforts to mitigate COVID-19.  Conclusion: The pandemic highlighted the need for flexibility, improvements in workplace culture, and financial incentives to increase retention.

Risk Factors for Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases of Long-Haul Truck Drivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Review.

Long-haul truck drivers are responsible for transporting goods valued at millions of dollars of the world economy, and may have their health affected by living and working conditions. This study analyzed and synthesized scientific findings about risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in long-haul truck drivers. An integrative literature review was conducted. We identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the health of 7363 drivers. The biological risk factors identified were age, gender, race/ethnicity, genetics, and comorbidities, and were considered to be non-modifiable for chronic diseases. The behavioral risks considered to be modifiable were sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, diet, stress, anxiety, and unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. Environmental risks involved working conditions such as the following: number of working hours per day, week, and month; time away from home; risk of musculoskeletal injury; and opportunities for rest, hours of sleep, and access to health services. The results were presented in two categories: (1) biological, behavioral, and environmental risks, and (2) general recommendations to promote physical, cognitive, and emotional health. Macro-structural changes are needed to reorganize work and rest, improve access to health services to control modifiable risk factors, and to support behavioral and environmental changes to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and deaths.

Work-life balance Twitter insights: A social media analysis before and after COVID-19 pandemic.

This research examines the perceptions of Twitter users regarding the prevalent topics within Work-Life Balance communication before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The pressing questions surrounding current labour market drivers are addressed, particularly regarding the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on communicated themes, particularly in the Human Resource Management field, where Work-Life Balance has emerged as a key concept. Social media platforms like Twitter are pivotal in fostering discussions on Work-Life Balance in society. Over the past decade, Twitter has evolved into a significant research platform researchers utilise in more than ten thousand research articles. The online discourse on Twitter raises awareness of the importance of balancing work and personal life. The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled new facets of Work-Life Balance, with social media as a key platform for discussing these issues. This research uses Social Media Analysis based on the Hashtag Research framework. A total of 1,768,628 tweets from 499,574 users were examined, and frequency, topic, and sentiment analysis were conducted. Pre-pandemic, the most communicated Work-Life Balance topics were performance and time management, while recruitment and employee development were identified post-pandemic. Pre-pandemic, the highest proportion of negative sentiment was time management and mental health prevention, shifting to time, employee development, and mental health prevention post-pandemic. Despite the limitations of our research, a proposed redefinition of the concept is also presented, including a design for an integrated Work-Life Balance model based on topics communicated by Twitter users. Given the need for a more robust approach to redefining the concept and developing an integrative Work-Life Balance model, the article provides fresh insights for future research.

Work-Life Balance.

There has been much written about work-life balance, both in nursing and other professions. Additionally, the term has taken on multiple definitions over the years, and it is often touted as central to an organization's mission. The Cambridge Dictionary defines work-life balance quite simply as "the amount of time you spend doing your job compared with the amount of time you spend with your family and doing things you enjoy." If it is such a simple concept, why is it such a dominant subject in nursing literature? This article explores the essential components of work-life balance, how health care organizations struggle to define it and differ in what they may promote on paper versus what they practice, and examine why work-life balance is crucial to nurses' overall well-being.

Exploring the global landscape of work-life balance research: A bibliometric and thematic analysis.

The research on work-life balance (WLB) published in journals with a Scopus index between 2011 and 2022 is carefully examined in this work. Our research attempts to clarify the evolution and trends in WLB research and the importance of publications that Scopus indexes. After analyzing 2717 research articles, we found that WLB publications have a significant annual growth rate of 14.71 %, which suggests that the trend continues to grow. Significant changes are seen, with 1888 papers produced between 2017 and 2022 highlighting a notable increase in interest in the field. With 1608 papers, social sciences account for the majority of WLB research. With 54 publications, Griffith University (Australia) is the most affiliated institution. With 30 papers, the "Economic and Social Research Council of the United Kingdom" became the primary source of financing. The most prolific author, with nine publications, is Lingard H. At the same time, co-citation analysis reveals 168 co-cited authors. The United States (USA), the United Kingdom (U.K.), and Australia (A.U.) are the top three producing nations. A thematic analysis reveals ten major WLB themes, from work stress to difficulties with human resource management. This study provides crucial insights for policymakers and leaders to address work-life balance issues effectively. Using tools like Gephi or CiteSpace, we could deepen our understanding through advanced analysis methods such as page rank and network visualization.

Current status of the surgical training system in Japan: results of a nationwide questionnaire survey of graduating surgical trainees.

PURPOSE: To identify the problems trainees face during surgical training in Japan. METHODS: A nationwide online questionnaire survey was conducted targeting newly certified surgical trainees. RESULTS: The response rate was 53.8% (758/1410). Among those respondents, 25.6% were women, 71.4% were either married or had a partner, 41.3% had children, 72.7% had performed over 200 surgeries under general anesthesia, and 54.1% had chosen, before graduating from medical school, to become a surgeon. While 88.8% were interested in learning surgical techniques, 63.8% were hesitant to become a surgeon for fear of a compromised quality of private life (QOL). Conversely, only 1.4% chose their surgical training programs based on QOL. Overall, 84.6% of the trainees were satisfied with their training and this correlated with the number of surgeries performed. Only 29.9% received non-technical skill training. The average number of night shifts per month was 5.6, and 10.6% worked over 80 h per week. Harassment was reported by 41.5% of the respondents. Moreover, 33.0% had considered dropping out at some time, primarily because of their QOL (51.1%) or the harassment they had encountered (50.4%). CONCLUSION: This survey revealed that while trainees were satisfied with the overall training system, issues such as long working hours and harassment are prevalent. Working to improve these issues could make surgery more attractive for young trainees.

Feeling Supported as a Remote Worker: The Role of Support from Leaders and Colleagues and Job Satisfaction in Promoting Employees' Work-Life Balance.

Due to the increasing use of remote work, understanding the dynamics of employee support and its implications for job satisfaction and work-life balance is crucial. Utilizing the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as a theoretical framework, this research investigated how feeling supported by leaders and colleagues at work fosters work-life balance and job satisfaction among remote employees. The study involved 635 remote workers (females = 61%, mean age, 46.7, SD = 11) from various service-based industries and public administration in Italy. Results from the structural equation model showed a total mediating effect of job satisfaction in the link between colleague support and work-life balance (χ2(22) = 68.923, p = 0.00, CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.955, RMSEA = 0.059 (90% CI = 0.044-0.075, p = 0.158), SRMR = 0.030), emphasizing the role of interpersonal relationships within the workplace in enhancing remote workers' job satisfaction and, consequently, their work-life balance. Contrary to expectations, the study found no significant direct or indirect link between leader support and work-life balance. This research highlights the significance of fostering strong social connections and ensuring employee satisfaction to promote well-being and work-life balance in remote work arrangements.