Definitions of work-life balance in childfree dual-career couples: an inductive typology

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina Boiarintseva ◽  
Souha R. Ezzedeen ◽  
Christa Wilkin
Keyword(s):  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Dual Career ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Work Lives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Dual Career Couples ◽  
The Individual

PurposeWork-life balance experiences of dual-career professional couples with children have received considerable attention, but there remains a paucity of research on the definitions of work-life balance among dual-career professional couples without children. This qualitative investigation sheds light on childfree couples' lives outside of work and their concomitant understanding of work-life balance.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on interviews with 21 dual-career professional couples in Canada and the US, exploring their non-work lives and how they conceive of work-life balance.FindingsThematic analyses demonstrate that this group, while free of child rearing responsibilities, still deals with myriad non-work obligations. These couples also defy uniform characterization. The inductive investigation uncovered four couple categories based on the individual members' career and care orientations. These included careerist, conventional, non-conventional and egalitarian couples. Definitions of work-life balance varied across couple type according to the value they placed on flexibility, autonomy and control, and their particular level of satisfaction with their work and non-work domains.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research at the intersection of work-life balance and various demographic groups by exploring the work-life balance of professional dual-career couples without children. Using an interpretive ontology, the study advances a typology of childfree dual-career professional couples. The findings challenge the rhetoric that these couples are primarily work-oriented but otherwise carefree. Thus, this study demonstrates ways that childfree couples are different as well as similar to those with children.

scholarly journals Navigating dual-careers: the challenge for professional couples

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Scurry ◽  
Marilyn Clarke
Keyword(s):  
Work And Family ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career ◽  
Family Needs ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
Dual Careers ◽  
Situational Constraints

PurposeDual-careers are an increasingly common typology among professionals yet very few studies have considered how two potentially competing career trajectories are managed in relation to the broader aspects of life, such as family and personal life. This article addresses the gap through an exploration of the strategies adopted by dual-career professional couples as they seek to navigate these challenges whilst satisfying individual and shared goals and aspirations.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured, face-to-face interviews were carried out with 18 couples (dyads) from a range of professional occupations. Interviews were conducted individually, and then responses analysed and compared for key themes.FindingsRather than focusing on how couples manage work–life balance on a day-today basis this study shows how couples incorporate a more strategic approach to dual-careers so that both careers are able to progress, albeit within situational constraints.Practical implicationsTo satisfy personal, business and economic performance goals, organisations and governments will need to find more creative ways to support employees as they seek to navigate careers while balancing the work and nonwork needs of themselves and their partner. The challenges faced by dual-career couples have implications for human resource managers as they seek to attract and retained talent within their organisations.Social implicationsDemographic and social changes at the household level will ultimately require changes at an organisational and broader societal level to meet the work and family needs of this growing cohort.Originality/valueRather than focusing on how couples manage work-life balance on a day-today basis this study shows how couples incorporate a more strategic approach to dual-careers so that both careers are able to progress, albeit within situational constraints.

scholarly journals Roles of Selected Psycho-Demographic Factors on Quality of Sex Life and Marital Satisfaction among Dual-career Couples

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Keyword(s):  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Dual Career Couples ◽  
Quality Of Sex Life

The study investigated the predictive roles of career self-efficacy, work-life balance and selected demographic factors on the quality of sex life and marital satisfaction among dual-career couples in Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, and assessed if there are significant differences between men and women. The study used a cross-sectional research design and 1056 dual-career men and women ( age = 43.98, σ = 9.48, ♀ = 37.0%) participated in the study. A self-administered paper and pencil questionnaire was used to collect data from samples that were conveniently drawn from the study area. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results showed significant differences in structural weights, structural covariances, and structural residuals in the model outputs for both men and women careerists. The study concluded that career self-efficacy and work-life balance differentially predict the quality of sex life and marital satisfaction for both men and women in a dual-career family, and that age and job tenure are not significant predictors of quality of sex life and marital satisfaction among dual-career couples.

Work / Life Balance For Dual Career Couples in Namakkal District

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Dr.D.Kanchana Dr.D.Kanchana ◽  
◽  
P.Ganapathi P.Ganapathi
Keyword(s):  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career Couples

scholarly journals DUAL CAREER COUPLES IN KOLKATA AND THEIR STRESSFUL WORK LIFE BALANCE

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-222
Author(s):  
Jhilam Rudra De
Keyword(s):  
Health Sector ◽  
Work Force ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career ◽  
Career Women ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Dual Career Couples ◽  
Private Health Sector ◽  
The 1960S

Dual-career couples were exceptions to the norm in the 1960s, but on date it is difficult to assess the number of married career women in the work force. Previous researches suggest that, the problems of the working women, who are a significant part of a dual career couple, may include lack of flexibility in the workplace, male-trailing spouses, career versus relationship child bearing conflicts etc. The key for dual career couples is to establish a system to help them balance their career and personal activities. For each couple the dynamics are little different, depending on their personal situations. The main aim of this research is to study the level of stress to maintain work life balance of the dual career couples, where the female counterparts are working in the private health sector in Kolkata. Cronbach alpha was used as a reliability test. Independent sample t-tests were used to study the effect of gender and family structure on respondents’ satisfaction towards WLB. Nowadays, a career is not a mere need, but rather, a necessity. It is evident that an understanding, accommodating, and sympathetic approach to the management of dual career stress can improve organizational effectiveness by fostering continued employment and maximum performance among dual career couples.

Supportive supervisor to curtail turnover intentions: do employee engagement and work–life balance play any role?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raminderpreet Kaur ◽  
Gurpreet Randhawa
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Turnover Intentions ◽  
Supervisor Support ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Personal Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Supervisor Support

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of employee engagement and work–life balance in perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe perception of teachers on the constructs considered has been assessed by a survey using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from the teachers of private schools of Punjab, India, and 375 were valid number of responses. Parallel multiple mediated regression was used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of perceived supervisor support on turnover intentions mediated through employee engagement and work–life balance.FindingsThe results reveal that the effect of perceived supervisor support on turnover intentions is indirect rather than direct. On the comparison of specific indirect effects, the results demonstrate that employee engagement and two dimensions of work–life balance (work interference with personal life and work–personal life enhancement) act as mediators in the perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions relationship.Practical implicationsSchool principals need to draft teacher-friendly policies for enhancing work–life balance and employee engagement so that teachers can feel satisfied with their work and can handle work and family demands. In this way, positive perceptions associated with high engagement and work–family balance can take place, which in turn can curtail the turnover intentions of teachers.Originality/valueThe use of employee engagement and work-life balance in the relationship of perceived supervisor support and turnover intentions is unprecedented. The study also considered three different dimensions of work–life balance and tested the model in an integrative manner. Since the study is based on an Indian sample, it also adds to growing literature on turnover intentions in nonwestern countries. The results are of great value to school managements, HR managers and policymakers who are seeking to develop practices that reduce employee turnover at workplaces.

scholarly journals The experiences of work-life balance, stress, and coping lifestyles of female professionals: insights from a developing country

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 999-1015
Author(s):  
Babatunde Akanji ◽  
Chima Mordi ◽  
Hakeem Adeniyi Ajonbadi
Keyword(s):  
Health Sector ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Stress And Coping ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Medical Doctors ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Family ◽  
And Coping

PurposeGiven the limiting conditions of the gender roles confronting professional working women and drawing on spillover theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of work-life balance with an emphasis on the causes of the imbalances, perceived stress, and coping techniques experienced by female medical doctors in an African context – Nigeria, a geographical location that is considered under-researched.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative data is based on one-to-one in-depth interviews with 52 Nigerian female medical doctors.FindingsBased on the findings of the thematic analysis, it is clear that time squeeze, as a well-known factor in the medical profession, exacerbates negative work-home interference. However, other themes, such as patriarchal proclivities and task-pay disparity, that affect female doctors but are rarely considered in studies on work-life balance also emerged as sources of stress and work-family conflicts, leaving these doctors to devise individual coping methods as mitigating strategies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study relies on a limited qualitative sample size, which makes the generalisation of findings difficult. However, the study contributes to the limited literature on the implications of stress and work-family incompatibilities facing women in a society that is not particularly egalitarian, with an extremely pronounced culture of masculine hegemony that is contrary to western cultures. The article unveils the socio-cultural difficulties of the work-life demands facing women specific to the Nigerian society and experienced with a different level of intensity.Originality/valueThe majority of the research on work-life balance has been undertaken in western countries and has focused on various professional groups and organisations, including the health sector. Nevertheless, work-life balance is a novel concept within the Nigerian work environment, where female medical doctors, as a professional group, are rarely studied. The article also provides valuable insights into the macro-contextual features influencing the work-life balance of Nigerian professional women.

COVID-19: prevalence of job-demands, stress, work–life difficulties and work–life balance among international business travelers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vilmante Kumpikaite-Valiuniene ◽  
Luisa Helena Pinto ◽  
Tahir Gurbanov
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Business Travel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Travelers ◽  
Perceived Change ◽  
Stress Work

PurposeInternational business travelers (IBTs) face daily challenges pertaining to the frequency and duration of travel. Following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the study aims to draw upon the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and the literature on work–life balance (WLB) to examine how this crisis have disrupted IBTs routines and the implications for their WLB.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in April 2020 with an online survey answered by 141 IBTs from different locations. The first set of analyses examined the perceived change in job-demands (i.e. business travel and workload) including stress and work–life difficulties following the outbreak of COVID-19. The second set of analyses tested the hypotheses that the perceived change in workload and stress predict IBTs' work–life difficulties, which, in turn, affect their WLB.FindingsThe results show that the decline in job-demands (i.e. business travel and workload) after the outbreak of COVID-19 was not enough to reduce IBTs' stress and ameliorate their work–life difficulties and WLB. Only respondents who experienced a decrease in workload, including less relational difficulties, reported a superior WLB.Originality/valueThe study widens the scope and relevance of global mobility studies in crisis settings by timely reporting the changes in job-demands, stress and work–life difficulties among IBTs following the outbreak of COVID-19. Additionally, the research extends the use of the JD-R model in the international context by advancing our knowledge of the interplay between contextual demands and job-demands in affecting IBTs' stress, work–life difficulties and WLB.

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