Showing papers on "Work–life balance published in 2018"

Pregnancy and Motherhood During Surgical Training.

Abstract: Importance Although family priorities influence specialty selection and resident attrition, few studies describe resident perspectives on pregnancy during surgical training. Objective To directly assess the resident experience of childbearing during training. Design, Setting, and Participants A self-administered 74-question survey was electronically distributed in January 2017 to members of the Association of Women Surgeons, to members of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery listserv, and through targeted social media platforms. Surgeons who had 1 or more pregnancies during an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–accredited US general surgery residency program and completed training in 2007 or later were included. Important themes were identified using focus groups of surgeons who had undergone pregnancy during training in the past 7 years. Additional topics were identified through MEDLINE searches performed from January 2000 to July 2016 combining the keywordspregnancy,resident,attrition, andparentingin any specialty. Main Outcomes and Measures Descriptive data on perceptions of work schedule during pregnancy, maternity leave policies, lactation and childcare support, and career satisfaction after childbirth. Results This study included 347 female surgeons (mean [SD] age, 30.5 [2.7] years) with 452 pregnancies. A total of 297 women (85.6%) worked an unmodified schedule until birth, and 220 (63.6%) were concerned that their work schedule adversely affected their health or the health of their unborn child. Residency program maternity leave policies were reported by 121 participants (34.9%). A total of 251 women (78.4%) received maternity leave of 6 weeks or less, and 250 (72.0%) perceived the duration of leave to be inadequate. The American Board of Surgery leave policy was cited as a major barrier to the desired length of leave by 268 of 326 respondents (82.2%). Breastfeeding was important to 329 (95.6%), but 200 (58.1%) stopped earlier than they wished because of poor access to lactation facilities and challenges leaving the operating room to express milk. Sixty-four women (18.4%) had institutional support for childcare, and 231 (66.8%) reported a desire for greater mentorship on integrating a surgical career with motherhood and pregnancy. A total of 135 (39.0%) strongly considered leaving surgical residency, and 102 (29.5%) would discourage female medical students from a surgical career, specifically because of the difficulties of balancing pregnancy and motherhood with training. Conclusions and Relevance The challenges of having children during surgical residency may have significant workforce implications. A deeper understanding is critical to prevent attrition and to continue recruiting talented students. This survey characterizes these issues to help design interventions to support childbearing residents.

Work-Life Balance: an Integrative Review

Abstract: Based on a thorough review of the literature we introduce an integrated conceptualization of work-life balance involving two key dimensions: engagement in work life and nonwork life and minimal conflict between social roles in work and nonwork life. Based on this conceptualization we review much of the evidence concerning the consequences of work-life balance in terms work-related, nonwork-related, and stress-related outcomes. We then identify a set of personal and organizational antecedents to work-life balance and explain their effects on work-life balance. Then we describe a set of theoretical mechanisms linking work-life balance and overall life satisfaction. Finally, we discuss future research directions and policy implications.

Digital labour platforms and the future of work: Towards decent work in the online world

Abstract: The emergence of online digital labour platforms has been one of the major transformations in the world of work over the past decade. This report provides one of the first comparative studies of working conditions on five major micro-task platforms that operate globally. It is based on an ILO survey covering 3,500 workers in 75 countries around the world and other qualitative surveys. The report analyses the working conditions on these micro-task platforms, including pay rates, work availability and intensity, social protection coverage and work–life balance. The report recommends 18 principles for ensuring decent work on digital labour platforms.

Work Life Balance: A Conceptual Review

Abstract: Individual perception of high Work life balance (WLB) and sense of well being among employees has become imperative for any organization in order to ensure enhanced performance efficiency, particularly in this era of highly competitive business environment. It is no wonder that the work life balance has attracted numerous contributions from researchers and HR practitioners that attempt to investigate on various factors influencing WLB, their interrelationship and possible outcomes of different levels of WLB prevailing among employees. This paper is an attempt to compile the notable research reported on WLB studies undertaken as a prelude to search for newer and deeper avenues of future research. Keywords: Work Life Balance, Measurement Scales, Factors of Work Life Balance, Outcomes of Work Life Balance.

Work–Family Backlash: The “Dark Side” of Work–Life Balance (WLB) Policies

Abstract: Although continuing to capture the attention of scholars, the study of “work–family backlash” remains plagued by a lack of conceptual clarity. As a result, there is growing evidence to suggest that...

Crossover of Work–Life Balance Perceptions: Does Authentic Leadership Matter?

Abstract: This research contributes to an improved understanding of authentic leadership at the work–life interface. We build on conservation of resources theory to develop a leader–follower crossover model of the impact of authentic leadership on followers’ job satisfaction through leaders’ and followers’ work–life balance. The model integrates authentic leadership and crossover literatures to suggest that followers perceive authentic leaders to better balance their professional and private lives, which in turn enables followers to achieve a positive work–life balance, and ultimately makes them more satisfied in their jobs. Data from working adults collected in a correlational field study (N = 121) and an experimental study (N = 154) generally supported indirect effects linking authentic leadership to job satisfaction through work–life balance perceptions. However, both studies highlighted the relevance of followers’ own work–life balance as a mediator more so than the sequence of leaders’ and followers’ work–life balance. We discuss theoretical implications of these findings from a conservation of resources perspective, and emphasize how authentic leadership represents an organizational resource at the work–life interface. We also suggest practical implications of developing authentic leadership in organizations to promote employees’ well-being as well as avenues for future research.

Digital labour platforms and the future of work

Abstract: The emergence of online digital labour platforms has been one of the major transformations in the world of work over the past decade This report provides one of the first comparative studies of working conditions on five major micro-task platforms that operate globally It is based on an ILO survey covering 3,500 workers in 75 countries around the world and other qualitative surveys The report analyses the working conditions on these micro-task platforms, including pay rates, work availability and intensity, social protection coverage and work–life balance The report recommends 18 principles for ensuring decent work on digital labour platforms

Executive chefs’ calling: effect on engagement, work-life balance and life satisfaction

Abstract: This paper aims to understand the relationships among calling, employee engagement, work-life balance and life satisfaction for executive chefs based on role theory and spillover theory.,Surveys were completed by members of the American Culinary Federation in North America, the Nevada Restaurant Association and attendees at the ChefConnect Annual Conference. The data were analysed with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.,All relationships in the model were significantly positive except for calling to life satisfaction. Importantly work-life balance was a significant mediator between calling and life satisfaction as well as for employee engagement and life satisfaction.,The research provides a more comprehensive framework for hospitality scholars to understand the outcomes of work as a calling through meaningfulness. The sample of executive chef limits generalizability.,The identification of a calling through in-depth interviews is recommended. Once recognized, managers should further foster chef’s passion through employee engagement facilitated by workplace autonomy and continuing education and work-life balance supported with human resource management practices including time off for critical life events. This will allow calling to flourish, increase life satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of turnover and burnout.,Outcomes reveal the complexity of the relationship between calling and life satisfaction. Contrary to previous findings, the presence of positive work-life balance was critical to attain life satisfaction, even when work was viewed as a calling.

Breastfeeding Support in the Workplace: The Relationships Among Breastfeeding Support, Work-Life Balance, and Job Satisfaction.

Abstract: Background:Women are increasingly faced with decisions about how to combine breastfeeding with work, but few researchers have directly measured how breastfeeding relates to the work–life interface.Research aim:The authors examined how perceptions of work enhancement of personal life and work interference with personal life were influenced by workplace breastfeeding support, including organizational, manager, and coworker support, as well as adequate time to express human milk. Then, we examined how workplace breastfeeding support predicted work–life variables and job satisfaction.Methods:Using a self-report, survey design, the authors analyzed online surveys from 87 women in a rural, community sample who indicated that they had pumped at work or anticipated needing to pump in the future.Results:According to regression results, provision of workplace breastfeeding support, particularly providing adequate time for human milk expression, predicted work enhancement of personal life. Conversely, we found that ...

Flexi work, financial well-being, work–life balance and their effects on subjective experiences of productivity and job satisfaction of females in an institution of higher learning

Abstract: Background: Expressions such as ‘there are not enough hours in the day’ and ‘the 25 h workday’ or cliche statements such as ‘working 24/7’ have become common overtones in the way employees feel about time at work. Because of this ‘lack of time’ feeling, alternative work arrangements such as flexitime, telecommuting and practices such as work–life balance have emerged as popular topics for researchers, employees, organisations and the like in the past few decades. Setting: Women are still the main caregivers of family members and households, and compared to men, they are less likely to be granted flexitime by their employers. It therefore seems realistic to imagine that women would suffer more from work–life conflict. Women still earn, on average, less than men and are more likely to have part-time jobs. This has an impact on the financial well-being of women. These issues have yet to be investigated in an institution of higher learning in South Africa. Aim: This study was aimed at determining: (1) the relationship between flexi work, financial well-being and work–life balance, productivity and job satisfaction, (2) the role of flexible work, financial well-being and work–life balance in productivity and job satisfaction, and (3) the mediating effect of productivity (job satisfaction in the alternative model) in the relationship between flexible work, financial well-being and work–life balance and job satisfaction (productivity in the alternative model). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used with a convenience sample ( n = 252) of female support employees, employed in a higher education institution in the North West province of South Africa. Results: Findings of the study indicated a statistically significant relationship between the variables. Results indicated that financial well-being, work–life balance and productivity were statistically significant predictors of job satisfaction, and in addition, subjective experiences of productivity serve as partial mediators in the relationship between financial well-being and work–life balance on the one hand, and job satisfaction on the other hand. Conclusion: It seems like financial well-being and work–life balance play a more important role in job satisfaction and that financial well-being and work–life balance are more important for job satisfaction through subjective experiences of productivity. It would therefore make sense to increase experiences of financial well-being and work–life balance to address experiences of low levels of job satisfaction and subjective experiences of productivity.

Perceptions of Factors Associated With Inclusive Work and Learning Environments in Health Care Organizations: A Qualitative Narrative Analysis.

Abstract: Importance Diversifying the health care workforce remains a critical goal for health care organizations focused on reducing disparities in care. However, it remains unknown what factors create inclusive health system environments and help organizations retain a diverse workforce. Objective To understand from members of the health care workforce what factors contribute to inclusive work and learning environments and what can be done to improve inclusion within health care organizations. Design, Setting, and Participants A qualitative narrative analysis of responses to a weekly email call for narratives within health care organizations sent June 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2016. The email contained an anonymous link to 2 open-ended stimulus questions asking for stories reflecting inclusion or lack thereof within participants’ work environments as well as demographic questions. The study took place at 6 hospitals, including a free-standing children’s hospital and a Veterans Affairs medical center, 4 health sciences schools (Medicine, Nursing, Dental, and Social Policy and Practice), and outpatient facilities within a university-based health care system in Pennsylvania. There were 315 completed narratives submitted from health care system executives (n = 3), staff (n = 113), academic faculty (n = 97), trainees or students (n = 99), and 3 who declined to specify their positions. Main Outcomes and Measures Workplace experiences with inclusivity, implications of these experiences, and recommendations to improve inclusion within environments. Results Of 315 narratives submitted from members of the health care system, in 188 (59.7%) the writer self-identified as female; in 10 (3.2%), as transgender/queer; in 38 (12.1%), as non-Hispanic black; in 152 (48.3%), as non-Christian; in 31 (9.8%), as having a language other than English as their primary language; and in 14 (4.4%), as having a disability. Analysis of the narratives revealed 6 broad factors that affected inclusion within health care organizations: (1) the presence of discrimination; (2) the silent witness; (3) the interplay of hierarchy, recognition, and civility; (4) the effectiveness of organizational leadership and mentors; (5) support for work-life balance; and (6) perceptions of exclusion from inclusion efforts. Challenges with inclusion had negative effects on job performance and well-being, with reports of stress, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness. Most respondents referenced a systemic culture that influenced their interpersonal dynamics and provided specific strategies to improve organizational culture that focused on leadership training and expanding collegial networks. Conclusions and Relevance This narrative analysis provides a taxonomy of factors that health care organizations can use to assess inclusion within their learning and work environments as well as strategies to improve inclusion and retain a diverse health care workforce.

The impact of work life balance on employee performance with reference to telecommunication industry in Sri Lanka: a mediation model

Abstract: In today’s dynamic business environment, work life balance has become one of the key issues faced by many employees all over the world. Maintaining work life balance is an issue increasingly recognized as of strategic importance to organization and of significance to employees. A lack of work life balance also has an adverse effect on their employer's prospects for success in many respects. The main objective of this study is to carry out research on the Sri Lankan telecommunication industry and recognize the impact of work life balance on the employee performance. And also to identify whether the work life balance leads to higher employee performance through employee job satisfaction. The target population of this research is executive level married employees in telecommunication industry in Sri Lanka. This investigation area is used Cluster sampling method to select 2 major companies in telecommunication industry (i.e., Dialog Axiata PLC and Sri Lanka Telecom – Sample Size 100). Data were gathered through questionnaire method. In this study, for the purpose of hypothesis testing the researcher used univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistics methods. The Data were analyzed through SPSS 15.0 software to find out the relationship between variables. Findings of the study reveal that there is a strong relationship between work life balance and employee performance, a strong relationship between work life balance and employee job satisfaction and a strong relationship between employee job satisfaction and employee performance. All these relationships are positive and have significant levels. The research findings give evidence that the better work life balance of the employees leads to increased employee performance and employee job satisfaction.

Recovery, work-life balance and work experiences important to self-rated health: A questionnaire study on salutogenic work factors among Swedish primary health care employees

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information on positive work factors among health care workers.OBJECTIVE: To explore salutogenic work-related factors among primary health care employees.METHOD: Ques ...

The perceived fairness of work-life balance policies: A UK case study of solo-living managers and professionals without children

Abstract: The ability to reconcile work and private life is a matter relevant to all employees, though not all may seek “balance.” Research indicates that organisational work–life balance policies and flexible working arrangements often focus on the needs of working parents, with one potential outcome being “family-friendly backlash,” or counterproductive work behaviour from those without caring responsibilities. This paper analyses data from 36 interviews with childless solo-living managers and professionals, exploring perceptions of fairness in relation to these policies. In contrast to previous studies, despite recognising a strong family-care orientation in employer provisions, perceptions of unfair treatment or injustice were not pronounced in most cases, and thus there was little evidence of backlash/counterproductive work behaviour. The paper uses and develops organisational justice theory to explain the findings, emphasising the importance of situating individual justice orientations within perceived organisational policy and wider regulatory contexts. It also emphasises the importance of evaluating fairness of work–life balance policies and flexible working arrangements in relation to other aspects of the employment relationship, notably opportunities for career development and progression.

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Facilitating Work-Life Balance in Athletic Training Practice Settings.

Abstract: Objective: To illustrate the concept of work-life balance and those factors that influence it and to provide recommendations to facilitate work-life balance in athletic training practice settings....

Work-Life Balance Initiative as a Predictor of Employees' Behavioural Outcomes

Abstract: The Work-Life Balance concept has been the discourse of many scholars due to the dynamism in the workplace. The main objective of this study was to ascertain the extent to which work-life balance initiative predicts employee behavioral outcomes in some selected commercial banks in Nigeria. To achieve this, the study adopted a survey research design for an accurate investigation. Three hundred and thirty nine (339) respondents were surveyed across the top five (5) commercial banks with branches in Lagos State, Nigeria using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Structural Equation Model (AMOS 22) was used for the analysis to find the resultant effects and the degree of relationship between the exogamous and endogamous variables. Results show that work leave arrangement, flexible work arrangement, employee time out, employee social support and dependent care initiative are predictors of employee behavioral outcomes such as job satisfaction, employees’ intention and employees’ engagement. The study emphasized the need for top management to review the appropriateness and relevance of work-life balance programmes, policies and activities that support and encourage employees as regards their personal and family life issues that are aimed towards inspiring acceptable workplace behavior. This study contributes to the exiting knowledge in the area of work-life balance and employee behavioral outcomes. The insights discovered from this study would help to facilitate management to develop work-life balance initiatives and standard institutional strategies that will propel appropriate and acceptable behavior in the world of work. This will also be useful for managers who wish to improve the well-being of their employees and organizational performance outcomes.

Deferred Personal Life Decisions of Women Physicians.

Abstract: Objective: Inadequate work-life balance can have significant implications regarding individual performance, retention, and on the future of the workforce in medicine. The purpose of this s...

Inspiring Work-Life Balance: Responsible Leadership among Female Pharmacists in the Egyptian Health Sector

Abstract: Objective: The aim of the research was to investigate the effect of responsible leadership on female pharmacists’ work-life balance/imbalance forms in public hospitals in Menoufia province, Egypt. Research Design & Methods: This is a quantitative study and a total of 350 female pharmacists were contacted. After four follow ups, a total of 230 responses were collected with a response rate of 65.71%. Findings: The findings highlighted only an aggregate of virtues and is not considered a strong statistical predictor for any of the three work-life balance/imbalance forms (time-based balance/imbalance, strain-based balance/imbalance and behaviour-based balance/imbalance) while the other three dimensions (stakeholder involvement, the model of leader’s role and the principles of ethical values) of responsible leadership had a significantly high effect on work- life forms. Implications & Recommendations: Dependent and independent variables were collected from the same source, and this may have led to an inflation of statistical relationships. Public organisations like hospitals have to treat female pharmacists responsively as one of the main stakeholders who requires flexible work hours, active participation in decision making, and clear empowerment in the workplace. Contribution & Value Added: This article contributes by filling a gap in management and organisation literature, in which empirical studies on the relationship between responsible leadership and work-life balance/imbalance have so far been quite limited in the literature. For future studies, the author suggests testing the same propositions with physicians, nurses, and other categories of employees in Egyptian public hospitals.

Failing to retain a new generation of doctors: qualitative insights from a high-income country.

Abstract: The failure of high-income countries, such as Ireland, to achieve a self-sufficient medical workforce has global implications, particularly for low-income, source countries. In the past decade, Ireland has doubled the number of doctors it trains annually, but because of its failure to retain doctors, it remains heavily reliant on internationally trained doctors to staff its health system. To halve its dependence on internationally trained doctors by 2030, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations, Ireland must become more adept at retaining doctors. This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews conducted with 50 early career doctors between May and July 2015. The paper explores the generational component of Ireland’s failure to retain doctors and makes recommendations for retention policy and practice. Interviews revealed that a new generation of doctors differ from previous generations in several distinct ways. Their early experiences of training and practice have been in an over-stretched, under-staffed health system and this shapes their decision to remain in Ireland, or to leave. Perhaps as a result of the distinct challenges they have faced in an austerity-constrained health system and their awareness of the working conditions available globally, they challenge the traditional view of medicine as a vocation that should be prioritised before family and other commitments. A new generation of doctors have career options that are also strongly shaped by globalisation and by the opportunities presented by emigration. Understanding the medical workforce from a generational perspective requires that the health system address the issues of concern to a new generation of doctors, in terms of working conditions and training structures and also in terms of their desire for a more acceptable balance between work and life. This will be an important step towards future-proofing the medical workforce and is essential to achieving medical workforce self-sufficiency.

What Do People Do to Achieve Work–Life Balance? A Formative Conceptualization to Help Develop a Metric for Large-Scale Quality-of-Life Surveys

Abstract: The goal in this paper is to build a theoretical foundation for a new formative measure of work–life balance. The current indicators of work–life balance used in large-scale social surveys are outcome-based measures. We critique the use of outcome-based measures of work–life balance and argue that a more suitable measure should reflect personal strategies people use to foster work–life balance. As such, we propose a formative conceptualization of work–life balance composed of a set of inter-life domain strategies theorized to increase overall life satisfaction. Specifically, work–life balance is conceptualized as a higher-order construct composed of four behavior-based life domain strategies and four cognition-based life domain strategies. The behavior-based strategies are (1) role engagement in multiple domains, (2) role enrichment, (3) domain compensation, and (4) role conflict management. The cognition-based strategies are: (1) positive spillover, (2) segmentation, (3) value compensation, and (4) whole-life perspective. The effects of these behavior- and cognition-based strategies on overall life satisfaction are explained through a set of theoretical principles. Research and policy implications are also discussed.

Impact of Demographic Variables on Work-Life Balance of Women Employees (with special reference to Bangalore City)

Abstract: Today we see women working in almost all types of professions demonstrating that there is no gender difference in work. In fact many organisations say that women are playing a major role in uplifting the organization. This is a positive development that women are making their presence felt in different walks of life. On the other hand, for every woman there is one more background to manage. That is home and personal life. Today with increasing demands at work place, the interface between work life and personal life assumed significance which demands more attention. Different factors affect work –life balance and one set of factors could be demographic variables. The present study is undertaken to determine the relationship between the demographic variables and work life balance. Women employees in various professions like IT, BPO, Marketing, Insurance, Banking and Education at Bangalore constitute the universe for the study and a sample of 340 employees is chosen using stratified random sampling method. The hypothesis is tested using chi-square test and it has revealed that there is significant relationship between demographic variables and work life balance. Keywords: Demographic variables, Work Life Balance, Women employees.

Technology, Long Work Hours, and Stress Worsen Work-life Balance in the Construction Industry

Abstract: The aim of this research is to assess the level of work-life balance and to determine factors that affect work-life balance in the Australian construction industry. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 89 employees of a medium-sized construction organisation in Sydney, Australia. The results show that poor boundary management is responsible for the relatively low work-life balance. Technology, business culture, commute time, salary compensation, health, and the implementation of work-life balance initiatives are factors that influence work-life balance. On one hand, technology, long work hours, and stress can have negative impacts on work-life balance. On the other hand, work-life balance initiatives supported by appropriate business culture can promote better work-life balance in the construction industry. Construction organisations should make sure that work-life balance initiatives are made known to all employees and supported by top-level managers and those at the project level, so that employees are comfortable in using them. The initiatives should also cater the diverse needs of employees.

The impact of preventive coping on business travelers' work and private life

Abstract: Summary Frequent business travel can be a burden for travelers' work and private life. We tested whether preventive coping (the proactive accumulation of resources in advance of potential stressors) makes such trips beneficial despite their potential to be stressful. In a longitudinal three-wave study, we investigated whether frequent travel relates to an increase or decrease in work–life balance, emotional exhaustion, work engagement, and relationship satisfaction depending on preventive coping. Findings from a sample of 133 frequent business travelers revealed significant indirect effects for emotional exhaustion, work engagement, and relationship satisfaction through work–life balance. Among employees who engaged less in preventive coping, a higher number of business trips was related to a decrease in work–life balance, which, in turn, was related to more emotional exhaustion, less work engagement, and lower relationship satisfaction. Among those who reported higher preventive coping, we found opposing indirect effects: Frequent travel was related to an increase in work–life balance and, in turn, to less emotional exhaustion, more work engagement, and higher relationship satisfaction. These findings advance our knowledge in the field of business travel, future-oriented coping, and work–life balance. They highlight that travelers and their organizations should resort to preventive coping to make frequent travel more beneficial.

Mothers Do Not Make Good Workers: The Role of Work/Life Balance Policies in Reinforcing Gendered Stereotypes

Abstract: ‘Family friendly’ policies such as maternity leave allow millions of women in the United States to take some time off when they give birth or adopt a child in order to spend time physically recuper...

Returning to Work after Childbirth in Europe: Well-Being, Work-Life Balance, and the Interplay of Supervisor Support

Abstract: Parents returning to work after the arrival of a new son or daughter is an important question for understanding the trajectory of people's lives and professional careers amid current debates about gender equality and work-life balance (WLB). Interestingly, current research concludes that general WLB practices at the workplace may be necessary in the specific case of women returning to work after childbirth because of the particular maternal and infant factors involved. However, WLB practices as a flexible arrangement may work against women because they may be viewed as a lack of organizational commitment. Therefore, research on this topic could benefit from considering supervisor support as a complement of such practices, but previous research has analyzed WLB and supervisor support separately and scarcely. To fill this gap in the literature, we use two sub-samples of 664 female employees and 749 male employees with children under the age of one from 27 European countries participating in the 6th European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS-2015) to study the impact of perceived WLB on European women's perceived well-being after childbirth, in contrast with previous literature. We also analyze the impact of perceived supervisor support (SS) and its interaction with perceived WLB on women's well-being after childbirth, and explore differences with men after childbirth, a collective underexplored by the literature. We find significant gender differences on the relative impact of WLB, SS, and their interaction on perceived job well-being. Our results have important implications for human resource practices in organizations. In particular, they suggest that gendered WLB practices should be encouraged, and stress the relevance of the human factor over human resource practices in addressing the difficulties that women returning to work face after childbirth.

Strategies to Attain Faculty Work-Life Balance

Abstract: Background: Achieving work-life balance can be a challenge for academic faculty members. The multifaceted demands and expectations of the role can affect faculty satisfaction and the ability to attain work-life balance. The ever-changing trends in higher education, including technology and online education modalities provide additional factors that can inhibit faculty satisfaction and work-life balance. Aims: This paper explores barriers to achieving work-life balance such as cognitive dissonance, emotional dissonance and burnout. Understanding barriers is essential to developing strategies to promote work-life balance. Methods: An integrated review of the literature on life balance of academic faculty in all disciplines using multiple online databases. Conclusion: Strategies, organized around mentoring and self-care, include promoting physical health, connecting socially, and practicing mindfulness as a cognitive approach can help counteract work-place stressors and help in achieving work-life balance.

1758 6th european working conditions survey: job quality in europe

Abstract: Introduction The Union and Member states shall have as their objectives improved living and working conditions (article 151 of the TFEU). More and better job is an important policy objective for the European Union. Methods Statistical analysis of the 6th European Working Conditions Survey. In 2015, the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey interviewed almost 44 000 workers in 35 European Countries. Result Seven job quality indices are produced which at the level of the job, gathers these characteristics of work and employment that have been associated in positive or negative with health and wellbeing of workers. The job quality indices are: physical environment, social environment, work intensity, working time quality, skills and discretion, prospects and earnings. They are presented and discussed. Each index is associated with a positive experience of working life in health and well being, work life balance, engagement and motivation, financial security. The job quality indices are pooled together to create cluster of jobs in Europe on the basis of the job quality: high flyers, smooth running, active manual, under pressure, poor quality. They are presented and discussed. Discussion Results support the importance of monitoring job quality in Europe and in the world. How can they be improved?

Escape from Working Poverty: Steps toward Sustainable Livelihood

Abstract: Working poverty affects over half the world’s working population, yet we know remarkably little about the role of wages in transitioning toward sustainable livelihood. We develop and test a model whereby as pay approaches a living wage range, pay fairness becomes clearly associated with work–life balance; this in turn links to job satisfaction, which is a four-step process at the psychological level. We further extend this by testing a moderated mediated model, whereby income level is tested as a boundary condition. Using data from N = 873 New Zealand employees, we focus on relatively low-waged employees across three levels of income: up to $20,000, $20–40,000, and $40–60,000, with the last band straddling the New Zealand Living Wage. We find strong support for pay fairness predicting work–life balance and job satisfaction, with work–life balance mediating the relationship toward job satisfaction. In addition, we find direct effects from income to work–life balance, although not job satisfaction. Furthermore, two-way moderation is supported toward work–life balance and job satisfaction, with higher income employees reporting higher outcomes when fairness is high. The index of moderated mediation is also significantly supporting, indicating that work–life balance has a stronger mediation effect as income rises. Thus, as workers emerged from working poverty, pay fairness, and in turn work–life balance, became psychologically more salient for happiness at work, implying that a pathway to Sustainable Development Goal 8 includes at least three psychological steps, in addition to the pecuniary issue of pay: fairness, work–life balance, and job satisfaction.