Psychology · Literature

Research papers on Work-life balance

Recent and highly-cited academic work on work-life balance, gathered from Semantic Scholar, CrossRef and OpenAlex.

1. Enhancing retention of occupational therapists working in mental health: Relationships between wellbeing at work and turnover intention

   Justin Newton Scanlan, Pamela Joy Meredith, Anne A. Poulsen · 2013 · Australian Occupational Therapy Journal · 115 citations

   BACKGROUND/AIM: Occupational therapists working in mental health who experience burnout, low work engagement or poor job satisfaction are at risk of poor wellbeing at work and may be more likely to leave their jobs. The aim of this project was to explore factors associated with wellbeing at work and turnover intention in a sample of occupational therapists working in mental health. METHODS: One hundred and three occupational therapists working in mental health in Queensland completed a survey exploring work/life balance, effort invested in work, rewards received from work, wellbeing at work (job satisfaction, burnout and work engagement) and turnover intention. Analyses were conducted to exp

   Save this paper

2. Nationwide Survey of Work Environment, Work-Life Balance and Burnout among Psychiatrists in Japan

   Wakako Umene‐Nakano, Takahiro A. Kato, Saya Kikuchi, et al. · 2013 · PLoS ONE · 98 citations

   BACKGROUND: Psychiatry has been consistently shown to be a profession characterised by 'high-burnout'; however, no nationwide surveys on this topic have been conducted in Japan. AIMS: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of burnout and to ascertain the relationship between work environment satisfaction, work-life balance satisfaction and burnout among psychiatrists working in medical schools in Japan. METHOD: We mailed anonymous questionnaires to all 80 psychiatry departments in medical schools throughout Japan. Work-life satisfaction, work-environment satisfaction and social support assessments, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), were used. RESULTS: Sixty

   Save this paper

3. Burnout in Professional Psychotherapists: Relationships with Self-Compassion, Work–Life Balance, and Telepressure

   Yasuhiro Kotera, Robert Maxwell-Jones, Ann‐Marie Edwards, et al. · 2021 · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 87 citations

   Though negative impacts of COVID-19 on occupational mental health have been reported, the mental health of psychotherapists has not been evaluated in depth. As this occupational group treats ever-increasing mental health problems, it is essential to appraise key factors for their mental health. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore burnout of professional psychotherapists. A total of 110 participants completed self-report measures regarding burnout, self-compassion, work-life balance and telepressure. Correlation, regression and moderation analyses were conducted. Both of the burnout components-emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation-were positively associated with weekly working hours

   Save this paper

4. Work-life balance in medical students: self-care in a culture of self-sacrifice

   A. Picton · 2021 · BMC Medical Education · 84 citations

   Work-life balance is a key contributor to doctors’ wellbeing and consequently is a central factor in their career decisions. General Medical Council guidance outlines the importance of work-life balance as part of compassionate self-care. Learning self-care should begin as an undergraduate, when academic and clinical workload can contribute to stress, anxiety and burnout. Sequential mixed methods study of medical students in Years 3–5 at the University of Birmingham, UK. Students (n = 145) defined work-life balance in free-text answers and self-assessed their current work-life balance via questionnaires. Following this, a sub-sample of students (n = 44) participated in exploratory individual

   Save this paper

5. A daily diary study of work-life balance in managers: utilizing a daily process model

   Jarrod M Haar, Maree Roche, Lieke L. ten Brummelhuis · 2017 · The International Journal of Human Resource Management · 69 citations

   We extend the literature in relation to daily diary and managers’ wellbeing by unravelling how daily work and family factors influence managers’ wellbeing the following day. Four days’ diary data were collected from 131 managers. Family–work conflict from one day positively influenced job burnout in the following day, while autonomy satisfaction from one-day reduced burnout the following day. Family–work enrichment from one day positively influenced work engagement in the following day, as did needs satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and perceived autonomous support. Furthermore, daily burnout reduced work–life balance and this was fully mediated by daily work–family confli

   Save this paper

6. A moderated mediation study of high performance work systems and insomnia on New Zealand employees: job burnout mediating and work-life balance moderating

   Jarrod M Haar, Candice Harris · 2021 · The International Journal of Human Resource Management · 51 citations

   We explore the wellbeing of employees (via insomnia and job burnout) due to the importance of a healthy workforce. High Performance Work Systems (HPWS) have been argued as playing a central role, and the present study explores a path model whereby HPWS influences job burnout (emotional exhaustion, cynicism) and then insomnia. Further, work-life balance (WLB) is included as a theoretically derived moderator which might attenuate relationships. These relationships are tested using a sample of 306 employees with time-lagged data, using moderated mediation analysis. The findings show that HPWS is significantly related to all constructs, and while burnout mediates HPWS effects, there remain signi

   Save this paper

7. Work-life balance, social support, and burnout: A quantitative study of social workers

   Selwyn Stanley, Anand Jerard Sebastine · 2023 · Journal of Social Work · 48 citations

   Summary: Stress in social work is frequently experienced by practitioners and is attributed to a range of work-related factors. This study explored the manifestation of burnout, perceived social support, and work-life balance in 73 social workers in two cities in south India. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used. Data were collected based on survey methodology and three standardized instruments were administered to assess the manifestation of our key variables. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of burnout. Findings: Results indicated high levels of burnout and low levels of social support and work-life balance in respondents. No significant difference

   Save this paper

8. The impact of mindfulness on nurses’ perceived professional benefits: the mediating roles of workplace spirituality and work-life balance

   Yapeng Lin, Changchun Jiang, Yujing Pan, et al. · 2024 · Frontiers in Psychology · 29 citations

   This study delves into the effects of mindfulness on workplace spirituality, work-life balance, and perceived professional benefits among nurses operating in the high-pressure environments of hospitals in Jiangxi Province, China. Utilizing a robust sample of 303 valid questionnaires and employing partial least squares (PLS) analysis, the research uncovers a significant positive relationship between mindfulness and workplace spirituality. Furthermore, it demonstrates how both workplace spirituality and work-life balance serve as crucial mediators in enhancing nurses’ perception of their professional benefits. The findings illuminate the potential of mindfulness training in substantially eleva

   Save this paper

9. Top Executives Work-Life Balance, Job Burnout and Turnover Intentions: Moderated-Mediation with Knowledge Sharing Culture

   J. Haar, U. Daellenbach, Conor O'Kane, et al. · 2021 · New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations · 8 citations

   New Zealand top executives are seldom explored, and this paper examines the role of work-life balance (WLB) on top executives’ turnover intentions, with job burnout mediating this relationship. It is expected that top executives with strong WLB will be aided with stronger wellbeing (lower burnout) and stronger work behaviours (lower turnover). Beyond these relationships, knowledge sharing culture (KSC) is included as a moderator and combined, a moderated mediation model is tested. Using data from 126 New Zealand top executives, we find that WLB negatively related to emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and turnover intentions, with cynicism fully mediating the influence of WLB on turnover intenti

   Save this paper

10. Mental Health and work-life Balance among Workers in Social Services

    S. Buzzalova, P. Vansac, P. Tománek, et al. · 2024 · Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention · 6 citations

    Objective: This study investigates the relationship between burnout, overtime work, and psychological resilience in social workers in social care centres. The wellbeing of individuals in helping professions, notably social workers in care services, decreased by 15% last two years. Mental health declined by 23.4%, and 36.2% of workers reported increased mental stress. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 on a sample of 156 social workers. Data were collected using validated instruments assessing burnout, mental stress, resilience, and life satisfaction. Statistical analysis was performed to examine the correlations between burnout levels, overtime hours, and res

    Save this paper

11. Organisational initiated work-life balance practises to combat burnout: the mediating effect of work locus of control – Employing the meso paradigm across selected South African public and private sector organisations .

    A. Grobler, S. Grobler · 2019 · 4 citations

    Save this paper

12. Exploring 'work-life balance' at appraisal and how this links with organisational support.

    J. Ferguson, S. Scallan, Johnny Lyons-Maris, et al. · 2020 · The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 4 citations

    The ‘work–life balance’ (WLB) issues of doctors are often neglected, contributing to the problems of recruitment and retention.1 Many GPs are now working part-time and retiring early because of pressures of work.2,3 And the 2017 National GP Worklife Survey shows only 49.9% of GPs are satisfied with work, 92.3% report pressure from ‘increasing workloads’, and 46.0% of GPs plan to leave within the next 5 years.4 GPs with increased work stress and intensity report higher levels of anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction,5 leading to poor WLB, with consequences of deteriorating health and burnout, perfunctory patient care, and increased healthcare system costs.6 The NHS has expected doctors to

    Save this paper

13. the Analysis of Work Life Balance of Staff At The UPT TIK Jakarta State University

    Karenina Naufalia Putri, Widya Parimita, Rizki Firdausi Rachma Dania · 2024 · International Student Conference on Business, Education, Economics, Accounting, and Management (ISC-BEAM) · 3 citations

    Work-life balance is a concept that refers to individuals' efforts to divide their time and energy equally between work and personal life. The main goal of work-life balance is to achieve a healthy and satisfying balance between professional responsibilities and personal needs, thereby reducing stress and improving overall quality of life. In recent years, work-life balance has become an important concern for many organizations and individuals due to its significant impact on productivity, mental wellbeing and employee retention. Factors that influence work-life balance include work culture, company policies, support from superiors, and the individual's ability to manage their time and prior

    Save this paper

14. Psychological Safety of Nonprofit Executives: Attributional Insights into the Human Burden of Mission-Driven Leadership, Work-Life Balance, Stress, and Burnout

    Hilda Eke · 2026 · Safety and Security Advances · 2 citations

    Nonprofit executives face escalating emotional and cognitive pressures that threaten both their personal well-being and the psychological safety of mission-driven organizations. Rooted in moral purpose and resource scarcity, nonprofit leadership often blurs the boundary between professional responsibility and personal identity, creating conditions for chronic stress, compromised individual safety, and attrition. This review article analyzes the literature on executive burnout through the lens of attribution theory, examining how leaders interpret and assign causality to workplace stressors in ways that either protect or erode psychological safety. Drawing upon interdisciplinary sources, it i

    Save this paper

15. Examining Changes in Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Work-Related Quality-of-Life of Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Nurses in British Columbia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

    Kathrin Stoll, Jenna Treissman, G. Av-Gay, et al. · 2024 · The Canadian Journal of Nursing Research · 2 citations

    Background This survey of rural nurses’ experiences is part of a program evaluation of the Rural Surgical and Obstetrical Networks (RSON), a five-year initiative (2018–2023) to strengthen and stabilize rural hospitals in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Purpose Our aim was to measure changes in professional and work-related quality-of-life of rural surgical and obstetrical nurses in eight communities across BC and determine if the RSON initiative mitigated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses’ quality of life. Methods This longitudinal evaluation was administered via online surveys in 2021 and 2023. Work-related quality of life was measured with 23 items that assess job satisfaction, gen

    Save this paper

16. Work life balance and psychological wellbeing as correlates of quiet quitting among physicians

    E. Akdağ, Aybeniz Civan Kahve, Rukiye Ay Diker, et al. · 2026 · Scientific Reports · 1 citations

    Physicians are exposed to persistent occupational stressors, which place them at increased risk for burnout and occupational disengagement. In the post-pandemic era, “quiet quitting” has emerged as a form of occupational disengagement characterized by psychological withdrawal while maintaining formal job roles. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon is critical for sustaining motivation and well-being in healthcare professionals. This study aimed to investigate quiet quitting as an indicator of reduced occupational engagement among physicians and to examine its associations with work–life balance and psychological well-being within the framework of occupational motivation an

    Save this paper

17. Reimagining Work–Life Balance Through Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Talent Management in Society 5.0

    Anamta Ali, Orooj Siddiqui · 2026 · Asia-Pacific Journal of Management Research and Innovation · 1 citations

    This research article investigates the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into workplace systems and its implications for work-life balance (WLB) within the framework of Society 5.0, a human-centric vision of a smart society. It addresses the emerging challenge of blurred boundaries between professional and personal life in digitally enabled, hybrid, and virtual work environments, which has intensified concerns related to employee wellbeing, stress, and burnout. The study examines how AI is shaping perceptions and practices of WLB, analyses the opportunities and risks of AI supported WLB from a talent management perspective, and explores how organisations can design responsible, hum

    Save this paper

18. Investigating the Effects of Employee Burnout and Strategies for Promoting Work-Life Balance and Preventing Burnout in Commercial Banks of Larkana

    Muhammad Ayoob, Abdullah Shah, Abdul Razaque, et al. · 2025 · Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

    This study investigates at how employee burnout and work-life balance strategies relate to each other in commercial banks of Larkana Pakistan. The banking industry is becoming increasingly concerned about employee burnout, because the employee burnout results in reduced productivity and wellbeing. This study aims to examine the impacts of employee burnout and explore solutions for fostering work-life balance and preventing burnout in Larkana's commercial banks. All employees of Pakistan's commercial banks in Larkana City (N = 170). Using stratified random selection, 118 employees of microfinance banks in Larkana, Pakistan, were selected to measure employee burnout, work-life balance strategi

    Save this paper

19. Transforming Work Culture: Flexible Work Arrangements, Wellbeing, and Work-Life Balance Among Academics in Punjab

    Vishal Singh, Pretty Bhalla, Aditya Kumar Divyam · 2026 · Journal of Advanced Management Studies

    The transformation of the future of work has accelerated the adoption of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) in higher education, positioning them as strategic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices that support faculty well-being, retention, and sustainable institutional performance. In India, particularly in a resource-constrained private universities, FWAs are increasingly used to manage rising workload expectations and reduce burnout. Grounded in spillover theory, this study analyzes the dual effects of FWAs on subjective, psychological, and workplace well-being, and work–life balance among 210 faculty members in Punjab—where 65.3% of higher education institutions are privately unaided.

    Save this paper

20. The Relationship Between Work-Life Balance and Employee Wellness Among Police Officers

    A. Ndou, T. Moloi, M. Monyai · 2025 · International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management

    This paper examines the link between work-life balance (WLB) and employee well-being among police officers. Due to the demanding nature of police work, officers frequently experience work-related stress, long hours, and exposure to horrific incidents, all of which can have a negative impact on their personal lives and general well-being. The study underlines the significance of striking a healthy work-life balance to boost job satisfaction, prevent burnout, and promote mental and physical health. The paper further seeks to address the impediments generated as a result of stress in this workplace. Theoretically, this paper relies on occupational stress to examine the relationship between work

    Save this paper

21. Setting Better Boundaries at Work: Practical Strategies for Maintaining Work-Life Balance in Challenging Times

    Jonathan H. Westover · 2025 · Human Capital Leadership Review

    This article explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly blurred boundaries between work and personal life amid the rise of remote and hybrid work models, leading to dangerously high levels of workplace burnout that impacts both employee wellbeing and organizational performance. Drawing on research demonstrating the importance of psychological detachment from work responsibilities, the authors present evidence-based strategies for effective boundary-setting across different industries, including clear communication of expectations, mindful technology use, encouraging full utilization of time off, and establishing supportive workplace norms. By implementing these practices, leaders c

    Save this paper

22. AI at Work: To Know Whether Technology Improves or Damages Work–Life Balance

    J. G., Well Haorei · 2026 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the work experience of employees and poses new opportunities as well as risks to work-life balance. This review article summarizes the recent literature to determine the impact of AI-based technologies on the time usage, well-being, and boundaries of employees between personal and professional life. On the one hand, AI can automate routine processes, allow flexible work, work at home, and smarter scheduling, as well as deliver data-driven wellbeing insights that may alleviate overload, burnout, and absenteeism, and increase productivity as well as job satisfaction. Women and employees in the rural workforce will especially benefit from these a

    Save this paper

23. The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Maintaining Work-Life Balance among Gen Z Employees

    Tanya, Seema Singh · 2026 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

    The increased involvement of the members of the Generation Z workforce in the profession of banking has resulted in considerable interest in studying the impact of various factors on the workplace wellbeing and work-life balance of such workers. Emotional Intelligence has emerged as an important psychological factor which helps in dealing with the issues associated with workplace behaviour, emotion regulation and well-being. This study aims to investigate the association between Emotional Intelligence and Work-Life Balance of Generation Z workers employed in private banks of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. In particular, the importance of Emotional Intelligence as a factor contributing to Job Stress

    Save this paper

24. Quality of Work Life and Wellbeing among Healthcare Workers: Evidence from Pilot Study

    Rhea Bangera, Devaraju · 2026 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

    Healthcare organizations increasingly recognize that the wellbeing of clinical staff is closely linked to the quality of patient care, making reliable measurement tools essential. This pilot study examined the relationships among Quality of Work Life (QWL) and Life Satisfaction using data from 40 doctors and nurses. Reliability and validity were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability and average variance extracted. Ten of the twelve dimensions demonstrated acceptable reliability (α = 0.76–0.91), with Interpersonal Relationships, Career Growth and Development, Autonomy at Work, Recognition and Reward, Burnout and Life Satisfaction showing particularly strong results. Work En

    Save this paper