Current and Future Research on Work-Family Balance:A Comprehensive Analysis Based on Literature

For a long time,the issue of work-family balance has been a focus of research by scholars in organizational behavior,psychology,and other fields.In 2020,COVID-19 swept across the globe.The change in work and lifestyle brought about by the great closure blurred the boundary between work and life.The work-family balance faced unprecedented challenges,both for organizations and individuals.So,since the COVID-19 epidemic,what trends and achievements have emerged in the research on work-family balance?To clarify these issues,the author of this article searched 70 pieces of literature related to work-family balance published between 2020 and 2023 based on core databases including the SSCI,ESCI,and SCIE.After analyzing and summarizing the latest research focuses,conclusions,and future directions of retrieved literature,the author predicted the future research directions of the work-family balance.

Challenges in Work-Family Balance and Support Needs of Japanese Parents with Nursery School-Aged Children

We aimed to identify the challenges parents face raising preschool-aged children when trying to maintain a good work-family balance. We also highlight how public health nurses can support the community in this regard. Seven Japanese parents volunteered to participate, and individual in-depth interviews were conducted from May to October 2021. We analyzed the recorded interview data using qualitative descriptive methods. Three main themes concerning work-family balance challenges were extracted: 1) conflicts between parents’ childcare and work roles, 2) issues related to institutions and social systems, and 3) a lack of informal support. Factors contributing to the difficulties were a lack of time to spend with their children;an imbalance in the division of housework and childcare roles between married couples;the employment environment in Japan that makes it difficult to pursue a career while raising children;a lack of childcare services, including childcare for sick children;inadequate consultation systems;and an aging grandparents’ generation owing to late marriages. To solve this problem, we suggest that in addition to establishing a reliable system for providing childcare, local public health nurses should work with childcare workers to create an environment in which parents feel comfortable discussing work-family balance, considering the time constraints of parents during the childrearing period, and use nursery schools as a place for parent-child support.

Work-family conflict and job burn-out among Chinese doctors:the mediating role of coping styles

Background Burn-out among doctors threatens their own health, and that of their patients. To identify risk factors of the doctor burn-out is vital to improving their health and increasing the quality of healthcare services. This study aims to explore the relationship between work-family confict （WFC） and burn-out among Chinese doctors and the mediating role of coping styles in this relationship.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China, with a questionnaire packet which consisted of the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory （CMBI）, WFC Scale and the Simplifed Coping Style Questionnaire （SCSQ）. A total of 2530 doctors participated in the survey. Correlation analysis was performed to explore the relationship between CMBI, WFC and SCSQ scores. A linear regression model was set to determine the mediating role of coping styles on the relationship between WFC and burn-out.Results Doctors who had higher scores on work interfering with family confict, reported more emotional exhaustion （r=0.514, P〈0.001） and had a sense of accomplishment （r= 0.149, P〈0.001）. Simultaneously, family interfering with work （FIW） was positively associated with all dimensions of burn-out （r=0.213, 0.504, 0.088, respectively, P〈0.001）. Coping styles had partial, complete and even mediating effects on the relationship between WFC and burn-out among Chinese doctors.Conclusions WFC was correlated with burn-out, and coping style was a mediator in this relationship among Chinese doctors. Coping style was a positive resource against burn-out.

Work-family Interfase and Job Performance: Job Satisfaction as Mediator

The objective of the study was to examine the relationships between work-family interfase,job satisfaction and job performance in an Argentinian workers sample.A cross-sectional empirical study,based on explicative-associative strategy was designed.An availability sample of 383 workers(195 male)from different kinds of organizations was conformed.Based on past evidence,it was hypothesized the mediator role of job satisfaction.Structural equation analysis showed that the indirect effects of work-family interfase dimensions(conflict and enrichment)on job performance through job satisfaction were statically significant,which indicated partial mediation.All variables explained 72%of job performance variance.The study provides new evidence regarding the interrelations between job-family articulation and individual job performance,illuminating the crucial role played by satisfaction.Empirical findings and practical implications of the study are discussed.

Burnout and work-family conflict among nurses during the preparation for reevaluation of a grade A tertiary hospital

Objectives： To gain a better understanding of nurse burnout and work-family conflict for nurses and to help the hospital prepare for hospital grade reevaluation.Methods： This study is a cross-sectional study, and 95 nurses participated. The questionnaires included MBI and Carlson work-family conflict questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 17.Results： A total of 71.6% of nurses worked over 8 h per day during the last two months before the reevaluation. The total score of burnout of nurses was 66.84 ± 12.60, and the proportion of heavy work burnout was 44.2%. The personal accomplishment takes the heaviest portion（80.0%）. The total score of work-family conflict is 55.19 ± 9.27. The scores of work-to-family conflict are all higher than that of family-to-work conflict. The time dimension had the highest score.Conclusions： During the preparation period, nurses suffered from a heavy workload and intense job burnout, and many aspects of work-family conflict existed.

How do work-family balance practices affect work-family conflict？ The differential roles of work stress

This paper investigates the relationship between employees＇ perception of work-family balance practices and work-family conflicts. It examines the role of challenge stress and hindrance stress as moderators. Based on survey data collected from 841 civil servants in Beijing, we found that perceived work-family balance practices may reduce work-family conflict, while challenge and hindrance work stresses were positively related to work-family conflict. In addition, challenge and hindrance stresses differentially moderated the relationship between perceived work-family practices and work-family conflict. When challenge stress is high then workffamily balance practices will reduce work-family conflict. However, under high hindrance stress, work-family balance practices will serve to reduce work-family conflict less. More detailed analysis of the configurational dimensions of work-family balance practices （work flexibility, and employee and family wellness care） are also tested. This study provides additional insight into the management of work-family interfaces and offers ideas for future research.

Entrepreneurs innovation bringing job satisfaction,work-family balance,and life satisfaction:In China and around the world

Entrepreneurs work such,as innovation,may bring financial benefits and non-pecuniary benefits,such as well-being.Entrepreneurial innovation expectedly benefits an individuals job satisfaction,balance between work and family,and life satisfaction.This is tested for entrepreneurs in China and around the world,with a globally representative sample of 33,519 entrepreneurs,including 786 in China.Among entrepreneurs around the world,innovation benefits job satisfaction,the balance between work and family,and life satisfaction.In China,specifically,entrepreneurs innovation also benefits their satisfaction with the balance between work and family and with life.

Work-family conflict and organizational citizenship behavior： the role of job satisfaction and decision authority

Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory （Hobfoll, Am Psychol 44：513- 524, 1989）, social exchange theory （Blau, Exchange and power in social life, 1964） and the job demand-control model （Karasek, Adm Sci Q 24：285-308, 1979）, this study uncovers the theoretical mechanism that explains the relationship between work- family conflict and organizational citizenship behavior （OCB）. First, this study focuses on how employee job satisfaction mediates the relationship. Then, we investigate the moderating role of decision authority in, the mediated relationsip. We employ three-wave data collected from 324 employees in 102 teams to test our hypotheses. Aesults of hierarchical linear modeling （HLM） first shows that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between work interference with family （WIF） and OCB. In addition, employees＇ decision authority moderates the direct effect of WlF on OCB. Specifically, the negative relationship between WlF and OCB is stronger when employees＇ decision authority is high. Moreover, decision authority moderates the indirect effect of WIF on OCB via job satisfaction. Specifically, the negative relationship between WlE and job satisfaction is weaker when employees＇ decision authority is high. The results suggest that organizations should give employees enough decision authority over their work, as a high level of decision authority may act as a double-edged sword regarding critical organizational outcomes.

A Framework of Work-Family Facilitation： Observations from Employees in the Financial Industry in Taiwan

This study aims to understand the work-family facilitation and its antecedents. Positive synergies from work and family domains （work-family facilitation） were examined from interviewing financial service employees （N = 15） in Taiwan. Data analysis showed： （1） resources from both work and family domains, （2） the themes of work-family facilitation, （3） the relationship between work-family facilitation and the obtained resources across domains. These findings have managerial implications for designing work-and family-relevant policies that enhance work-family facilitation to further improve employees＇ quality and functions of work and family life.

The Fatherhood Premium： Mirage or Reality？ How Do Occupational Characteristics Matter

A differential fatherhood premium exists among selected groups of fathers of various socio-economic backgrounds. Besides marital status, residential arrangement, biological paternity, and other demographic dimensions, the mechanisms associated with fathers＇ structural characteristics of work that produce divergent labor market outcomes are less well understood. The authors leveraged the cases of productivity and specialization, family and responsibility, and compensating differentials and examined the impacts of work context and occupational characteristics on the pay gap between fathers and non-fathers Based on joint data from the 1997-2015 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth （NLSY97） and Occupational Information Network （O＇NET） （n -- 37,138）, the authors used fixed-effects models to estimate the associations between job features and the fatherhood premium. The regression results showed that occupations entailing competition and requiring on-the-job training are associated with more wage bonus; occupations offering inflexible schedule are associated with less wage gain These work-related characteristics further emphasize fathers＇ work structure and context, human capital accumulation, and work-family conflict. Overall, these findings are consistent with the theoretical perspectives of productivity and specialization and compensating differentials, adding new evidences to the structural explanations of the fatherhood premium.

Executive Stress

Executives are all facing their mental pressures and strains from the internal and external environments.In order to keep companies growing healthier,executives should be trained or taught some effective solutions that can reduce their stresses and pressures.This research paper,based on the analysis of two sources of executive stress,aims to emphasize that regular exercise,work and life balance and power delegation could effectively reduce these executive stresses.

China’s Low Fertility Rate from the Perspective of Gender and Development

Fertility and other demographic indicators do not simply follow the ups and downs of policy.In order to understand more objectively and accurately the degree of acceptance,impact and actual effect of the unconditional two-child policy(quanmian erhai zhengce)as well as the long-term trend of China’s fertility rate,we need to proceed from the institutional and cultural context of Chinese society.The complex social mechanisms behind the low fertility situation in China should be interpreted from the perspective of gender and development.Drawing on international theories and lessons learned from past experience,we find,from a gender and development perspective,that women’s workfamily conflict is the key to examining China’s low fertility rate;designing public policy with a gender perspective to promote the participation of government,society,business and multiple male and female actors is a social mechanism that alleviates women’s work-family conflict;and advocating the Marxist gender ideology of equality between men and women and abandoning traditional Confucian patriarchal and familial thinking are the ideological basis for alleviating women’s work-family conflict.In view of the dual identity of women as material producers and social reproducers,promoting the simultaneous development of gender equality in the public and private sectors and alleviating women’s work-family conflicts will make a positive contribution to maintaining a certain fertility rate and level of economic development.

Analysis of the Impacts of Work,Non-Work and Stress Issues on the Work Family Conflict in Ivorian Industrial Sector

This paper analyzes the perceptions that workers in the Ivorian industrial sector have as the interface between their professional and personal life,and the factors that facilitate or make it difficult.Data collected from 4 Ivorian industrial companies which represent a sample of 187 respondents according to the selection criteria.These collected data make it possible to identify the factors which act on the labor conflict towards the family as well as the factors which act on the family conflict towards the work within the industrial sector in Cte d'Ivoire.The results of the correlation coefficients show that the relationships between the proposed variables are significant and in the direction suggested for the most part,thus providing support for nine of the ten hypotheses affecting these relationships.According to some results obtained,it was discovered that certain factors could be at the same time,factors of conflict and satisfaction,such as the commitment to work or the nature of the work.These variables can simultaneously increase stress,and increase the self-esteem of the worker.The results of the analysis of the proposed model recommend the possibility that the data fit the model well,explaining the impacts of work,non-work and stressors on work-family conflict.This indicates that the proposed model is adapted to the Ivorian context.