Differential impacts of reduced worktime on work-life balance in Korea
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kim H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10653494 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:To date, research directed at the work-life balance (WLB) has focused mainly on the work and family domains. However, the current labor force is heterogeneous, and workers may also value other nonworking domains besides the family. The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of other nonworking domains in the WLB with a particular focus on health. Moreover, the importance of the effects of the work-family balance (WFB) and the work-health balance (WHB) on job satisfaction was investigated. Finally, we explored how the effects of the WFB and the WHB on job satisfaction change according to worker characteristics (age, gender, parental status, and work ability). This study involved 318 workers who completed an online questionnaire. The importance of the nonworking domains was compared with a t-test. The effect of the WFB and the WHB on job satisfaction was investigated with multiple and moderated regression analyses. The results show that workers considered health as important as family in the WLB. The WHB explained more of the variance in job satisfaction than the WFB. Age, gender and parental status moderated the effect of the WFB on job satisfaction, and work ability moderated the effect of the WHB on job satisfaction. This study highlights the importance of the health domain in the WLB and stresses that it is crucial to consider the specificity of different groups of workers when considering the WLB.
| S-EPMC7037206 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The paradigm shifts of conventional office spaces for virtual workspaces which practiced Work from Home (WFH) due to Covid-19, created a serious change in the lifestyles of employees, due to the overlap of 'work' and 'life' domains in one's life. Since software engineers have a possibility of permanently adapting into WFH, the objective of this study is to unveil factors which would have a significant impact on the work-life balance of software engineers in Sri Lanka, while WFH. Only a very limited researches have shed light on this context, thereby this study would contribute to fill the empirical gap. The study undertook a quantitative approach by collecting primary data through a questionnaire from 384 participants, based on simple random sampling, and analyzing collected data based on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), using Smart PLS 3.3.9 software. Study results revealed that 'supervisor's trust and support' and the 'individual workspace,' have a significant impact on work-life balance, while 'working conditions,' 'possibility to access the organization's networks' and 'number of children' have no such significant impact. Thereby the study infers that, sound support and trust extended by supervisors and a designated distraction-free workspace; as measures to demarcate the boundary of work and life. Distinctive findings of this study would primarily be fruitful for software engineers to dive into a balanced state of work and life not only during Covid-19 but in future too. Study findings will also contribute to software industry personnel and policymakers in Sri Lanka as well as other developing countries, to establish effective strategies in favor of software engineers who WFH. Further, considering IT industry's significant contribution towards Sri Lanka's economic growth amidst Covid-19, results of this study would be high-yielding to indirectly succor IT-services-supported economic growth amidst the pandemic-driven hardships in Sri Lanka.
| S-EPMC9750026 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Women in medicine may feel pressure to choose between the competing demands of career goals and being a dedicated spouse and parent.The purpose of this survey study is to report on the current opinions of female dermatologists with regard to family planning, maternity leave, and career success.We surveyed 183 members of the Women's Dermatologic Society using a 13-question survey that was approved for distribution by the institutional review board committee of the University of Connecticut Health Center.We found that women were most likely to have children while they were residents (51%), despite the fact that residents were more likely to report barriers to childbearing at this career stage. These barriers included length of maternity leave, appearing less committed to residency responsibilities compared with peers, and inadequate time and privacy to breast feed. Strategies to achieve a work-life balance included hiring in-home help and working part-time. Of note, many women commented on the need for more family planning resources at work.Thought should be given to future administrative strategies that can lessen the burden of parents who are dermatologists and have academic ambitions.
| S-EPMC5555353 | biostudies-other
Project description:IntroductionNeurosurgery is one of the most demanding medical specialties. For neurosurgeons, balancing professional activity with personal life can be challenging.Research questionTo evaluate gender differences in contribution of neurosurgeons in the household and child-rearing, as well as their impact on personal life and career.Material and methodsAn anonymous, electronic, 59-item web-based survey was administered to National Neurosurgical Societies of Europe, and European Member Societies of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (June-October 2021).ResultsA total of 205 European neurosurgeons (87 females and 118 males, mean age 40.7) are included in our survey. In neurosurgery, females are significantly more likely to be alone (37.9%), while males are significantly more likely to have children (66.9%). In terms of household efforts, females spend more time than males on the same tasks. Most participants (71.2%) view gender issues as a disadvantage in career pursuing. Women feel less accepted (54.3%) and having fewer opportunities (58.6%), while men believe that pregnancy/child-rearing (65.8%) and having many roles (51.3%) are the main obstacles. Both genders (77.6%) favor more convenient working conditions for young parents.Discussion and Conclusion. In our study we found that, women neurosurgeons take more responsibilities at home, especially in the child-rearing years. Female neurosurgeons are more likely to live alone or stay childless more often compared to their male colleagues. Supportive facilities, flexible programs, universal life policies and presumably curbing of the social stereotypes are of importance to overcome gender inequities that women are still facing in neurosurgery.
| S-EPMC9562249 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Flexible work arrangements permitting workers to work anytime and anywhere are increasingly common. This flexibility can introduce both challenges and opportunities for the organisation, as well as for worker work-life balance (WLB). This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the extent to which occupational factors (organizational, leadership and psychosocial) and individual work-related behaviours (over-commitment, overtime work and boundary management) are associated with WLB, and whether these associations are modified by the perceived level of flexibility at work (i.e., control over when, where, and how to do the work). In total, 2960 full-time office workers with flexible work arrangements at the Swedish Transport Administration participated. Associations were determined using linear regression analyses with adjustment for covariates. The strongest negative associations with WLB were found for over-commitment, quantitative job demands, expectations of availability, and overtime work. Strongest positive associations were found for boundary management, information about organizing work, social support, and relation-oriented leadership. Perceived flexibility was positively associated with WLB, and interacted with several of the examined factors, buffering their negative associations with WLB. Results suggest that WLB can be promoted by organizational initiatives focusing on minimizing excessive job demands, increasing psychosocial resources, supporting boundary management, and enhancing perceived flexibility.
| S-EPMC7068342 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportancePhysician work hours are an underexplored facet of the physician workforce that can inform policy for the rapidly changing health care labor market.ObjectiveTo examine trends in individual physician work hours and their contribution to clinical workforce changes over a 20-year period.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study focused on active US physicians between January 2001 and December 2021 who were included in the Current Population Survey. Outcomes for physicians, advanced practice professionals (APPs), and nonphysician holders of doctoral degrees were compared, and generalized linear models were used to estimate differences in time trends for weekly work hours across subgroups.Main outcomes and measuresPhysician and APP workforce size, defined as the number of active clinicians, 3-year moving averages of weekly work hours by individual physicians, and weekly hours contributed by the physician and APP workforce per 100 000 US residents.ResultsA total of 87 297 monthly surveys of physicians from 17 599 unique households were included in the analysis. The number of active physicians grew 32.9% from 2001 to 2021, peaking in 2019 at 989 684, then falling 6.7% to 923 419 by 2021, with disproportionate loss of physicians in rural areas. Average weekly work hours for individual physicians declined by 7.6% (95% CI, -9.1% to -6.1%), from 52.6 to 48.6 hours per week from 2001 to 2021. The downward trend was driven by decreasing hours among male physicians, particularly fathers (11.9% decline in work hours), rural physicians (-9.7%), and physicians aged 45 to 54 years (-9.8%). Physician mothers were the only examined subgroup to experience a statistically significant increase in work hours (3.0%). Total weekly hours contributed by the physician workforce per 10 000 US residents increased by 7.0%, from 13 006 hours in 2001 to 2003 to 13 920 hours in 2019 to 2021, compared with 16.6% growth in the US population over that time period. Weekly hours contributed by the APP workforce per 100 000 US residents grew 71.2% from 2010 through 2012 to 2019 through 2021.Conclusions and relevanceThis cross-sectional study showed that physician work hours consistently declined in the past 20 years, such that physician workforce hours per capita lagged behind US population growth. This trend was offset by rapid growth in hours contributed by the APP workforce. The gap in physician work hours between men and women narrowed considerably, with diverging potential implications for gender equity. Increasing physician retirement combined with a drop in active physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic may further slow growth in physician workforce hours per capita in the US.
| S-EPMC9857188 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFew large-scale, comparative studies have examined both the positive mental well-being outcomes of work-life balance and the broader socio-economic context by which it is shaped. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between work-life balance and work engagement across a wide range of European welfare states, as well as to examine whether work-life balance varies across European countries and whether this variance can be explained by welfare regime, controlling for individual-level factors.MethodsThis study utilized data from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey. In total, 35 401 workers from 30 European countries could be classified into the adopted welfare regime typology. Work engagement was measured using an ultra-short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and work-life balance with a question on the fit between working hours and family or social commitments. Due to the hierarchical structure of the data, multilevel regression models were applied.ResultsA statistically significant positive association between work-life balance and work engagement across the European workforce was found. Between-country variance in work-life balance was demonstrated and this can in part be explained by welfare regime.ConclusionsWhile it has long been recognized that occupational stress and work-related mental health problems are shaped by the socio-economic context and thus regarded as public health concerns in Europe, our results suggest that this applies to well-being at work and related support factors as well.
| S-EPMC10234642 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundNurse retention is critical for healthcare systems worldwide, as high turnover rates adversely affect patient care and organizational stability.AimExamines the impact of transformational leadership, career growth opportunities, work well-being, and work-life balance on nurse retention.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 297 nurses employed in inpatient wards at Mansoura University Hospital. The study measured variables using the Nursing Retention Index, Global Transformational Leadership Scale, Career Growth Scale, Work Well-Being Scale, and Work-Life Balance Scale.ResultsA linear regression analysis identified significant predictors of nurse retention. Work-life balance was found to be a strong predictor, with an unstandardized coefficient (B) of 0.255 (p < 0.001) and a standardized coefficient (β) of 0.426, indicating a positive relationship with retention, transformational leadership also significantly influenced retention, with a B of 0.082 (p = 0.002) and a β of 0.171. In contrast, Career Growth and Work-Life Balance did not significantly predict retention, showing coefficients of -0.082 (p = 0.154) and -0.042 (p = 0.482). The model explained 23.4% of the variance in nurse retention (R-squared = 0.234) and demonstrated statistical significance (F = 22.294, p < 0.001).ConclusionThis study highlights the critical role of transformational leadership and work-life balance in enhancing nurse retention. However, career growth and work well-being did not significantly predict retention in this study. Healthcare institutions should focus on transformational leadership and work-life balance to enhance nurse retention. Future studies should explore factors related to career growth and work well-being to determine their potential impact on retention.
| S-EPMC11807322 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Children frequently consume beverages that are either sweetened with sugars (sugar-sweetened beverages; SSB) or low-calorie sweeteners (LCS). Here, we evaluated the effects of habitual early life consumption of either SSB or LCS on energy balance later during adulthood. Male and female rats were provided with chow, water, and a solution containing either SSB (sucrose), LCS (acesulfame potassium (ACE-K) or stevia), or control (no solution) during the juvenile and adolescent periods (postnatal days 26-70). SSB or LCS consumption was voluntary and restricted within the recommended federal daily limits. When subsequently maintained on a cafeteria-style junk food diet (CAF; various high-fat, high-sugar foods) during adulthood, ACE-K-exposed rats demonstrated reduced caloric consumption vs. the controls, which contributed to lower body weights in female, but not male, ACE-K rats. These discrepant intakes and body weight effects in male ACE-K rats are likely to be based on reduced gene expression of thermogenic indicators (UCP1, BMP8B) in brown adipose tissue. Female stevia-exposed rats did not differ from the controls in terms of caloric intake or body weight, yet they consumed more SSB during CAF exposure in adulthood. None of the SSB-exposed rats, neither male nor female, differed from the controls in terms of total adult caloric consumption or body weight measures. The collective results reveal that early life LCS consumption alters sugar preference, body weight, and gene expression for markers of thermogenesis during adulthood, with both sex- and sweetener-dependent effects.
| S-EPMC9694170 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This study analyzed the differences between workaholism and work engagement in relation to their influence on work-life interference. Workaholism is an addiction to work, characterized by obsessive attitude towards job, whereas work engagement concerns a positive pattern of thoughts and feelings about one's job; these two constructs thus represent pathological and healthy forms of heavy work investment, respectively. As a consequence, it was expected that workaholism and work engagement would have different effects on perceived interference between work and life domains. We assessed levels of workaholism, work engagement, work-to-life interference, and life-to-work interference in a sample of 212 Italian workers. Results from structural equation modeling showed an inverse symmetry involving patterns and magnitudes of the relations observed: work engagement was more negatively related to life-to-work interference than work-to-life interference, whereas workaholism was more positively related to work-to-life interference than life-to-work interference. Implications about findings of the study are discussed.
| S-EPMC6266527 | biostudies-other