Work-life Balance: Perceptions of the Non-work Domain

Work-life balance research suffers from a lack of consistency in defining the scope of non-work (life outside work). Considering the evolving life preferences of modern workforce, work-life balance researchers should have a broader view of life which expands beyond work-family, and includes other non-work domains of life. This study is an attempt to establish that for today’s employees, work-life balance means balancing work not only with family life; but also with other non-work domains. Several non-work domains were identified from previous literature and a survey was conducted to identify the different non-work aspects important for respondents to have work-life balance. Based on results from 214 Indians working in various Indian cities and abroad, it was established that in the context of work-life balance, non-work includes not just family, but a combination of life domains, which varies from person-to-person. Although family remained the topmost priority, other non-work aspects were also chosen by varying proportions of respondents. Non-work preferences and related experiences of employees varied based on gender, marital status and child-care responsibilities. Satisfaction with organization’s work-life balance facilities differed when employees chose family, from when they chose other non-work domains. Findings indicate that various non-work preferences of employees should be considered during work-life balance research, and while designing work-life balance practices. This would help to address the non-work demands of different types of employees, and hence give more acceptance to such initiatives.