Associations among work–life conflict, life–work conflict, sleep disorders, job burnout and mental health among solo entrepreneurs: a Korean survey analysis

This study delves into the intricacies of work-life balance among the self-employed, a rapidly growing segment in the global workforce. Acknowledging a gap in the existing literature which predominantly focuses on employees in organizational settings, this research aims to understand the unique challenges faced by individuals managing their businesses single-handedly. Employing partial least squares structural equation modeling, the study analyzes data from 12,703 respondents from the Sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted between 2020 and 2021. The findings indicate that work-life conflict was associated with increased sleep disorders and burnout, and also had a negative relationship with mental health. Life-work conflict had a negative association with sleep disorders. This suggests a complex interplay between professional demands and personal well-being among the solo self-employed. Moreover, the multi-group analysis reveals that the solo self-employed experience work-life conflict, life-work conflict and job burnout differently compared to regular employees.