Examining the work-home interface: an ecological systems perspective

This dissertation outlines a mixed-methods investigation of work-life balance, examining the construct from an ecological systems theory perspective. This necessitated research at the individual, group, organisational and wider societal levels and included three studies: two using quantitative methodology and one using qualitative.
The quantitative phase included two studies that examined the experience of the home-work interface from the perspective of the employee, examining the impact of demographic differences, job design and organisational work-life balance culture on both their work-life balance satisfaction and actual outcomes of work and home domain interaction. This revealed the key role of demographic differences in employees’ satisfaction with work-life balance culture and the moderating role of work locus of control in the relationship between negative domain interaction outcomes and self-reported wellbeing.
The qualitative phase involved interviews with senior organisational stakeholders involved in the formulation and deployment of work-life balance policy. Thematic analysis of interview scripts revealed their implicit and explicit limited categorisation of employees when considering work-life balance needs; the gendered nature of their flexible working policies; the key role of line managers in the interpretation and implementation of policy; the impact of communication technology on the interface between work and home domains and the very limited extent of evaluation carried out on flexible-working policies.
Taken together, the data paint a complex but illuminating contemporary picture of the nature of work-life balance in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and support the adoption of an ecological systems perspective when examining work-life balance.