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A participatory work-life balance intervention was implemented in a medium-sized construction contracting organization based in Melbourne, Australia. Weekly data capturing the number of hours worked, satisfaction with work-life balance and capacity to complete required tasks at work and at home were collected for 25 consecutive weeks. Data was subjected to time series modelling procedures and weekly work hours were found to significantly predict participants' overall satisfaction with work-life balance, and capacity to complete tasks at work and at home. The occurrence of 'long weekends', i.e., a period of three days away from work arising as a result of a public holiday coinciding with a 'rostered day off', was also found to predict workers' capacity to complete tasks at home. An evaluation workshop explored workers' experiences of the work-life intervention. Participants' were generally positive about the organization's support of their work-life balance, however areas for improvement were identified, such as the need for better communication of work-life strategies and to address the 'long hours' culture within the organization. The research presents a participatory framework for improving the work-life balance of project-based construction workers.

A diary data collection method was used to collect data from project-based construction workers in a large civil engineering construction project in Melbourne, Australia. Data capturing the number of hours worked, satisfaction with work-life balance and capacity to complete required tasks at work and at home were collected for 21 consecutive weeks. A strong correlation was found between hours worked each week and participants' work-life experiences. Data were subjected to time series modelling procedures and weekly work hours were found to significantly predict participants' capacity to complete tasks at work and at home, but not their satisfaction with work-life balance. The impact of work leading up to a major project milestone was found to increase the predictive capacity of the time series models, indicating that project events have a significant impact upon the work-life experiences of project-based workers. The period of intense work prior to the milestone (the opening of a new ramp on to an operating freeway) contributed significantly to an immediate reduction in capacity to complete tasks at home. Further time series modelling revealed that recovery opportunities associated with workers taking a short, temporary break from work can also contribute to improved work-life balance. It is proposed that construction organizations use the naturally fluctuating workloads implicit in project work to 'build' recovery opportunities into project schedules.

A survey of waged and salaried, project‐based construction workers was conducted. The survey measured work–family enrichment, a type of positive interaction between work and family life. A six‐item work–family enrichment scale confirmed the bi‐directional nature of work–family enrichment. Job‐related correlates of work‐to‐family enrichment were identified. Flexibility, perceptions of control, time adequacy and supervisor support were all positively correlated with work‐to‐family enrichment. Regression analyses were performed to examine the extent to which the relationship between these job‐related resources and work‐to‐family enrichment were mediated by perceptions of work schedule fit. Work schedule fit fully mediated the relationship between flexibility and control and work‐to‐family enrichment. The relationship between supervisor support and time adequacy were only partially mediated by work schedule fit, though a significant mediation effect was still observed. The research suggests that jobs may be designed to facilitate work–family enrichment in the construction industry, in particular through the provision of supervisor support, flexibility, time adequacy and control.Work–family enrichment, supervisor support, flexibility, job design, resources,