Work–Life Balance

Abstract

Communication studies research on work–life balance takes a constitutive approach that communication constitutes work–life enactments, and that work–life enactments differ based on economic systems, political landscapes, gender ideologies, cultural values and attitudes, history, and governmental support. This research spans from broad studies of societal constructs such as ideal workers and gendered norms, to organizational constructs such as work–life “cultures” and policies, to interpersonal studies of how individuals communicate about their working and personal lives with supervisors, coworkers, partners, and children, to examining individual negotiations of boundaries, routines, and identity related to (paid) work and personal life.

Resetting time and priorities: communicative sensemaking and implications of homeworking

“…Of the total benefit responses (n = 178), most participants noted life-related benefits, with 73.6 percent (n = 131) identifying spending time with family (e.g., spending time with kids, using time to reconnect with family) and 72.5 percent (n = 129) identifying more personal time (e.g., time for hobbies, reflection, and self-development). Participants' interpretations of work efficiencies perpetuated cultural scripts related to productivity (Kirby, 2017) and demonstrated that they drew on their past experiences with familiar discourses to understand their new experience (Weick, 1995). However, par-ticipants suggested that their work efficiencies were helpful in creating more time for life rather than more work time, which is a departure from historical US work-life discourses (see Kirby, 2017 for discussion).…”

“…The dominant US discourses about work provide a context within which to understand the communication shifts regarding work and private life that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. In the US, work has historically been privileged over private life (Kirby, 2017). Even in cases where there are physical boundaries to separate the work and private spheres, work frequently permeates into people's private lives, whereas the boundaries around work resist interference from life (Pal et al, 2020).…”

“…As US workers engaged in 'business as usual' before the COVID-19 pandemic, they perpetuated cultural scripts about time relative to work and life (Kirby, 2017). However, as sensemaking theory suggests, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic likely triggered equivocality and uncertainty about organizational and personal roles, necessitating communication to reduce uncertainty.…”

When Work Conflicts With Personal Projects: The Association of Work-Life Conflict With Worker Wellbeing and the Mediating Role of Mindfulness

“…Previous research has illustrated the connection of work-related time commitment with WLC, as work-family conflicts increase with working more in a given week ( Pleck et al, 1980 ; Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985 ). Strain-based WLC refers to the fact that stressors in one domain (e.g., work) lead to negative emotions and physical strain (e.g., tension, anxiety, depression, energy depletion), which reduces one’s capacity to accomplish their roles in the other domains (e.g., personal life; Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985 ; Steiber, 2009 ; Kirby, 2017 ).…”

Contextualising work–life balance: a case of women of African origin in the UK

“…Kirby (2017) mentions the significance of understanding how work–life balance differs across social representations due to economic systems, political backgrounds, gender philosophies, socio-cultural ethos, experiences and possibly governmental support. Similarly, Kamenou (2008) stresses that there is limited research around ethnicity, culture, religion and careers of older or disabled people, from the mainstream discussions of work–life balance.…”