Introduction: Work-life balance (WLB) is a pillar of gender equality, as it emerges from interdependent roles, affects both work and home domains, and is significantly associated with job satisfaction, commitment, performance, and intention to leave, which can shape wage disparities.
Purpose: This study examines whether WLB is unequally distributed between females and males and if a resource/demand perspective across work and family domains can explain the potential disparity.
Method: Data from 2,963 participants in the nationwide Statistics Canada General Social Survey (24-64 years old, employed, and living with a partner) was analyzed using Stata. Structural equation modelling was used to test how work and family resources and demands affect WLB, mediated by Work Interference with Personal Life (WIPL) and Personal Life Interference with Work (PLIW).
Results: The partial mediation model significantly outperformed the full mediation model (LR chi2=201.57, p<0.001). WIPL and PLIW significantly reduce WLB (β=-0.865***, -0.207***). Work domain demands (work intensity, job insecurity, and conflict at work) are positively associated with WIPL and PLIW and negatively associated with WLB. Work domain resources, including autonomy, task significance, and employment benefits, are positively associated with WLB (β= 0.151**, 0.289***, 0.306**). Telework is positively associated with WIPL and PLIW and does not offer any benefits in WLB. In the family domain, having young children is positively associated with WIPL and PLIW while negatively associated with WLB. Family rewards (satisfaction with the amount and quality of family time) appear to be the strongest protective factor (β= WIPL -0.476 ***, PLIW -0.325 ***, WLB 0.591 ***). The sex-based female disparities persist (β= WIPL 0.237*, PLIW 0.420***, WLB -0.332**) even after considering the work and family resources/demands perspective.
Conclusions: Association between WIPL, PLIW, and WLB is asymmetric. WLB gap cannot be fully explained by the current resource/demand perspective, suggesting the need for theoretical expansion.