Outcomes of work–life balance on job satisfaction, life satisfaction and mental health: A study across seven cultures

Strong and consistent support across all cultures for WLB to be associated with outcomes in the expected directions

Regarding I/C, high levels of WLB were more positively associated with job and life satisfaction for individuals in individualistic cultures, compared with those in collectivistic cultures.

In individualistic cultures, individuals generally have full responsibility for achieving WLB.

Regarding GE, they found that the beneficial effects of WLB on job and life satisfaction were most salient for individuals living in highly gender egalitarian cultures.

The negative relationship between WLB and anxiety was stronger for those living in high GE cultures. This implies that achieving WLB in high GE cultures is likely to enhance the beneficial effects of role balance on mental health.

The combined sample includes 1416 employees of whom 546 come from collectivistic cultures (Maori, Malaysia and China).

Seven samples includes

New Zealand

New Zealand (Maori)

China

Malaysia

Spain

France

Italy

The average age was 37.6 years, gender was fairly evenly split (55% female) and the majority were married (70%) and parents (61%). 46.8% of them are from a private sector, 48.5% from the public sector and the remaining 4.6% are from not-for-profit organisations

Achieving WLB may hold the key to greater job and life satisfaction, and diminished mental health issues, and this may hold in many countries.

Organizations should invest in promoting WLB by implementing work–life policies, such as flexible working hours, and by embracing a supportive work culture that encourages employees to use the work–life policies that are available in the organization

Encouraging employees to recognize and celebrate their success in balancing roles (when achieved) and to elongate the time frame upon which they to gauge their work–life balance is also critical to foster greater benefits through understanding the potential changing nature of WLB.

Work Life Balance

H1: WLB will be positively related to job satisfaction across cultures.
H2: WLB will be positively related to life satisfaction across cultures.
H3: WLB will be negatively related to anxiety across cultures.
H4: WLB will be negatively related to depression across cultures.

Moderating effects of individualism/collectivism

H5: Individualism/collectivism will moderate the relationship between WLB and individual outcomes, such that:
- H5: The positive relationship between WLB and (a) job satisfaction and (b) life satisfaction will be stronger in countries higher in individualism.
- H5: The negative relationship between WLB and (c) anxiety and (d) depression will be stronger in countries higher in individualism

Moderating effects of gender egalitarianism

H6: Gender egalitarianism will moderate the relationship between WLB and individual outcomes, such that:
- H6: The positive relationship between WLB and (a) job satisfaction and (b) life satisfaction will be stronger in countries higher in GE.
- H6: The negative relationship between WLB and (c) anxiety and (d) depression will be stronger in countries higher in GE

Job satisfaction was measured using 3-items.

WLB was measured using a 3-item measure.

Life satisfaction was measured using the 5-item scale.

Anxiety and depression were assessed using 6-items.

Collectivism was assessed by coding cultures using GLOBE scores for in-group collectivism.

Gender egalitarianism was also assessed by coding cultures using the GLOBE scores.

Enrichment theory

Integration theory