EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND DESIGNATION ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

Background: Work-life balance (WLB) has become a crucial issue, especially in high-demand professions such as healthcare, where excessive workload, role ambiguity, and gender-related expectations can significantly influence employee well-being and job performance. This study investigates the impact of gender and professional designation on work-life balance among medical healthcare professionals. Objective: To assess the differences in work-life balance across gender and professional designation (faculty, postgraduate trainees, and trainees) among healthcare professionals working in hospitals and medical colleges. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 350 healthcare professionals selected through stratified random sampling from four tertiary hospitals and affiliated medical colleges. A standardized work-life balance scale was used to collect data. Independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed using SPSS version 26 to analyze group differences based on gender and designation. Results: The independent t-test revealed that female professionals reported significantly higher work-life balance scores (M = 68.7, SD = 14.1) than their male counterparts (M = 63.6, SD = 16.1), t(348) = 3.08, p = .006. One-way ANOVA showed significant differences in WLB by designation, with trainees (M = 69.7, SD = 20.3) reporting higher WLB than postgraduate trainees (M = 65.6, SD = 13.5) and faculty members (M = 62.9, SD = 11.3), F(2, 347) = 6.27, p = .02. Conclusion: The findings highlight notable disparities in work-life balance among healthcare professionals based on gender and professional roles. Tailored organizational strategies are necessary to promote equity in work-life integration, particularly for male staff and senior faculty who reported lower WLB levels.