When home becomes the workplace: Work-life balance experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the relevance of the intersections
between work and personal life. Measures introduced to slow the spread of
COVID-19 have included an increase of working from home and the temporary
closure of schools and child-care facilities, leading to a lighter workload
for some and a heavier workload for others. These consequences are likely to
affect employees’ work–life balance (WLB), although the impact may differ
across groups of employees depending on the nature of their work, family
and personal demands and resources. This mixed-method study examined how
Dutch government employees perceive their WLB during the pandemic and
how differences in what employees are experiencing can be explained. In May/
June 2020, an online survey (N = 827) and an interview study (N = 17) were
conducted at a government organization whose employees were obliged to work
from home partly or exclusively. Results indicate that demands changed when
working entirely from home and resources became more important to maintain
WLB satisfaction. Being able to manage boundaries across life domains and
find a new routine also appeared to be crucial for WLB satisfaction.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3-30
JournalContemporary Perspectives in Family Research
Volume21
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2023

Research programs

  • ESSB PA

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