Gender Egalitarianism and Work–Life Balance for Managers: Multisource Perspectives in 36 Countries

Abstract

Work–life balance has important implications for both personal well‐being and work‐related outcomes. This study investigated gender differences in multisource ratings of work–life balance, based on self‐reports and supervisors' appraisals of 40,921 managers in 36 countries. Based on a combination of theoretical ideas from social role theory (Eagly & Wood, 2012), prior work–life literature, and gender egalitarianism as a cultural dimension related to societal gender roles, the study tested gender egalitarianism as a moderator of cross‐national variations in these gender differences. Based on multilevel (HLM) analyses, results showed more cross‐national variation by ratee gender in supervisors' appraisals than self‐reports, suggesting that supervisors' perceptions reflected greater influence of societal gender stereotypes. Supervisors rated women lower in work–life balance than men in low egalitarian countries, but similar to men in high egalitarian countries, and only appraisals of women varied depending on egalitarian context. Country gender egalitarian values explained the majority of variation in supervisors' appraisals of women's work–life balance, whereas women's self‐reported balance was linked to objective gender inequalities. Taken together, the findings show that supervisors' perceptions of employees' work–life balance differed by ratee gender and country context, with important implications for work–life theory and practical implications for global employers.

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

“…With a few exceptions (see Lyness & Judiesch, 2014;Hill, Yang, Hawkins, & Ferris, 2004), cross-national research has mostly neglected work-life balance. However, there is general consensus among scholars that work-life balance is highly valued by nearly all employees (Kossek et al, 2014) and it has important implications on people's well-being and work productivity all over the world (Lyness & Judiesch, 2014).…”

Effects of Work-Life Balance on Organizational Commitment: A Study in China’s State-Owned Enterprise

“…Their conceptualization of WLB is a more comprehensive one, as it involves employee actualization of multiple roles beyond work including family, social contact, and other activities and emphasizes the significance of personal values (Lyness & Judiesch, 2014). Therefore, WLB is defined as "an overall appraisal of the extent to which individuals' effectiveness and satisfaction in work and family roles are consistent with their life values at a given point in time" (Greenhaus & Allen , 2011, p. 174).…”

How do male managers narrate their female spouse ' s role in their career?

“…If this conceptualization is missing, the manager is usually seen as an individual who does not have a life outside the organization and ultimately results in insufficient understanding within the organization of work-wellbeing, stress, organizational culture, and its performance -all crucial elements when we are thinking about the aims of getting competent people for managerial positions, lengthening careers, and improving happiness and the quality of working life (e.g. Greenhaus, Collins & Shaw, 2003;Lyness & Judiesch, 2008;Erdogan, Bauer, Truxillo & Mansfield, 2012;Lyness & Judiesch, 2014;Singhapakdi, Sirgy, Lee, Senasu, Yu & Nisius, 2014).…”