Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Work-life balance refers to the effective management of professional responsibilities alongside personal life, fostering mental health, job satisfaction, and productivity (Kalliath and Brough 2008). In academia, work-life balance is particularly challenging due to blurred work boundaries, long hours, and pressures to publish, secure funding, and achieve tenure (Fontinha et al. 2019). Unlike traditional jobs with defined hours, academic roles often demand availability beyond the typical workday, contributing to stress and burnout (Kinman and Johnson 2019). Academics face unique work-life balance stressors, including job insecurity, precarious contracts, and performance pressures that persist during life transitions like parenthood or illness (Akkermans and Kubasch 2017). Early-career researchers are especially vulnerable due to high workloads and limited institutional support (Sutherland and Sutherland 2018), influencing decisions around family planning. Academics may delay or avoid parenthood due to fears of job instability or career penalties after parental leave (Mason et al. 2013). Further on, parenthood complicates work-life balance (Beckett et al. 2015), with stark differences across countries. For example, while Finland offers robust parental leave, affordable childcare, and flexible work arrangements (He 2023), other countries, including the USA, provide less systemic support, intensifying challenges for academic parents (Stack et al. 2018). Like most instances, academic workplaces have little effect on the national solutions, however, we suggest that institutions should offer stable contracts and reintegration support post-leave to retain talent and support demographic sustainability. Despite differing policy environments in Finland and the USA, women carefully deliberate their procreation decisions based on their working conditions in both countries (Ollilainen 2019). The same study also showed that in both countries women felt pressured to maintain a presence at work even while on leave. Women in academia encounter compounded barriers due to systemic gender inequalities (Sutherland and Sutherland 2018). The "leaky pipeline" reflects the decreasing representation of women at senior levels, influenced by disproportionate caregiving duties and limited access to career-advancing opportunities (Shen 2013). Gendered expectations and biases exacerbate these disparities, particularly in cultures where traditional family roles prevail (Salonen and Koivisto 2024). Addressing WLB challenges requires institutional policies, cultural shifts, and proactive leadership. Flexible work arrangements—such as remote work and adaptable schedules—might enhance productivity and reduce stress (Felstead and Henseke 2017). Moreover, leaders play a pivotal role by fostering open communication (Sani and Adisa 2024), recognizing diverse life circumstances, and ensuring that employees can discuss challenges without fear of stigma. We suggest, for example, that leaders unfamiliar with caregiving demands should consult peers with relevant experiences to bridge empathy gaps, reducing team tensions and promoting inclusivity. Effective management benefits both individuals and research groups. Supportive environments enhance well-being, collaboration, and productivity, while high-stress settings breed conflict and burnout (Akkermans and Kubasch 2017). Drawing from Marshall Ganz’s leadership principles, academic leaders should foster collective empowerment, shared purpose, and relational trust, strengthening resilience and organizational performance (Ganz and Lin 2011). In conclusion, promoting WLB and gender equality in academia requires flexible policies, job security, empathetic leadership, and inclusive cultures. Institutions that prioritize these elements not only enhance employee well-being but also improve academic excellence and societal impact. During this workshop, we will explore strategies for creating inclusive academic workplaces that prioritize work-life balance, with a particular focus on supporting parents and on actions within the power of individual academics and research group leaders.
Source: ARPHA Conference Abstracts
Authors: Paulina Rajewicz, Katarina Sladakovic
Institution: University of Helsinki
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410826537