Work

Balancing Work and Life Among Manufacturing Employees: The Role of Job Conditions, Support and Well-Being

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Work–life balance (WLB) has become a critical component of social sustainability, yet empirical evidence remains uneven across economic sectors. While existing research predominantly focuses on service-oriented and public-sector occupations, comparatively little is known about the determinants of WLB in manufacturing, where high job demands, limited flexibility, and structural constraints on autonomy often characterize work. Addressing this gap, the present study examines how job characteristics, support mechanisms, and individual resources shape the likelihood of achieving WLB among manufacturing employees in a rapidly developing European economy. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) framework, the study employs survey data from 361 manufacturing employees and estimates a series of Probit regression models. To facilitate a meaningful analysis, composite indices were constructed to capture job demands, job flexibility, organizational and social support, psychological boundaries, and overall well-being. Predicted probabilities were used to evaluate both direct effects and interaction patterns in the Probit models. The findings indicate that manageable job demands and individual resources, particularly well-being and effective self-management, are the strongest predictors of WLB. Job flexibility demonstrates a slight positive effect; however, when accounting for individual and structural factors, formal organizational and social support mechanisms do not show statistically significant direct effects. Furthermore, our analysis provides no empirical support for moderating effects, as the interaction terms between job characteristics and support variables are not statistically significant. This suggests that support mechanisms do not consistently modify the relationship between job demands, flexibility, and WLB within the analyzed sample. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of combining supportive organizational contexts with manageable work demands and individual resources to promote sustainable work–life balance in manufacturing. The study contributes sector-specific empirical evidence to sustainability research and offers practical insights for designing socially sustainable work environments in industrial settings.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18094239

Authors: Rasa Balvočiūtė, Rasa Švėgždienė

Institution: Šiauliai State Higher Education Institution

Language: English

Topic: Work-Family Balance Challenges

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896