An Empirical Assessment of Work-life Balance among Women Professionals: A Study of Higher Education Institutions in Delhi NCR

Abstract

Work–life balance (WLB) has become a vital concern in academia, where faculty navigate teaching, research, and administrative tasks alongside family and social responsibilities. For women, this challenge is often magnified by cultural caregiving expectations and limited institutional support, making WLB an especially pressing issue in higher education.

Objectives: This study examines the state of WLB among female teaching faculty in Delhi-NCR using Fisher’s (2009) three-dimensional framework: Work Interference with Personal Life (WIPL), Personal Life Interference with Work (PLIW), and Work–Personal Life Enhancement (WPLE).

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 200 female faculty across universities and colleges in Delhi-NCR. Fisher’s 15-item WLB scale was used, and data were analyzed through SPSS 26, including reliability checks, descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regression.

Key Results: The tool showed strong reliability (α = 0.87). Findings revealed moderate interference from work to personal life (M = 3.45), low interference from personal life to work (M = 2.67), and high levels of enrichment (M = 3.89). Correlations indicated that all three dimensions were linked to overall WLB, with WPLE showing the strongest association (r = .61). Regression analysis reinforced this pattern, where WPLE (β = 0.41, p < .001) emerged as the most powerful predictor, followed by WIPL (β = 0.32, p < .001) and PLIW (β = 0.21, p = .003). Together, these explained 52% of the variance in WLB (R² = 0.52).