Work-Life Balance and Gender Differences: A Study of College and University Teachers From Karnataka

Abstract

Teaching responsibilities in today’s higher education sector are increasingly demanding. Apart from the focus on the quality of teaching-learning activities, teachers of today are evaluated for their active involvement in professional and societal growth. Women in academia shoulder equal responsibilities as of men, but in India, women play multiple roles in the non-work setting unlike men. The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to find out the gender difference in Work-Life Balance (WLB) among teachers of higher education. Institutional Ethical Committee’s approval was obtained. Data was collected using the WLB questionnaire, from 127 male and 136 female faculties employed on a tenure basis in the Public Universities in Karnataka. The multiple regression analysis indicated an association of better WLB with the upper age group, male gender, and faculties of science discipline. Strategies at the organizational level and initiatives at the personal level are essential to address the issues of WLB.