Work-Life Balance and Role Conflict among Academic Staff in the Middle East: A Review of Literature

Abstract

Family and work are fundamental aspects of life, and an individual must find a balance between both. Prioritizing one over the other can cause distress in one’s life. Every individual plays an important role in their work and non-work/personal life with the aim of fulfilling their needs, but it’s not always easy to find a balance, which may cause a conflict. The reasons behind this conflict vary according to different professional constraints such as working hours, work environment, nature of job, and interpersonal relations. Non-work and personal factors such as: marital status, number of children, home environment, age, gender, and location may also contribute. This paper aims to study the importance of work-life balance in reducing role conflict among academic staff in the Middle Eastern region.