The gender gap in work–life balance satisfaction across occupations

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare the gender gaps in work–life balance satisfaction across occupations. Due to data limitations, the studies of work–life balance satisfaction have generally relied on researcher collected data. As a result, large-scale studies encompassing all occupations in the same social and policy context are rare. In several cycles of the Canadian General Social Survey, the respondents are directly asked about their work–life balance (WLB) satisfaction. The present paper takes advantage of this unique opportunity to compare the gender gap in WLB satisfaction across occupations in Canada.Design/methodology/approachThis paper pools four cross-sectional datasets (N = 37,335). Multivariate regression analysis is used.FindingsWomen in management and education are found to have a lower WLB satisfaction than their male counterparts. Conversely, and rather surprisingly, a WLB satisfaction advantage is found for women in transport over males in this occupation. Further investigation shows that the female WLB advantage in transport is driven by the relatively low WLB satisfaction of males in this occupation, while the opposite is true for education.Social implicationsThe findings are discussed in light of the WLB policies and their increasing gender-blindness.Originality/valueThis paper is the first large-scale study which compares the gender gap in WLB satisfaction across occupations, in a given policy context.