Title: Investigating the work-life balance, stress, and psychological well-being of academics in higher education

Authors: Mehfooz Zaki; Rana Zehra Masood; Naseem Ahmad; Mohammad Zulqar Nain; Zafar Alam; Fahad

Addresses: Department of Commerce, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Commerce, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Commerce, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Commerce, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India ' Department of Commerce, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract: Exploring Work-Life Balance (WLB) has gained significant attention from researchers, considering its relationship with various antecedents and outcomes. The present study examines the antecedents and consequences of WLB for academics. A purposeful sampling procedure was employed to collect required data from academics. IBM SPSS and AMOS were used to test the validity and reliability of the collected data, followed by structural equation modelling in the final stage. The findings revealed that autonomy (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), supervisor support (β = 0.14, p < 0.01) and workload (β = −0.19, p < 0.001) significantly impact the WLB of the academic. Additionally, the WLB of academics is found to be positively associated with psychological well-being (β = 0.53, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with stress (β = −0.52, p < 0.001). Current work contributes to the theory and provides valuable suggestions for institutions and policymakers to enhance the well-being of academics by fostering healthier work environments. Hence, it presents numerous implications regarding academics' psychological well-being and stress.

Keywords: work-life balance; workload; stress; psychological well-being; supervisor support; academics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2025.149062

International Journal of Management in Education, 2025 Vol.19 No.6, pp.690 - 715

Received: 28 Sep 2024
Accepted: 08 Jan 2025
Published online: 13 Oct 2025 *

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