Life and Work-life Balance Satisfaction Among Parents Working From Home

The Role of Work-time and Childcare Demands

Bibliographic Data

ID7147350
AuthorsAnna Kurowska (0000-0002-3578-4517, University of Warsaw, corresponding author), Ewa Cukrowska-Torzewska (0000-0003-4273-462X, University of Warsaw), Tsegachew Degu Kasegn (0000-0003-2708-733X, University of Warsaw), Bartłomiej Rokicki (0000-0002-8392-0536, University of Warsaw)
Year2025
Volume20
Issue3
Pages1315-1338
Publication date2025-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueApplied Research in Quality of Life (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1871-2576 • E-ISSN: 1871-2584
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s11482-025-10467-5
OpenAlexW4411016526
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited53

This study examines the relationship between working from home (WFH) and satisfaction with work-life balance (WLB) and life satisfaction among parents with dependent children, focusing on moderating factors related to work hours and childcare demands. We differentiate between parents who continued WFH from before the COVID-19 pandemic and those who began WFH during the pandemic. Using a dataset collected via a representative online survey in Canada, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the United States, we provide cross-national estimates of WFH’s impact on WLB and life satisfaction. Data collection took place between June and September 2021, capturing a unique period when WFH was widespread but pandemic-related restrictions had been lifted. Our findings show that both fathers and mothers across all countries reported higher WLB when WFH, particularly if they gained the opportunity to WFH during the pandemic. However, the association between WFH and life satisfaction was less consistent and varied by gender and country. For parents who worked from home prior to the pandemic, WFH was linked to higher WLB satisfaction only if they did not work long hours. Interestingly, mothers who began WFH during the pandemic reported higher WLB satisfaction even when working long hours or bearing primary childcare responsibilities. This suggests that the newly gained ability to WFH was especially valued by mothers as a vital means of balancing intensive work and family demands during the pandemic. These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between the short- and long-term effects of WFH on WLB in future research

Demographic economics · Economics · Life satisfaction · Public health · Quality of Life Research · Work time · Work–life balance · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges · Gerontology

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