1. Introduction
Work-life balance (WLB) is among the prime focus in everyday discourses of life [
1,
2,
3,
4]. It represents equilibrium between job demands and other life roles [
5,
6]. In particular, continuous evolutions in the healthcare sector are foreseen to substantially influence the personal as well as the professional lives of medical professionals [
7]. Elevated amount of stress and exhaustion among Health Care Professionals are extensively reported [
8,
9,
10,
11] and have been established to be closely linked to the increased risk of psychological as well as physical problems [
12,
13]). With transformation to the Health Care Professionals, rising patient complication and utilization of advanced health facilities, there has been enhanced concern for the maintaining adequate WLB [
5,
7]. Regardless of its ubiquity, WLB stays less explored in work-life research [
1,
14] especially among Health Care Professionals. Specifically, research exploring the positive consequences of greater WLB have been comparatively slow to accumulate [
14,
15]. Therefore, the current research is an endeavor to contribute to the WLB construct by investigating its relationship with three vital concepts including job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and subjective well-being (SWB). Although, few researchers have documented the associations between WLB, job satisfaction [
16,
17] and SWB [
5], the extent to which these connections apply to the medical profession is still obscure. Therefore, the prime objective of this research is to fill this shortcoming by examining the association between WLB, job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and subjective well-being among Health Care Professionals working in public and private hospitals of Pakistan. Further, our research also contributed to the existing literature by providing the evidence that work-life constructs that sprung in Western cultures can be generalized beyond these communities—we do so by incorporating understudied culture that of Pakistan.
In this study, by utilizing a sample of 301 Health Care Professionals working in hospitals of Pakistan, we developed rigorously tested moderated mediation model (
Figure 1)—in which we hypothesize that greater WLB facilitates individuals achieving job satisfaction which in turn enhances their subjective well-being. Further, intrinsic motivation moderates the association between WLB and SWB through job satisfaction.
It has been contended that WLB will augment employee subjective well-being, job satisfaction and innovative work behavior. When employees are satisfied with the job they are performing, they usually exhibit more innovative work behavior as it is often considered as a precondition for viability of any organization in today’s complex and highly competitive work environment. Past empirical studies demonstrated the important role of human capital in the innovation and productivity of organizations. Hence, the well-being of the workforce is vital for sustainable performance of any organization. Subjective well-being (SWB) alludes to the positive assessment that people formulate about the condition of their lives [
18,
19,
20] while it can be referred to as the cognitive evaluation of one’s job [
21,
22]. Past researchers have found that WLB anticipates well-being and overall personal satisfaction [
23]. Conversely, inability to accomplish balance results in lower job and life satisfaction [
24], lesser well-being and poor life quality [
25,
26]. The existing literature argued that the role of WLB in enhancing SWB is significant [
5]. However, past studies did not satisfactorily explicate the indirect mechanisms through which WLB can influence SWB. Therefore, in this study, we endeavor to go beyond examining a direct association between WLB and SWB by incorporating job satisfaction as the mediator and intrinsic motivation as the moderator of this association.
Along with WLB, job satisfaction is frequently cited as the predictor of SWB [
22,
27,
28,
29] and innovative work behavior. It is argued that when individuals are satisfied with their job, they assume that they have achieved the excellent quality of life which represents their higher SWB [
30]. In an organization, when employees experience WLB, their job satisfaction level increases which promotes their SWB.
The present research embraces “spillover theory” by Staines [
31] for its theoretical grounding, which suggest that an employee’s experience in one domain influences those in others. Newstrom [
32] argued that work circumstances shape the workers’ feelings towards their work and life. By following the same direction, we propose that WLB essentially shapes Health Care Professionals’ SWB directly and through job satisfaction provided that work is among the most imperative components of an employee’s life. This procedure can produce positive as well as negative emotions, which in turn, escort towards depression in some people while high levels of satisfaction in others [
27].
Further, intrinsic motivation also has the vital influence. We argue that a high level of intrinsic motivation works as the boundary condition that impacts the association between WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. Intrinsic motivation occurs when employees act without any obvious external rewards [
33]. We posit that individuals with higher intrinsic motivation exhibit lower satisfaction with WLB as they get more enjoyment and satisfaction in spending time on their work as compared to spending it with family. Therefore, their higher intrinsic motivation mitigates the positive affect of WLB on SWB via job satisfaction.
This study is significant for organizations, particularly the hospital industry, in understanding and analyzing the concept of WLB and its association with job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and SWB. These interconnected and complementary concepts allow the organizations to draw more benefits from higher retention to enhanced productivity ratios. Additionally, it is also vital to comprehend the idea of WLB. The WLB programs are receiving equal importance to monetary rewards as prospective candidates are considering WLB is an important parameter for job seeking [
34]. Our prime contribution is not only to examine the influence of WLB on SWB but also is the endeavor to comprehend the mechanisms that facilitate this association, with a meticulous focus on the mediating effect of job satisfaction and moderating influence of intrinsic motivation.
6. Discussion
The healthcare profession has progressed remarkably in the last few decades but a scarcity of competent workers has augmented strain on formerly working healthcare professionals. Elevated work pressure, critical working environment, small job safety and family errands all have adverse consequences for WLB. WLB is not merely imperative for the healthiness and well-being of personnel, but it is also cost-efficient approach of improving work atmosphere, open innovation and creativity in healthcare organizations.
Open innovation is considered as an integral condition for firms’ strategic maintenance that can improve prosperity, sustainability and the competitive advantage of any organization [
86,
87] and most specifically for the healthcare sector too. Open innovation is the creation of novel values [
86] and knowledge from the external stakeholders is very significant to optimize in-house open innovation [
88]. External knowledge usually spreads over several actors (patients, nurses, doctors and administrative staff) and it is often expended from individual actors in the organizations in the whole industry [
89]. Empirical studies on innovation divulge that personnel with a range of skills and experience are more interested in effective innovation process [
90]. Staff members involved in innovation processes have to deal with the above-mentioned challenges through maintaining the work-life balance. On the other hand, the open innovation process starts with a mindset known as open innovation culture. This type of culture is motivated through openness because people with diverse backgrounds enhance the ability of responding rapidly to changing markets [
91]. Top management should intrinsically motivate employees and offer employees assistance programs for their progress, development and well-being.
By keeping this purpose in mind, in this study, we provide an insight into the relationship between WLB on SWB through the mediating effect of job satisfaction and the moderating role of intrinsic motivation among the healthcare professionals of Pakistan. The research findings gave support to our hypothesized framework. With respect to hypothesis 1, results show that there exist positive and significant associations between WLB and SWB, and WLB is “a person’s aptitude to meet work and social commitments, as well as other non-work responsibilities and activities’’ [
92]. A number of research studies performed in the healthcare sector have provided evidence that healthcare professionals face multiple work pressures including prolonged working hours, manifold job duties and high workload [
93,
94]. All of these factors oblige health care professional to compromise with their social or family obligations [
95,
96] and incapability to meet these requirements instigates discontent and produce pessimistic emotions which lead towards poor SWB. Contrarily, when employees succeed in keeping balance between work and non-work demands, they became satisfied, which results in higher SWB.
Consistent with Hypothesis 2, and in line with the findings of [
97], the study findings depicts positive and strong association between WLB and job satisfaction as the balance between work and personal liabilities diminish the amount of strain and job dissatisfaction.
According to hypothesis 3 and 4, job satisfaction plays the dual role in the model and our results are in favor of that. Firstly, when job satisfaction increases, the SWB takes place (direct relationship) on the other side; results also revealed the intervening behavior of job satisfaction as the individual enjoying WLB controls all of his/her life activities in a balanced and mannered way which increased his job satisfaction which further enhances SWB.
Finally, favoring hypothesis 5, the results support the moderating behavior of intrinsic motivation between the association of WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. As we explained earlier, intrinsically motivated health care professionals gain enjoyment in their work activities. Resultantly, the indirect association between WLB and SWB is weaker when the intrinsic motivation of a person is higher rather than low.
6.1. Theoretical Contributions
The current study contributes to pervious literature in succeeding ways. First, we work on individual WLB. Individuals who experience WLB may be more satisfied in their job and life because they are participating in role activities that are salient to them [
15,
53]. By checking the direct relation of WLB and job satisfaction we enhanced the pervious literature of both variables in a different way.
Second our results show that job satisfaction is key indicator of an individual’s subjective well-being thus our study indicated a major antecedent of subjective well-being. The results of moderation in our study give a newfangled vision for academic researchers by highlighting that intrinsic motivation positively moderates the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction. By checking the different behavior of job satisfaction as an intervening variable we add value in pervious literature as well as observe the intervening impact of job satisfaction. The major contribution of our study is that we worked on moderating the effect of intrinsic motivation and check its impact on WLB and job satisfaction, which was rarely observed by pervious research studies.
6.2. Practical Implication
Current research provides insight for managers and practitioners. Our findings suggest that work-life balance is a chief predictor of job satisfaction and it would be beneficial for human resource managers in the process of selection of employees. If managers select the individuals who have the ability to manage both family and work together, he/she is an ultimate and permanent energetic source for the organization. Second, our results indicated that if an individual felt gratified with his job he is positive (cognitive feeling) and enhanced and he feels emotionally more satisfied (subjective well-being), and such a type of person can be the best asset of an organization. Third, Managers are supposed to hire the employees who are intrinsically motivated. So, if they work with full devotion this will enhance their job satisfaction and also hugely impacted on subjective well-being which is a good sign for organizations because it is a key component for an organization’s success. Fourth, our result revealed if a person manages both family and work together, he will be more satisfied in his job compared to a person who cannot manage such a thing in a proper way. This job satisfaction can also work for the enhancement of subjective well-being, which plays a central part in progress of an organization. So, appointing such individuals gives positive result to the organization.
6.3. Limitations and Future Directions
However, the present study contributes to the arena of organizational behavior. We addressed few limitations and provide recommendations for future studies. First, in current research all data utilized were self-reported collected at single point of time which may give rise to method variance and mono-methods [
98,
99]. The future studies can be performed utilizing data from multiple sources such as data on intrinsic motivation which can be collected from management or co-workers. Further, they may also collect data of outcomes and predictor variables in different periods of time to avoid such biases. Secondly, the respondents of the present study were only health care professionals from Pakistani hospitals which may impact study generalizability. Future researchers may collect data from other occupations like bankers, teachers and lawyers and from different cities and even from different countries in order to check the variation in results. The factors including prolong working hours, pressurized work environments and digitalized or ICT-based work which are negatively influencing WLB in these professions. We hope that by replicating the current framework in these professions we could possibly give an appealing perspective and deep comprehension with respect to WLB across different settings.
Thirdly, we explored the direct and indirect association of WLB and SWB through single mediator job satisfaction. We encourage future studies to discuss other work behaviors beyond job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, like organizational commitment, family motivation, supervisor support and job performance. Fourth, in on-going research, we checked moderating behavior of intrinsic motivation on WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. Future research can check this relationship with some other variable including abusive leadership or working from home in order to add to our proposed framework. Fifth, what would be interesting would be the comparison of the results for gender differences. Sixth, in this study we controlled demographic variables including Gender, Education, Job Tenure, job categories and age for their confounding impact on our study findings. Future researchers may consider these variables in order to explore possible variation in the results. Lastly, the present study is correlational research and it does not claim causality of relationships. We recommend to future research quasi experimental as well as longitudinal studies to the check cause-and-effect relationship.
6.4. Conclusions
The research underwrites literature of work-life balance by integrating research on work-life balance of individuals and their job satisfaction as well as subjective well-being. It underscores the significance of individual level absorptive WLB and highlights that employees’ job satisfaction is a vital constituent for organizations. Moreover, the study puts light on subjective well-being as a major consequence of work-life balance, and it also indicates that job satisfaction builds stronger association among WLB and SWB. This is primary research which observes the moderating effect of intrinsic motivation on WLB and job satisfaction.