A comparative analysis of the challenges to establishing a work–life balance for working fathers and mothers

This study compared and analyzed the relationship between work engagement and parental involvement and perceived work–family and family–work conflicts among working fathers and mothers in China.

A total of 455 valid questionnaires were collected from a random nationwide sample of urban working parents with children aged 3–18 years. The questionnaire included scales measuring reciprocal work–family conflict, work engagement, and parental involvement and a self-designed background information questionnaire. SPSS version 26 was employed for primary variable correlation analysis and analysis of variance to examine differences in work and family domain characteristics among workplace parents.

The findings indicated a positive correlation between work engagement and parental involvement. Parental involvement was significantly higher for working mothers than for working fathers. No significant gender differences were observed in work engagement. No significant gender differences were observed in either work–family or family–work conflicts. However, gender differences were found in perceptions of parental engagement and family–work conflict and in perceptions of work engagement and work–family conflict.

With the growing need to strike a balance between work and family life, the situation is gradually improving for working mothers, whereas working fathers’ “controllability” urgently needs to be increased.