Reconciling Work and Family Life to Improve the Work Efficiency of Municipal Police Officers in a Rural Peruvian City: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 8

In today’s world, municipal police officers remain the unsung heroes of global citizen security, despite their contributions and services to municipalities. The number of certified municipal police officers is currently estimated at 5,387, an increase of 9.8% since 2022. While this is true, it has also increased the need to pay special attention to the mental and physical health of municipal police officers. During their time on duty, municipal police officers encounter situations such as psychological well-being problems, work-life imbalance, unhappiness, underperformance, and mistrust in the organization. This study’s overarching goal is to shed light on the relationship between work-life balance and work effectiveness in a rural city in Peru, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals 3 (SDG 3) and 8 (SDG 8). SDG 3 promotes good health and well-being, while SDG 8 aims for sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. To test this model with real data, a questionnaire-based survey was developed to survey 106 municipal police officers working in a municipality in rural Peru. Structural equation modelling and correlation analysis were conducted to examine the research hypotheses. The results of this research show that the relationship between work-life balance and work effectiveness in municipal police officers has been demonstrated. The coefficients of determination were: Psychological well-being (r2 = 0.886) and work effectiveness (r2 = 0.876), with an SRMR of 0.016. The results have far-reaching implications for the public sector and the public safety industry, underscoring the need for policies that support work-life balance to enhance work efficiency and contribute to the goals of SDG 3 and SDG 8.