Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Work-life imbalance and mental health among male and female employees in Switzerland

  • Original article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence and mental health effects of an unequal work-life balance (WLB) including potential gender differences.

Methods

A cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of the Swiss employed population aged 20 to 64 (women: n = 1661; men: n = 1591).

Results

Based on a single-item measure, more than every seventh employee in Switzerland indicated major difficulties combining work and private life. In certain socio-demographic categories, up to 30% showed such work-life conflict (WLC). For both genders, work-life imbalance turned out to be a risk factor affecting mental health. Employees with self-reported WLC presented a significantly higher relative risk for poor self-rated health (women: aOR = 2.6/men: aOR = 2.0), negative emotions and depression (aOR = 3.0/3.1), low energy and optimism (aOR = 2.1/1.6), fatigue (aOR = 2.4/2.6), and sleep disorders (aOR = 1.8/1.5) compared to employees with no WLC.

Conclusions

Internationally, few data on the prevalence of WLC exist. In Switzerland, work-life imbalance is not a marginal phenomenon among the workforce and needs to be addressed as a notable public and mental health issue.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oliver Hämmig PhD, MPH.

Additional information

Submitted: 01 March 2008; revised: 30 July 2008, 06 November 2008; accepted: 01 December 2008

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hämmig, O., Bauer, G. Work-life imbalance and mental health among male and female employees in Switzerland. Int J Public Health 54, 88–95 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-8031-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-8031-7

Keywords:

Navigation