Work-life balance in Brazil

• Grant number: 24/16779-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Social Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Joan Barham
• Grantee: Gabriela Trombeta Santos
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Balancing paid work is a constant and significant challenge in many people's lives. However, research focused on describing and analyzing Brazilian workers' work-life balance levels is still scarce. Considering this gap, this research aims to: (a) identify the levels of work-life balance of Brazilian workers, (b) evaluate how work-life balance is impacted by individual, organizational and social factors, (c) identify how people experience balance and conflict between areas on a daily basis. Participants will include 515 Brazilians, over 18 years of age, who exercise some type of paid activity and have access to Android or iOS mobile phones. Data will be collected through the mobile app "Pathways to Work-life Balance", developed in previous studies with FAPESP's support. Work-life balance levels will be measured globally and in subscales (work interference in personal life, personal life interference in work, benefits between areas and satisfaction with work-life balance). Individual factors will be identified through a demographic questionnaire and through instruments aimed at measuring levels of socio-emotional resources known as relevant for work-life balance Organizational factors will be identified by the demographic questionnaire and by a productivity assessment. Social factors will be identified qualitatively, through open-ended questions about how people experience difficulties related to balancing demands in everyday life. Descriptive and frequency analyses will be carried out to characterize the sample and its balance levels. Correlation tests will be conducted to evaluate interactions of work-life balance with other relevant variables. Qualitative data will be analyzed using thematic analysis and integrated with quantitative data using a data triangulation method. Implications of results will be addressed to assist in guidelines and evidence-based decision-making by researchers, professionals, companies and public policies.