Framing Work-Life Balance: A Content Analysis of Open-Ended Responses from Recent Parents

Work-life balance (WLB) policies often face resistance or inefficiencies, which hinder their ability to achieve desired outcomes. These challenges arise from both macro and micro-level factors. At the macro level, political, organizational, and managerial factors contribute to difficulties in policy dissemination, misalignment with organizational culture, and failure to address the intended target audience. The micro level focuses on individual attitudes and behaviors, including resistance to change, known as work-life backlash. This backlash is manifested through negative attitudes, emotions, and behaviors toward WLB policies like flexible work arrangements, leave policies, and childcare provision, often influenced by mechanisms such as stigma, inequity, and cultural norms (Perrigino et al., 2018).

While much research has focused on macro-level factors and the framing of WLB by policymakers and organizations, there is a need to explore tensions between macro and micro levels, particularly how individuals navigate work-life trade-offs. The existing literature has delved into organizational ideologies and individual resistance (Hoffman & Cowan, 2008), but there is growing interest in how self-imposed norms, gender patterns, and moralized views of care influence WLB. In postindustrial societies, the burden of balancing work and care often shifts to individuals and households, with care responsibilities being moralized and naturalized (Crespo & Serrano, 2011; Carrasquer Oto, 2013).

This study aims to analyze how recent parents in Spain perceive WLB, focusing on gender and socioeconomic differences. Using a large sample (N=1,700), the research combines quantitative analysis of open-ended survey responses with qualitative semi-structured interviews to understand the difficulties, aspirations, and discourses surrounding WLB conflicts. Key questions include the centrality of work, the role of care in WLB, and perceptions of responsibility (self, employer, or state). The study seeks to improve WLB strategies by addressing the interplay between individual attitudes and broader social structures, enhancing the social distribution of care.