Work-Life Balance of Female Doctors in India: Antecedents and Its Impact on Job Satisfaction, Burnout, and Organizational Commitment – An Empirical Study

Work-Life Balance, Female Doctors, Job Satisfaction, Burnout, Organizational Commitment, Government Hospitals, India, Karnataka, Structural Equation Modeling.

Work-life balance (WLB) has become a critical concern among healthcare professionals, particularly female doctors, who frequently encounter demanding professional responsibilities alongside family and personal commitments. In India, the increasing participation of women in the medical profession has intensified the need to understand the factors influencing their work-life balance and its outcomes. This empirical study investigates the antecedents of work-life balance and examines its impact on job satisfaction, burnout, and organizational commitment among female doctors working in government hospitals in Karnataka, India. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was adopted. Primary data were collected from 300 female doctors employed in government hospitals using a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. Convenience sampling was used for respondent selection. The study considers workload, family support, organizational support, flexible working arrangements, childcare responsibilities, supervisor support, and role conflict as antecedents of work-life balance. Data were analyzed using SPSS 29 and AMOS 29. Statistical techniques included descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings indicate that organizational support, supervisor support, family support, and flexible working arrangements positively influence work-life balance, whereas excessive workload, childcare responsibilities, and role conflict negatively affect it. Furthermore, improved work-life balance significantly enhances job satisfaction and organizational commitment while reducing burnout among female doctors. The structural model demonstrated acceptable goodness-of-fit indices, confirming the proposed theoretical framework. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence from the Indian public healthcare sector and offers practical recommendations for hospital administrators and policymakers. Strategies such as flexible scheduling, supportive leadership, family-friendly policies, childcare facilities, and employee wellness programs can improve work-life balance and promote higher organizational commitment while reducing occupational burnout.