Some Work and Some Play: Unveiling the Antecedents and Outcomes of Work–Life Balance in Non-Western Contexts Using Content Analysis

Work–life balance (WLB) is pivotal in contemporary work environments, but remains underexplored in non-Western contexts, where practical applications have outpaced theoretical development. Western conceptualisations fall short of providing a framework that caters to the socio-cultural heterogeneity in the non-West, characterised by group identity, collectivism, and sharing. This study adopts a decolonised lens to propose an integrative framework for understanding the epistemology of WLB from a predominantly non-Western perspective. Content analysis was performed using NVivo v. 14.0, and 50 research papers were coded to reveal 12 nodes under three themes. WLB in non-Western contexts is conceptualised by nodes of identity integration, work–life entanglement, role salience, and work–life harmony. Theoretically derived antecedents of WLB include diversity, equity and inclusion, flexible work arrangements, psychological capital, and perceived social support. Outcomes encompass well-being, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and sustainable work practices. High inter-coder reliability (0.84) was obtained using SPSS KALPHA macros. Findings highlight a contrast between Western and non-Western conceptualisations, where collectivistic cultures view work as integral to family welfare rather than as competing with it. The resulting nodes highlight dominant norms, such as interdependence and human connection, and call for more robust, culture-specific theories to decolonise WLB research.