In today’s fast-paced society, “work-life balance” has become a very significant phrase in our lives because of the tension between professional duties and individual personal commitment. 

From heightened job demands, extended working hours, and blurring of work and personal boundaries, it has become more common for challenges and stressors from the workplace to affect someone’s personal and family life. This is known as ‘negative work-to-family spillover’. Concerned about the increasing complexity and demands of modern life, which often blur the boundaries between work and personal life, Assistant Professor of Psychology Andree Hartanto has conducted research into the area. Since most existing research focuses on the mental health, family, and organisational implications of work-life imbalance, Asst Prof Hartanto felt there was a need to study the tangible health implications of this widespread issue too, especially regarding cardiovascular risks of this spillover. 

Behind the research

The ultimate goal of Asst Prof Hartanto’s research is to provide evidence linking work-life imbalances with tangible health implications; Demonstrating that work-life imbalances affect not only our psychological well-being but also cardiovascular health, highlighting the broader health consequences of work-life imbalances.

Asst Prof Hartanto’s research looks beyond just the physiological signs of stress, focusing on the physiological implications of stress due to work-life imbalances. Specifically, examining objective health biomarkers related to cardiovascular risk.

These biomarkers are well-established indicators of cardiovascular health and can predict the future occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. By studying these biomarkers, he aimed to understand how chronic stress from work-life imbalances can affect long-term health, particularly in relation to cardiovascular risks. This approach allows us to objectively measure the impact of stress and identify potential early warning signs of serious health issues, enabling better prevention and intervention strategies.

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Work-life balance vs work-to-family spillover stress

Despite sounding similar, “Work-life balance” and "Work-to-family spillover stress" are not the exact same thing. The latter refers to the stress and challenges from the workplace that negatively affect one's personal and family life. It particularly highlights how work-related issues can permeate and disrupt personal time, leading to stress at home, strained relationships, and overall family dynamics. "Work-life balance", on the other hand, refers to the equilibrium between work responsibilities and personal life.

Essentially, “work-life balance” is a broader concept addressing the overall distribution of time and energy between work and personal life, while “work-to-family spillover stress” is one of the most common types of work-life imbalance that arises when work stress negatively affects family and personal life.

Both positive and negative work-life balance can have different effects on someone. 

A positive work-life balance helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. When individuals can manage their work responsibilities without them encroaching on personal time, they experience better mental health, greater mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall happiness. There is also evidence that employees with a healthy work-life balance are more likely to be engaged and motivated at work, leading to better performance. Employees are more likely to stay on long term too. 

A negative work-life balance is essentially the opposite of a positive work-life balance. A negative work-life balance can increase stress, anxiety, and depression. When individuals struggle to manage their work responsibilities. If work encroaches on personal time, people can experience poorer mental health, decreased mental clarity, emotional instability, and overall unhappiness. Employees with a poor work-life balance are also more likely to be unengaged and unmotivated at work, leading to poorer performance and higher turnover rates.

The effects of work-to-family spillover stress on people’s mental and physical health

There has been greater interest in work-life balance in recent years, with the increased prevalence of work-to-family spillover stress being one reason for it. 

“Technological advancements, such as smartphones, email, and remote work, have blurred the boundaries between work and personal life, making it harder to disconnect from work-related responsibilities. Additionally, many jobs now require longer hours and higher productivity, leading to greater stress and less time for personal activities. Lastly, there is the evolving nature of family dynamics and roles. In many modern families, both partners work and balancing dual careers, along with family responsibilities is not easy.” Says Asst Prof Hartanto. His research also shows that work-life imbalance may not only have mental health implications but also tangible physical health implications, such as cardiovascular disease. 

According to Asst Prof Hartanto, “when work and personal life are not balanced, chronic stress can accumulate, leading to various adverse health outcomes. Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to stress from an imbalanced work-life situation can disrupt lipid metabolism, affecting cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Persistent rumination on work-related stressors also triggers prolonged biological stress responses, leading to cumulative wear and tear on the body and weakening the immune system. These factors increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and other cardiovascular problems.”

Research findings

Research has shown that stress exposure, similar to the kind experienced in negative work-to-family spillover, can have a direct influence on the chemicals in the body. 

Asst Prof Hartanto’s research found a significant association between negative work-to-family spillover and cardiovascular risk biomarkers. According to him, “The presence of higher triglycerides, elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and lower HDL cholesterol collectively suggest a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease. For instance, some research suggests that these biomarkers can collectively indicate a two-three fold higher risk of developing heart disease compared to individuals with normal levels of these markers.”

Asst Prof Hartanto provides an example of how these associations of cardiovascular risk biomarkers, stress and negative work-to-family spillover manifest. Using the hypothetical of an employee named John, who experiences high stress due to his demanding job. This stress may spill over into his personal life in several ways. “John’s job stress reduces the effort he can give to activities at home, making him less involved in family responsibilities. Stress at work also makes John irritable at home and feel too tired to do the things that need attention at home. Even when he is doing activities with his family, job worries or problems distract him, preventing him from fully engaging with his family.” says Asst Prof Hartanto, “Over time, these stressors may become chronic and lead to changes in John’s health biomarkers, putting John at a significantly higher risk for heart disease.”

How businesses can gain when employees are healthier

Asst Prof Hartanto’s study shares a few points that are important for organisations, business leaders and employees.

First, chronic stress from work-life imbalances can lead to significant health issues that result in higher absenteeism, decreases in productivity, and long-term health problems among employees. 

Second, Effective workload management with manageable workloads and realistic deadlines, setting clear boundaries between work and personal time, and creating a positive work environment where employees feel valued and respected can help to mitigate negative work-to-family spillover stress, promoting general work-life balance.

Third, the necessity for workplace policies and personal strategies that promote a healthy work-life balance is not only for mental well-being but also for physical health.