HR & organizational behavior
Work-life balance scale: what it is and how to measure
- Concept
- Work-life balance
- Field
- HR & organizational behavior
- Scales in the library
- 1
- Items
- 4
Work-life balance is a person's subjective judgment that work and non-work activities are harmonious and fit their current priorities. The 4-item scale of Brough et al. (2014) asks about all activities outside working hours, not only family, so it can be used with single people too. In Vietnam, the concept suits theses on remote work, overtime, and flexible policies, and works as a mediator between job demands and satisfaction or turnover intention.
Comparing the scales
| Scale | Author (year) | Items | Response format | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work-Life Balance (WLB) Work-life balance scale | Brough et al. (2014) | 4 | Likert 5-point | Choose this to measure an overall judgment of balance; 4 items, WLB2 is reverse coded, and items ask about the past 3 months. |
Items of each scale
Original English wording from the published source. Replace placeholders such as [system] or
[brand] with what your study is about, and pilot the questionnaire with 20 to 30 respondents first.
Work-Life Balance (WLB) · Work-life balance scale
| Code | Item |
|---|---|
| WLB1 | I currently have a good balance between the time I spend at work and the time I have available for non-work activities |
| WLB2 (R) | I have difficulty balancing my work and non-work activities |
| WLB3 | I feel that the balance between my work demands and non-work activities is currently about right |
| WLB4 | Overall, I believe that my work and non-work life are balanced |
Source: Brough et al. (2014). Response scale, licence and APA reference: Work-life balance scale.
(R): reverse-coded item; recode before analysis. Work-life balance scale: 1–5 scale: new score = 1 + 5 − score = 6 − score.
Tips
- Reverse WLB2 as 6 minus the score (5-point Likert) before computing Cronbach's alpha and the mean score.
- Translate 'non-work activities' as activities outside work; do not narrow it to 'family'.
- If your thesis needs to separate work interfering with family from family interfering with work, this 4-item scale is not enough; use a dedicated work-family conflict scale and cite its source correctly.
Once you have a scale, put the concept in the research model drawer to state your hypotheses, work out the minimum sample size, and after data collection check reliability with the Cronbach's alpha calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How does work-life balance differ from work-family conflict?
Conflict measures how much work and family interfere with each other, direction by direction; balance is an overall judgment that all areas are in harmony. The scale of Brough et al. (2014) measures the second concept.
How many items does the scale have?
4 items, answered on a 5-point Likert scale about the past 3 months; reverse WLB2, then take the mean. Higher scores mean better balance.
Do I need the author's permission?
No purchase or licensing condition was found; when using it, cite Brough et al. (2014). If you translate and publish a Vietnamese version, it is best to contact the authors.