The Balance between Work and Life for Subjective Well-Being: A Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the association among work-life balance, intrinsic motivation, subjective well-being and job satisfaction among the healthcare professionals of Pakistan. Utilizing a sample of 301 Health Care Professionals, the authors tested the proposed relationships. Findings were constant with the hypothesized theoretical scheme, and mediated association between work-life balance and subjective well-being through job satisfaction was stronger when intrinsic motivation was low rather than high. Based on the findings, we suggest that the association between work-life balance and subjective well-being in Health Care Professionals is more complicated than was previously believed—thus yielding a pattern of moderated mediation. In brief, it was found that work-life balance enhances subjective well-being through job satisfaction when intrinsic motivation is low. We also discuss the theoretical contributions and practical implications of the research and directions for future studies.

1. Introduction

Work-life balance (WLB) is among the prime focus in everyday discourses of life [1,2,3,4]. It represents equilibrium between job demands and other life roles [5,6]. In particular, continuous evolutions in the healthcare sector are foreseen to substantially influence the personal as well as the professional lives of medical professionals [7]. Elevated amount of stress and exhaustion among Health Care Professionals are extensively reported [8,9,10,11] and have been established to be closely linked to the increased risk of psychological as well as physical problems [12,13]). With transformation to the Health Care Professionals, rising patient complication and utilization of advanced health facilities, there has been enhanced concern for the maintaining adequate WLB [5,7]. Regardless of its ubiquity, WLB stays less explored in work-life research [1,14] especially among Health Care Professionals. Specifically, research exploring the positive consequences of greater WLB have been comparatively slow to accumulate [14,15]. Therefore, the current research is an endeavor to contribute to the WLB construct by investigating its relationship with three vital concepts including job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and subjective well-being (SWB). Although, few researchers have documented the associations between WLB, job satisfaction [16,17] and SWB [5], the extent to which these connections apply to the medical profession is still obscure. Therefore, the prime objective of this research is to fill this shortcoming by examining the association between WLB, job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and subjective well-being among Health Care Professionals working in public and private hospitals of Pakistan. Further, our research also contributed to the existing literature by providing the evidence that work-life constructs that sprung in Western cultures can be generalized beyond these communities—we do so by incorporating understudied culture that of Pakistan.

In this study, by utilizing a sample of 301 Health Care Professionals working in hospitals of Pakistan, we developed rigorously tested moderated mediation model (Figure 1)—in which we hypothesize that greater WLB facilitates individuals achieving job satisfaction which in turn enhances their subjective well-being. Further, intrinsic motivation moderates the association between WLB and SWB through job satisfaction.

It has been contended that WLB will augment employee subjective well-being, job satisfaction and innovative work behavior. When employees are satisfied with the job they are performing, they usually exhibit more innovative work behavior as it is often considered as a precondition for viability of any organization in today’s complex and highly competitive work environment. Past empirical studies demonstrated the important role of human capital in the innovation and productivity of organizations. Hence, the well-being of the workforce is vital for sustainable performance of any organization. Subjective well-being (SWB) alludes to the positive assessment that people formulate about the condition of their lives [18,19,20] while it can be referred to as the cognitive evaluation of one’s job [21,22]. Past researchers have found that WLB anticipates well-being and overall personal satisfaction [23]. Conversely, inability to accomplish balance results in lower job and life satisfaction [24], lesser well-being and poor life quality [25,26]. The existing literature argued that the role of WLB in enhancing SWB is significant [5]. However, past studies did not satisfactorily explicate the indirect mechanisms through which WLB can influence SWB. Therefore, in this study, we endeavor to go beyond examining a direct association between WLB and SWB by incorporating job satisfaction as the mediator and intrinsic motivation as the moderator of this association.

Along with WLB, job satisfaction is frequently cited as the predictor of SWB [22,27,28,29] and innovative work behavior. It is argued that when individuals are satisfied with their job, they assume that they have achieved the excellent quality of life which represents their higher SWB [30]. In an organization, when employees experience WLB, their job satisfaction level increases which promotes their SWB.

The present research embraces “spillover theory” by Staines [31] for its theoretical grounding, which suggest that an employee’s experience in one domain influences those in others. Newstrom [32] argued that work circumstances shape the workers’ feelings towards their work and life. By following the same direction, we propose that WLB essentially shapes Health Care Professionals’ SWB directly and through job satisfaction provided that work is among the most imperative components of an employee’s life. This procedure can produce positive as well as negative emotions, which in turn, escort towards depression in some people while high levels of satisfaction in others [27].

Further, intrinsic motivation also has the vital influence. We argue that a high level of intrinsic motivation works as the boundary condition that impacts the association between WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. Intrinsic motivation occurs when employees act without any obvious external rewards [33]. We posit that individuals with higher intrinsic motivation exhibit lower satisfaction with WLB as they get more enjoyment and satisfaction in spending time on their work as compared to spending it with family. Therefore, their higher intrinsic motivation mitigates the positive affect of WLB on SWB via job satisfaction.

This study is significant for organizations, particularly the hospital industry, in understanding and analyzing the concept of WLB and its association with job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and SWB. These interconnected and complementary concepts allow the organizations to draw more benefits from higher retention to enhanced productivity ratios. Additionally, it is also vital to comprehend the idea of WLB. The WLB programs are receiving equal importance to monetary rewards as prospective candidates are considering WLB is an important parameter for job seeking [34]. Our prime contribution is not only to examine the influence of WLB on SWB but also is the endeavor to comprehend the mechanisms that facilitate this association, with a meticulous focus on the mediating effect of job satisfaction and moderating influence of intrinsic motivation.

2. Literature Review and Hypotheses Development

In this section, we will explain the rationale underlying study model development and present arguments in favor of the proposed relationships.

2.1. Work-Life Balance (WLB)

It is vital to understand that WLB does not mean to commit an equivalent amount of time to paid job and non-paid work; in its wider sense, it can likewise be characterized as a good level of contribution or fit among the various jobs in an individual’s life [35]. Though, at present there is no broadly recognized definition of WLB, as it is a complex phenomenon. However, in line with current theoretical development, e.g., [1,14,15,36], WLB has been conceptualized as a person’s valuation of how well his/her life obligations are managed. This description is based on the individual’s subjective perspective [37] that consider WLB to be an comprehensive notion, enfolding all aspects of a person’s life, which is inimitable for every individual [2,38] and that may differ during the span of people’s life in line with their professional and personal life stage and that relies on an individual’s life standards, objectives, and ambitions [1]. It is essential to consider that WLB is a conception pertinent to every working individual, without paying little heed to their life and family/social situations (i.e., also for unmarried, childless person without other obligations) as it catches the person’s ability to admirably perform the tasks they are conscious of [2].

2.2. Work-Life Balance, Subjective Well-Being and Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction can effectively be described as the favorableness of a work environment for a working individual [39]. It is the orientation that employees have towards the responsibilities they are executing at the workplace [39,40]. Hoppok and Spielgler [40] referred “job satisfaction as the blend of psychological, physiological and environmental” circumstances that urge individuals to concede that they are fulfilled or content with their employments. In other words, one’s quality of life at work which alludes to their economic, social and cognitive aspects of workplace like working conditions, personal development and career growth, welfare facilities, empowerment, caring supervisor and job security [41]. Job satisfaction is the representation of such traits of life of an individual at work. In short, it can be characterized as the degree to which a worker feels satisfaction or a feeling of accomplishment, which an employee gets from his/her activity. It is an outcome that makes one attain their activity esteems or meet their essential requirements through appraisal [35].

Furthermore, job satisfaction also has an influence on the personal life of the employees. It heartens organizational steps to reduce stress and increase confidence and perceptions of employees about organization being supportive and caring. SWB can simply be referred to as a self-reported measure of life satisfaction. Diener et al. [42] argued about SWB and elaborate the concept as “a person’s cognitive and affective assessment of his life”. From a scholarly viewpoint, SWB is the existence of optimistic feelings, the nonexistence of adverse reactions and the experience of happiness or life satisfaction that indicates global life and domain satisfaction [18,19,43,44]. Synchronization of life and work boosts psychological and physical well-being. A good equilibrium among work and life enhances job satisfaction, psychosocial health and the global life quality.

Furthermore, the relationship between work and life is a multifaceted study area that has gained noteworthy attention of scholars [27]. This domain has created a significant amount of research that, regrettably, could sometimes become befuddling and even conflicting. A few scholars utilize diverse names, such as “enhancement,” “facilitation,” “positive spillover,” or “enrichment,” to depict to this phenomenon [45]. Past investigations recognized few facets of this construct, but numerous shortcomings linked to its theoretical construction keep on persisting. These shortcomings can aid elucidate the path through which the work life is connected to personal life [46].

The literature study uncovers two conditions linked to this research. From one viewpoint, the research studies that maintain the proposition demonstrate that the impact of work on private life can be significant [47,48]. From other viewpoint, the majority of investigations on work-life association concentrated on the inverse link between the two [45]. Research on the clash among work and other life roles shows that the stress to increment involvement in either the work or the other aspects of life irreversibly lessens the time as well as vigor dedicated for the other [49,50]. Consequently, this strife is inescapable among work and life as inclusion in part diminishes the resources meant for the other [51]. Extant studies indicate that individuals who observe stability among their work and life duties tend to be more contented in their job as well as overall life and proclaim better physical and psychological well-being [15,36,52,53,54,55]. Conversely, poorly harmonized work and personal life leads towards decreased job satisfaction, lower SWB, deteriorated quality of life [24,26], impaired psychological health, prompted exhaustion, stress and family conflicts [56]. By grounding these premises, in this study we propose that WLB will be positively related with job and life satisfaction. We maintain that individuals who have WLB may be more contended of their job and life “because they are participating in role activities that are salient to them” [53]. Accordingly, we hypothesize that:

Hypothesis 1 (H1).

WLB is positively related to SWB.

Hypothesis 2 (H2).

WLB is positively related to job satisfaction.

2.3. Job Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being

Vroom [57] weighted the responsibilities of employees within the workplace as job satisfaction. Therefore, job satisfaction was an impressive orientation of one’s workplace where they are working. On the contrary, Hoppock [58] illustrated job satisfaction as any arrangement of physical, environmental and psychological environments. All these factors impact the individual’s point of view about the organization and feeling of satisfaction with the job [58]. Furthermore, job satisfaction could also be pictured as in what way an individual is satisfied by his/her work. It is anticipated that personnel would be more satisfied with work if they were found to be pleased and entertaining in performing their duties [59]. On the other end, job satisfaction exemplifies a positive opinion about the job after judgment of job characteristics [60].

There are contending perceptions with regards to the description of the connection among job satisfaction and SWB [61]. The first, the spillover hypothesis, recommends that a person’s positive encounters in the workplace spillover into the non-work areas, recommending a constructive connection between the two. The second, the segmentation hypothesis, assumes that people categorized their personal and work domains, so that job satisfaction and SWB are irrelevant to each other. The third one is the compensation hypothesis, which recommends that a person with decreased job satisfaction will look for contentment in his/her non-work life, recommending an inverse connection between the two constructs.

In most of the research, job satisfaction is used as predictor to SWB. The majority of such studies back the spillover hypothesis. In their study, [61,62] asserted that job satisfaction had an encouraging impact on life or non-work satisfaction. Employees who experience high levels of job satisfaction hold positive judgment regarding his/her life which depicts their higher SWB. Meanwhile, workers having low satisfaction starts to absorb bad perception about work [63] and show dissatisfaction with overall quality of their life (i.e., lower SWB). Therefore, we assume that:

Hypothesis 3 (H3).

Job satisfaction is positively associated to SWB.

2.4. Job Satisfaction as the Mediator

On the groundings of the arguments above, we can propose that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between WLB and SWB. Hypothesis 2 recommends the positive linkage among WLB and job satisfaction, and hypothesis 3 states a positive association among job satisfaction and SWB. Mutually, these hypotheses present a model in which job satisfaction explains the effect of WLB on SWB.

Further, by building on “work-life spillover theory” proposed by Staines [31] which suggest that an employee’s experience in one area influence those in others. This theory asserts that a person’s behaviors, feelings and expertise generated in one field (work or personal life) shape the other [64,65,66]. The main idea here is that SWB (an assessment of how a person thinks about his life in general) is formed by satisfaction in pivotal life areas (work life, personal life, etc.), and overall satisfaction in turn are shaped by positive and negative emotions connected with life occasions. This theory implies that SWB can be augmented by permitting positive life areas (e.g., work life, domestic life) to spill over positive impact on the overall life area. Hence, we hypothesize that:

Hypothesis 4 (H4).

Job satisfaction mediates the association between WLB and SWB.

2.5. Intrinsic Motivation as a Moderator

Intrinsic motivation is an energizer for behavior that emanates from within a person, out of self-motivation and significance for the task at hand. No external incentives are obligatory to provoke the intrinsically motivated individual to perform. The incentive is the behavior by itself. Rationally, this gives the impressions of an ideal situation, for individuals to act as “origins” of their behavior rather than “pawns” [67].

It has been expected that intrinsic motivation works as a border condition on the forecasted relation among the WLB and SWB and the positive impact of WLB on SWB in presence of job satisfaction may vary across different levels of intrinsic motivation. We argue Employees with higher intrinsic motivation show lower satisfaction with WLB as they are self-motivated towards their work and job. They find more enjoyment and satisfaction in spending time on their work as compared to the spending it with family. Resultantly, such personnel have a lower job satisfaction and SWB. Hence, we hypothesize the following:

Hypothesis 5 (H5).

Intrinsic motivation moderates the association between WLB and SWB through job satisfaction, such that meditational association is weaker when intrinsic motivation is high rather than low.

3. Methods

3.1. Sample and Procedure

The primary data were gathered by a self-administered questionnaire (Appendix A) from the employees of the government and private sector hospitals of Pakistan including the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Center (PKLI and RC), Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMTH and RC), Lahore General Hospital (LGH) and the Jinnah Hospital through a convenience sampling technique. The questionnaire had five sections. The first section is related to respondents’ details, the second section contains questions regarding work-life balance, the third section is regarding the subjective well-being, the fourth section contains questions about intrinsic motivations, and lastly, the fifth section asks about job satisfaction as such; data were gathered through the self-administered questionnaires on Likert type scale. The study setting was non-contrived as data were collected in natural work settings without any kind of interference and manipulation from the researchers. Privacy of information has been warranted to get unbiased and true information. The questionnaires were distributed personally by hand to all the employees who came to the permitted site during the working hours. The respondents were asked to complete the questionnaire and place their filled questionnaires in the envelope provided. At the end of the allowed time, the envelopes were sealed and collected by the researchers. During the data collection process, we ensured voluntarily participation and the anonymity of the respondents’ information without any involvement of top management.

For the purpose of generalizing our research findings, the sample size was chosen by following [68,69] who recommended that “10 respondents against each item in the questionnaire (i.e., No. of items in the questionnaire × 10 respondents from targeted population) from target population is an important to infer best attainable results about targeted population”. As our questionnaire consisted of 16 items, the sample size of 160 participants was quite enough to examine our purposed model and also to generalize our results. By keeping the fact in mind, that there is a possibility of missing data and non-respondents, and we targeted 350 hospital personnel. In this research, total valid responses were 301 out of 350 circulated questionnaires (response rate = 86%). The frequency analysis of respondent’s demographic characteristics including gender, education, age and tenure was exhibited in the

Table 1. Participants’ Characteristics.

Variables	Category	Frequency	Percent
Gender	Male	224	74.42
	Female	77	25.58
Age	Below 25	5	1.66
	25–35	136	45.18
	36–45	111	36.88
	46 and Above	49	16.28
Education	Below 14 years	3	1.00
	14 years	10	3.32
	16 years	14	4.65
	18 years	153	50.83
	Above 18 years	121	40.20
Working Experience	Under 1 years	09	2.99
	1–2 years	107	35.55
	3–5 years	115	38.21
	6–10 years	58	19.27
	11–15 years	11	3.65
	Above 15	01	0.33
Total		301	100

. Most of the participants, i.e., 224, were male. The age of 301 correspondents ranged between 23 and 86 years, with an average age of about 37.14 years (SD = 8.87).

Most of respondents had 18 years of education (i.e., 153, 50.83%) followed by the respondents with above 18 years of education (i.e., 121, 40.20%), and respondents with 16 years of education (i.e., 14, 4.65%), and respondents with 14 years of education (i.e., 10, 3.32%), while 3 respondents had education level below 14 years (i.e., 1.00%). Furthermore, the study results specified that 2.99% of respondents had below 1 year of work tenure, 35.55% respondents had 1–2 years of work tenure, 38.21% had 3–5 years of work tenure, 19.27% had 6–10 years of work tenure and 3.65% had 11–15 years of work tenure, while 0.33% of the respondents had more than 15 years of work experience.

3.2. Measures

3.2.1. Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction was measured using the scale of Mitchell et al. [70]. The scale consisted of 3 items with items such as “All in all, I am satisfied with my job”. The items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale; 1 depicting strongly disagree and 5 depicting strongly agree. (Cronbach´s alpha = 0.86).

3.2.2. Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation was measured using the 3 items scale by Ryan and Connell [71]. The sample item is “I enjoy the work itself”. The items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale, with 1 indicating strongly disagree and 5 indicating strongly agree. (Cronbach´s alpha = 0.92).

3.2.3. Subjective Well-Being

SWB was measured with a 5-item scale developed by Diener et al. [72]. A sample item is “In most ways my life is close to my ideal”. The items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale with 1 indicating completely false and 5 indicating completely true. (Cronbach´s alpha = 0.85).

3.2.4. Satisfaction with Work–Family Balance

The employee’s satisfaction with work-life balance was measured using the 5 items scale developed by Valcour [73] by using 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating very dissatisfied and 5 indicating very satisfied. A sample item of this scale is “The way you divide your time between work and personal or family life?” (Cronbach´s alpha = 0.92).

3.2.5. Control Variables

To avert erroneous findings and other explanations of the statistical results, we controlled for employees’ Gender, Education, Tenure, job categories and age for their potential effects on our study variables (i.e., SWB, WLB, Job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation). Previously, researchers have established that age and gender significantly influence SWB [74,75,76]. Similarly, age and tenure are related to job satisfaction [77]. Moreover, gender and education work as important predictors of WLB [78].

3.2.6. Analytical Strategy

We have utilized previous studies approaches to conduct data analysis to test the proposed direct and indirect paths e.g., [18,79]. Specifically, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted using the IBM SPSS and AMOS software version 24 to test the factorial structure and the adequacy of our measurement model. Subsequent to the CFA, hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS macro analysis [80]. The PROCESS macro analysis was selected because, based on bootstrap sampling, it has been recognized as a solid and rigorous approach for detecting the significance of conditional indirect effects [81,82].

4. Results

4.1. Descriptive Analysis

The descriptive statistics are exhibited in

Table 2. Mean, Standard Deviation, Correlations of Variables.

Correlations
Variables	Mean	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1. Gender	1.26	0.44	-
2. Age	37.14	8.87	−0.12 *	-
3. Education	18.86	2.85	−0.21 **	0.39 **	-
4. Tenure	4.14	2.98	0.02	0.32 *	0.12 *	-
5. WLB	2.94	0.97	−0.29 **	−0.11	0.16 **	−0.19 *	(0.92)
6. SWB	3.20	0.91	−0.05	−0.17 *	0.08	−0.03	0.62 **	(0.85)
7. Job Satisfaction	3.54	0.98	0.19 **	0.06	0.06	0.12	0.16 **	0.52 **	(0.86)
8. Intrinsic Motivation	3.48	0.99	−0.01	−0.03	0.13 *	0.04	0.31 **	0.62 *	0.70 **	(0.92)

Note: N= 301, “Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients are on the diagonal in parentheses”; “*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)” “**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)”.

. The outcomes depict that correlation coefficients were in anticipated direction and offer the preliminary support for the stipulated hypothetical connection among variables.

4.2. Measurement Validation

We run Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) via SPSS 24 version, with principal component analysis on WLB, SWB, job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation in order to determine dimensionalities as well as psychometric properties. A prime element factor analysis of 31 Likert scale items with a Varimax (orthogonal) rotation was performed on which data were obtained from 301 participants. According to Osborne and Costello [83] communalities within the range of 0.40 to 0.70 are the most common and acceptable. All components of our study variables have communalities within the range of 0.53 to 0.91 which further validates that each item shared some common variance with other items in the data set (see

Table 3. FACTOR LOADING.

	WLB	SWB	IM	JS	Communalities
WLB1	0.87				0.80
WLB2	0.86				0.82
WLB3	0.85				0.79
WLB4	0.84				0.77
WLB5	0.75				0.63
SWB1		0.69			0.63
SWB2		0.76			0.75
SWB3		0.80			0.73
SWB4		0.75			0.63
SWB5		0.61			0.53
IM1			0.89		0.88
IM2			0.84		0.79
IM3			0.85		0.89
JS1				0.76	0.6
JS2				0.92	0.91
JS3				0.91	0.9
Eigenvalue	6.49	2.45	2.06	1.03
% of Total Variance	40.55	15.29	12.9	6.43
Total Variance				75.17%

Note: Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis (n = 301). Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization. Factor loadings < 0.40 are suppressed.

).

Further, EFA gives that all factor loadings of the measured variables were above 0.60, following the criteria of Field [68]. The factor loadings for WLB ranged from 0.75 to 0.87 and in SWB amounts from 0.61 to 0.80. For job satisfaction, loadings lay between 0.76 and 0.92, and for intrinsic motivation, they ranged from 0.84 to 0.89. This guaranteed that each construct was independent and that each item speaks to the projected factor structures (Table 3).

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was also performed to decide on the instrument validity by following Fornell–Larcker [84] criterion. Four factor measurement models were finalized for further statistical assessment. Prior to evaluating convergent and discriminant validity, model fit indices were also estimated for our measurement model. The results of our hypothesized four factor model (WLB, SWB, job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation) were indicating a reasonably good fit to the data (see

Table 4. Summary of model fit indexes.

Models	χ2/df	GFI	TLI	IFI	CFI	AGFI	SRMR	RMSEA	Δχ2	Δdf
Full Measurement Model	2.20	0.92	0.96	0.97	0.97	0.89	0.05	0.06
Model A a	19.00	0.62	0.43	0.51	0.51	0.49	0.18	0.25	1741.04	5 ***
Model B b	11.39	0.78	0.67	0.72	0.72	0.71	0.10	0.19	934.17	3 ***
Model C c	21.75	0.29	0.34	0.43	0.43	0.34	0.17	0.26	2046.38	6 ***

Note: n = 301 *** p < 0.001. All models are compared with the full measurement model. ^a WLB and intrinsic motivation combined into one factor, job satisfaction and SWB combined into one factor. ^b Job satisfaction and Intrinsic motivation combined into one factor. ^c All constructs combined into one factor. TLI = Tucker–Lewis Index; IFI = Incremental Fit Index; CFI = Comparative Fit Index; AGFI = Adjusted. Goodness of Fit Index; RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; SRMR = Standardized Root Mean Square Residual.

) as Normed Chi-square (χ²/df) = 2.20, Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.96, Incremental Fit Index (IFI) = 0.97, Confirmatory Fit Index (CFI) = 0.97, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.92, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) = 0.89, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06.

We also looked at three alternative models and compared them to our full 4-factor model. The outcomes are exhibited in Table 4 which verified that our 4-factor model is best fit to the data set and none of the alternative models provided plausible model fit. Thus, the findings ground that WLB, SWB, job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation are distinct constructs.

Construct validity was evaluated through Fornell–Larcker [84] criterion. The factor loadings of the constructs, composite reliability (CR) and the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) are needed to assess convergent validity [84]. The satisfactory value of factor loading is > 0.60 [68], CR > 0.60, and AVE > 0.50 [84]. Table 3 and

Table 5. Overall Reliability and Validity of the Constructs.

Constructs	Convergent Validity			Discriminant Validity
	CR	AVE	MSV	1	2	3	4
1. WLB	0.92	0.69	0.33	0.83
2. SWB	0.86	0.55	0.42	0.57	0.74
3. Job Satisfaction	0.89	0.74	0.14	0.21	0.25	0.86
4. Intrinsic Motivation	0.92	0.79	0.42	0.33	0.65	0.37	0.89

Note: Values in diagonal represent the squared root estimate of AVE; CR represents composite reliability; AVE represents the average variance extracted; MSV represents maximum shared variance.

present the findings of our study. All variables have factor a loading greater than 0.60 (Table 3), CR and AVE greater than 0.70 and 0.50, respectively, (Table 5) hence, satisfying the criteria for convergent validity.

Discriminant validity was also assessed by following Fornell and Larcker Criterion [84]. The constructs have satisfactory discriminant validity if the square root of the AVE for each variable is greater than its correlation of the other latent variables [84]. Table 5 shows that the Square roots of AVE of all constructs are greater than their correlation with other latent variables. Further, AVE values were also higher than MSV values between two constructs, and thus offer confirmation of discriminant validity.

5. Hypotheses Testing

The study hypotheses were tested in two interlinked steps. Initially, we examined simple mediation model (Hypotheses 1, 2, 3 and 4). Subsequently, we integrated moderating variable and studied overall moderated mediation model (Hypothesis 5).

5.1. Tests of Mediation

We examine whether the impact of individuals’ WLB on their SWB could be elucidated through employees’ job satisfaction. The results of SPSS Process Macro (

Table 6. Regression Results for Simple Mediation.

Variables			β		SE	t	p
Direct and total effects
Subjective well-being regressed on work-life balance			0.59		0.04	13.81	0.000
Job satisfaction regressed on work-life balance			0.17		0.06	2.79	0.006
Subjective well-being regressed on Job satisfaction, controlling for work-life balance			0.39		0.03	11.35	0.000
Subjective well-being regressed on work-life balance, controlling for Job satisfaction			0.52		0.03	11.48	0.000
		Value	SE	LL 95%	UL 95% CL	Z	p
Indirect effect and significance using the normal distribution
Sobel		0.07	0.02	0.02	0.11	2.70	0.007
		M	SE	LL 95%	UL 95% CL
Bootstrap results for indirect effect
Effect		0.07	0.02	0.02	0.1

Note: n = 301. β = Unstandardized Regression Coefficient; SE = Standard Error; Bootstrap Sample Size = 1000; LL = Lower Limit; CI = Confidence Interval; UL = Upper Limit.

) represented that the direct influence of WLB on individual SWB was positive and significant (β = 0.52, t = 11.48, p < 0.001), offering favor to Hypothesis 1. Steady with our anticipations for Hypothesis 2, individuals’ WLB illustrated a positive and significant impact on their job satisfaction (β = 0.17, t = 2.79, p < 0.05).

Next, the relationship between job satisfaction and SWB was positive and significant (β = 0.39, t = 11.35, p < 0.001), favoring Hypothesis 3. Lastly, the results of a simple mediation model (Table 6) favor the indirect impact of WLB on SWB. Results of the mediation model were also assessed by the means of the Sobel test [85]. This test is utilized to validate whether a mediator explicates the relationship between predictor and criterion variables or not. The formal two-tailed significance test (supposing a normal distribution) revealed that the (unstandardized) indirect effect (0.07) was positive as well as significant as Sobel z = 2.70. p < 0.05. The bootstrapping results also confirmed the Sobel test outcomes (see Table 6) with indirect effect value 0.07, as a 90% bootstrap confidence interval for this indirect effect did not contain zero (0.02, 0.10), thus favoring Hypothesis 4.

5.2. Tests of Moderated Mediation

Table 7. Regression Outcomes.

Predictor	β	SE	T	p
Subjective well-being
Constant	0.33	0.15	2.19	0.029
Work-life Balance (X)	0.52	0.04	14.48	0.000
Job Satisfaction (M)	0.38	0.03	11.35	0.000
Job Satisfaction
Constant	−0.36	0.50	−0.71	0.478
Work-life Balance (X)	0.44	0.18	2.44	0.015
Intrinsic motivation (IM)	1.13	0.14	8.21	0.000
X × IM	−0.14	0.08	−2.90	0.041
Intrinsic Motivation	Effect	Boot SE	Boot LLCI	Boot ULCI
Conditional indirect effect(s) of X on Y at range of values of moderator
−1 SD (2.55)	0.03	0.03	0.02	0.08
M (3.54)	−0.02	0.03	−0.05	−0.01
+1 SD (4.52)	−0.07	0.03	−0.11	−0.02
Mediator	Index	SE	LL 90% CI	UL 90% CI
Index of Moderated Mediation
Job Satisfaction	−0.05	0.02	−0.09	−0.02

Note: n = 301; β = unstandardized regression coefficients; Bootstrap sample size = 1000; LL = lower limit; UL = upper limit; CI = confidence interval.

supports the outcomes for our hypothesized theoretical model. In Hypothesis 5, we projected that the indirect connection between WLB and SWB through job satisfaction would be weaker for people with high intrinsic motivation than for people low on intrinsic motivation. The outcomes support H5. The interaction effect of intrinsic motivation and WLB on job satisfaction was negative and significant with β = −0.14, t = −2.90, 90% CI = −0.22 to −0.06, p < 0.05. The indirect influence of WLB on SWB through job satisfaction was stronger under low (β = 0.03, 90% CI = 0.02 to 0.08) in comparison to the high (β = −0.07, 90% CI = −0.11 to −0.02) intrinsic motivation.

The moderated mediation index shows that this indirect influence of job satisfaction in the analysis of employees’ SWB regressed on WLB x Intrinsic motivation was significant. The 90% confidence interval estimation of this indirect association did not contain zero (effect = −0.05 and 90% CI as LLCI = −0.09 to ULCI = −0.02). In order to fully support H5, we plotted the indirect effects of WLB on SWB through job satisfaction at higher (1 standard deviation (SD) higher) and lower (1SD lower) levels of intrinsic motivation in Figure 2.

6. Discussion

The healthcare profession has progressed remarkably in the last few decades but a scarcity of competent workers has augmented strain on formerly working healthcare professionals. Elevated work pressure, critical working environment, small job safety and family errands all have adverse consequences for WLB. WLB is not merely imperative for the healthiness and well-being of personnel, but it is also cost-efficient approach of improving work atmosphere, open innovation and creativity in healthcare organizations.

Open innovation is considered as an integral condition for firms’ strategic maintenance that can improve prosperity, sustainability and the competitive advantage of any organization [86,87] and most specifically for the healthcare sector too. Open innovation is the creation of novel values [86] and knowledge from the external stakeholders is very significant to optimize in-house open innovation [88]. External knowledge usually spreads over several actors (patients, nurses, doctors and administrative staff) and it is often expended from individual actors in the organizations in the whole industry [89]. Empirical studies on innovation divulge that personnel with a range of skills and experience are more interested in effective innovation process [90]. Staff members involved in innovation processes have to deal with the above-mentioned challenges through maintaining the work-life balance. On the other hand, the open innovation process starts with a mindset known as open innovation culture. This type of culture is motivated through openness because people with diverse backgrounds enhance the ability of responding rapidly to changing markets [91]. Top management should intrinsically motivate employees and offer employees assistance programs for their progress, development and well-being.

By keeping this purpose in mind, in this study, we provide an insight into the relationship between WLB on SWB through the mediating effect of job satisfaction and the moderating role of intrinsic motivation among the healthcare professionals of Pakistan. The research findings gave support to our hypothesized framework. With respect to hypothesis 1, results show that there exist positive and significant associations between WLB and SWB, and WLB is “a person’s aptitude to meet work and social commitments, as well as other non-work responsibilities and activities’’ [92]. A number of research studies performed in the healthcare sector have provided evidence that healthcare professionals face multiple work pressures including prolonged working hours, manifold job duties and high workload [93,94]. All of these factors oblige health care professional to compromise with their social or family obligations [95,96] and incapability to meet these requirements instigates discontent and produce pessimistic emotions which lead towards poor SWB. Contrarily, when employees succeed in keeping balance between work and non-work demands, they became satisfied, which results in higher SWB.

Consistent with Hypothesis 2, and in line with the findings of [97], the study findings depicts positive and strong association between WLB and job satisfaction as the balance between work and personal liabilities diminish the amount of strain and job dissatisfaction.

According to hypothesis 3 and 4, job satisfaction plays the dual role in the model and our results are in favor of that. Firstly, when job satisfaction increases, the SWB takes place (direct relationship) on the other side; results also revealed the intervening behavior of job satisfaction as the individual enjoying WLB controls all of his/her life activities in a balanced and mannered way which increased his job satisfaction which further enhances SWB.

Finally, favoring hypothesis 5, the results support the moderating behavior of intrinsic motivation between the association of WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. As we explained earlier, intrinsically motivated health care professionals gain enjoyment in their work activities. Resultantly, the indirect association between WLB and SWB is weaker when the intrinsic motivation of a person is higher rather than low.

6.1. Theoretical Contributions

The current study contributes to pervious literature in succeeding ways. First, we work on individual WLB. Individuals who experience WLB may be more satisfied in their job and life because they are participating in role activities that are salient to them [15,53]. By checking the direct relation of WLB and job satisfaction we enhanced the pervious literature of both variables in a different way.

Second our results show that job satisfaction is key indicator of an individual’s subjective well-being thus our study indicated a major antecedent of subjective well-being. The results of moderation in our study give a newfangled vision for academic researchers by highlighting that intrinsic motivation positively moderates the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction. By checking the different behavior of job satisfaction as an intervening variable we add value in pervious literature as well as observe the intervening impact of job satisfaction. The major contribution of our study is that we worked on moderating the effect of intrinsic motivation and check its impact on WLB and job satisfaction, which was rarely observed by pervious research studies.

6.2. Practical Implication

Current research provides insight for managers and practitioners. Our findings suggest that work-life balance is a chief predictor of job satisfaction and it would be beneficial for human resource managers in the process of selection of employees. If managers select the individuals who have the ability to manage both family and work together, he/she is an ultimate and permanent energetic source for the organization. Second, our results indicated that if an individual felt gratified with his job he is positive (cognitive feeling) and enhanced and he feels emotionally more satisfied (subjective well-being), and such a type of person can be the best asset of an organization. Third, Managers are supposed to hire the employees who are intrinsically motivated. So, if they work with full devotion this will enhance their job satisfaction and also hugely impacted on subjective well-being which is a good sign for organizations because it is a key component for an organization’s success. Fourth, our result revealed if a person manages both family and work together, he will be more satisfied in his job compared to a person who cannot manage such a thing in a proper way. This job satisfaction can also work for the enhancement of subjective well-being, which plays a central part in progress of an organization. So, appointing such individuals gives positive result to the organization.

6.3. Limitations and Future Directions

However, the present study contributes to the arena of organizational behavior. We addressed few limitations and provide recommendations for future studies. First, in current research all data utilized were self-reported collected at single point of time which may give rise to method variance and mono-methods [98,99]. The future studies can be performed utilizing data from multiple sources such as data on intrinsic motivation which can be collected from management or co-workers. Further, they may also collect data of outcomes and predictor variables in different periods of time to avoid such biases. Secondly, the respondents of the present study were only health care professionals from Pakistani hospitals which may impact study generalizability. Future researchers may collect data from other occupations like bankers, teachers and lawyers and from different cities and even from different countries in order to check the variation in results. The factors including prolong working hours, pressurized work environments and digitalized or ICT-based work which are negatively influencing WLB in these professions. We hope that by replicating the current framework in these professions we could possibly give an appealing perspective and deep comprehension with respect to WLB across different settings.

Thirdly, we explored the direct and indirect association of WLB and SWB through single mediator job satisfaction. We encourage future studies to discuss other work behaviors beyond job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, like organizational commitment, family motivation, supervisor support and job performance. Fourth, in on-going research, we checked moderating behavior of intrinsic motivation on WLB and SWB via job satisfaction. Future research can check this relationship with some other variable including abusive leadership or working from home in order to add to our proposed framework. Fifth, what would be interesting would be the comparison of the results for gender differences. Sixth, in this study we controlled demographic variables including Gender, Education, Job Tenure, job categories and age for their confounding impact on our study findings. Future researchers may consider these variables in order to explore possible variation in the results. Lastly, the present study is correlational research and it does not claim causality of relationships. We recommend to future research quasi experimental as well as longitudinal studies to the check cause-and-effect relationship.

6.4. Conclusions

The research underwrites literature of work-life balance by integrating research on work-life balance of individuals and their job satisfaction as well as subjective well-being. It underscores the significance of individual level absorptive WLB and highlights that employees’ job satisfaction is a vital constituent for organizations. Moreover, the study puts light on subjective well-being as a major consequence of work-life balance, and it also indicates that job satisfaction builds stronger association among WLB and SWB. This is primary research which observes the moderating effect of intrinsic motivation on WLB and job satisfaction.