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Migration: A means to create work–life balance?*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2017

Suzette Dyer ,
Yiran Xu  and
Paresha Sinha
Suzette Dyer*
Affiliation:
Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Yiran Xu
Affiliation:
Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Paresha Sinha
Affiliation:
Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
*
Corresponding author: suzette.dyer@waikato.ac.nz
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Abstract

In this article, we examine the postmigration work–life balance or conflict experiences of 15 Chinese-born mothers living in New Zealand. Our analysis contributes theoretically to the work–life balance and migration literatures. It does so by revealing that balance and conflict is influenced by the interrelationship between the socio-cultural, work, and family domains; and that this interrelationship has both a complex and nuanced influence on postmigration balance and conflict. Thus, balance or conflict was influenced by the interrelationship between the participants’ unique experiences within the three domains, including experiencing satisfaction in all three domains and through complex processes of negative spillover, compensation, renegotiation and removal. The postmigration experiences highlight the need for a comprehensive and concerted approach by government, tertiary education institutions, and human resource managers to develop responsive policy initiatives that support migrants to settle into all aspects of their lives.

Keywords

Work–life balancemigrationwomendiscrimination
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 24 , Issue 2 , March 2018 , pp. 279 - 294
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2017 

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Footnotes

*

The manuscript is original research and is not submitted to another journal, nor has this work been published elsewhere. The authors have read the paper, and each have contributed to the paper in accordance with Journal of Management and Organization authorship criteria.

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