Duality of Roles: Work-Life Integration Faced by Faculty with Admin Strain in Pakistani HEIs: A Study with Grounded Theory Approach.

Abstract

This paper studies the lack of balance between the work and life for faculty members with additional administrative tasks in Pakistan’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the consequent problems and benefits of Work-Life Balance (WLB). The study analyses the consequences of the dual-role construct on personal wellness, professional self, and institutional impact. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 individuals in faculty positions from 2 universities in the country. The results obtained illustrate the interactions of the institutional climate, ambiguity conflicts, gender, and coping strategies. The study aims to add to the already existing body of knowledge around work-life balance and fragmented coping strategies on professional, personal, and institutional wellness. The four thematic conclusions reached include: (1) Conflict of Roles and Identity Dissolution, (2) Institutional Stagnation and Insufficient Assistance, (3) Culturally Imposed Gendered Roles and Societal Constraints, and (4) Coping Mechanisms and Endurance Driven Strategies.

The developed theory suggests that achieving WLB is responsive to institutional responsiveness, individual agency, and socio-cultural context alignment. Faculty members suffer from emotional exhaustion and an eroded academic identity because of their overlapping roles, an outcome of poorly defined support structures and rigid administrative cultures. These tensions, though, can be reduced through strategic coping, peer support, and an active understanding of leadership. This study helps fill the gaps in organizational behavior and academic leadership by balancing WLB in the context of developing countries’ HEIs. It builds on the literature by Channa on organizational support and work-family conflict, providing a unique perspective from Pakistan’s academic system. Suggested actions such as policy change,

proactive leadership, gender-sensitive institutional framework, and investment in digital networks are aimed towards availing gender equity. The findings highlight the urgency of tailored approaches to improve the wellbeing of the faculty in the context of the workplace, and the corresponding productivity of the institution.