Work-family conflict refers to a situation where the demands and responsibilities from work roles and family roles are mutually incompatible in some respect. In other words, participation in the work role is made more difficult by virtue of participation in the family role, and participation in the family role is made more difficult by virtue
Although work-family research has typically focused on the difficulties of participating in both work and family roles (i.e., work-family conflict), there is a growing awareness that there are also beneficial effects of combining work and family roles. These beneficial effects have been referred to as work-family enrichment and may have positive implications for career development
There are two general perspectives on what work-family balance is, both of which are rooted in role theory. The traditional view comes from theory on interrole conflict and defines work-family balance as an absence of conflict between work and family roles. Role conflict occurs when the demands of the two roles are incompatible, such that
Balancing the demands and domains of work and family life presents major challenges for individuals, couples, and families. Career counselors and all counseling professionals must be able to comprehend and assist people to deal with issues of work-family balance. This article considers work-family balance from the perspectives of history and career intervention. History of Work-Family