Formulating a Work-Family Balance Model in Rotational Families of the Oil and Drilling Company
Keywords:
Work-family balance, offshore families, oil company, grounded theoryAbstract
Objective: The present study was designed and conducted with the aim of formulating a model for achieving work-family balance in rotational families affiliated with the oil and drilling company. Methods and Materials: This research employed a qualitative methodology using a grounded theory approach. Data analysis was based on the Strauss and Corbin model. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with couples living in rotational family arrangements within the oil company. Sampling was purposive and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. The data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding, leading to the identification of core concepts and the development of a model addressing the work-family balance in rotational families within the oil and drilling industry. Findings: The results of the study led to the development of a work-family balance model consisting of six selective codes and twenty-two axial codes. The core phenomenon was identified as emotional-affective mutual support, parallel management of work and family responsibilities, and adaptation to multiple roles. The causal conditions included organizational support, role compatibility within the occupation, and perceptions of organizational justice. Contextual conditions were found to include a family-supportive organizational and social culture, organizational transparency, job flexibility, and job attractiveness. Intervening conditions comprised the maintenance of family social interactions, the ability to sustain financial provision, balanced workloads, and perceived adaptability to work-family demands. Strategic responses identified in the study involved conserving energy required for family life, punctuality and time regulation, participatory family management, timely intra-family dialogue, and the expansion of an electronic administrative system. The outcomes of these strategies included effective parenting, a satisfying family life, and the fulfillment of job commitments. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that both families and institutional policymakers must adopt a dynamic and strategic approach to establishing work-family balance in the context of rotational employment in the oil and drilling sector. By recognizing and applying the identified central phenomena, causal mechanisms, contextual and intervening conditions, as well as implementing the derived strategic responses, it is possible to pave the way for sustained work-family balance in these families.
Downloads
References
Ahmadi, M., Zare Shah Abadi, A., & Javadian, S. R. (2024). Causal and intervening conditions related to work-life balance in married working women (case study of Sanandaj city). The Women and Families Cultural-Educational.
Ajal Looeyan, N., Koorang Beheshti, F., & Abootorabi, R. (2022). The role of life-work balance and job stress in the quality of marital life of paramedics) Case study: Isfahan. Psychological Models and Methods, 13(49), 1-16.
Alrikabi, S. S. N., Jabbari, N., Aljwabir, W. N. M., & Ghashghaeizadeh, N. Providing a Model for Reducing Job Burnout Among Faculty Members at the University of Sumer, Iraq. Education, 11(1), 28-40.
Amiresmaili, M., Khodabandeh Shahraki, S., Sedoughi, Z., & Sadeghi, M. (2014). The Relationship between Work-Family Balance and Quality of Life of Nurses Working at Teaching Hospitals of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran [Research]. 2, 2(1), 56-47. http://jms.kmu.ac.ir/article-1-62-en.html
Andersz, N., Czarnota-Bojarska, J., & Wojtkowska, K. (2018). Strategies for maintaining work–life balance and their consequences for quality of life and job satisfaction. Social Psychological Bulletin, 13(2), 1-13.
Ataie, M., & Taherpour, K. H. (2021). Significance Analysis-The Performance of Factors Affecting the Quality of Work Life of Employees in Government Organizations.
AZARBAYEJANI, M., & ESHRAGHI, H. (2019). To Explain the Concept of Balance in Life Based on Islamic Perspective and Identify the Factors of Individual Level Affecting Work-Family Balance.
Babapour, M., Raheb, G., Tabrizi, A. M., & Abdi, K. (2018). The pathology of family roles of couples in case of male employment in the offshore oil industry (qualitative study). Journal of Biochemical Technology, 9(2-2018), 21-28.
Corbin, J. Strauss.(2008). Basics of qualitative research. Techniques and Procedures for.
Dalzell, J., Nelson, H., Haigh, C., Williams, A., & Monti, P. (2007). Involving families who have deaf children using a Family Needs Survey: a multi‐agency perspective. Child: Care, Health and Development, 33(5), 576-585.
De Sousa, V. A. G. F. (2013). Family-work conflict, job satisfaction and burnout of working women with children University of Pretoria].
Demerouti, E., Derks, D., Ten Brummelhuis, L. L., & Bakker, A. B. (2014). New ways of working: Impact on working conditions, work–family balance, and well-being. In The impact of ICT on quality of working life (pp. 123-141). Springer.
Ebrahimzadeh Dastjerdi, R., Ghaedamini Harouni, A., Sadeghi Dehcheshmeh, M., & Morsvian, S. R. (2021). The lived experience of instructors of shahrekord university on work-family conflict: A study of phenomenology. Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(1), 73-101.
Farivar, F., Cameron, R., & Yaghoubi, M. (2016). Work-family balance and cultural dimensions: from a developing nation perspective. Personnel Review, 45(2), 315-333.
García-Salirrosas, E. E., Rondon-Eusebio, R. F., Geraldo-Campos, L. A., & Acevedo-Duque, Á. (2023). Job satisfaction in remote work: The role of positive spillover from work to family and work–life balance. Behavioral Sciences, 13(11), 916.
Golparvar, M., Madanifar, S.-a.-Z., & Mehdad, A. (2014). The Relationship between Work-Family Spillover and Organizational Attraction
Regarding the Big Five Personality Factor in Borna Battery o. Personnel. Quarterly Journal of Career & Organizational, 19(6), 57-39. https://doi.org/https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/1306506
Goodarzi, M. (2013). The Effectiveness of Couple Therapy with Satir's Approach on Improving Couple Functions and DecreasingMarital Burnout. Journal of counseling research, 12(48), 142-158.
Goudarzi, M., Shiri, F., & Mahmoudi, B. (2019). Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Family Therapy on parent-child conflicts and marital conflict. Quarterly of Applied psychology, 12(4), 531-551.
Hashemi, N., & Darvish, H. (2023). Identifying dimensions and components of work-life balance among Employees of National Iranian Gas Company. Career and Organizational Counseling, 15(1), 87-118. https://doi.org/10.48308/jcoc.2023.103319
Hill, R., Sundin, E., & Winder, B. (2020). Work–family enrichment of firefighters:“satellite family members”, risk, trauma and family functioning. International Journal of Emergency Services, 9(3), 395-407.
Huang, S.-L., Li, R.-H., Fang, S.-Y., & Tang, F.-C. (2019). Well-being: its relationship with work-to-family conflict and burnout among males and females. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(13), 2291.
Imani, B., Zandi, S., Khazaei, S., & Mirzaei, M. (2021). The lived experience of HIV-infected patients in the face of a positive diagnosis of the disease: a phenomenological study. Aids Research and Therapy, 18, 1-8.
Imani, B., Zandi, S., Mostafayi, M., & Zandi, F. (2022). Presentation of a model of the work engagement in surgical technologists: a qualitative study. Perioperative care and operating room management, 26, 100235.
Ismail, N. (2018). Implementation of the work-family balance practices (WFBPS) in the Malaysian oil and gas workplace: Experiences amongst managers and executives Brunel University London].
Jain, S., & K. Nair, S. (2013). Research on work-family balance: A review. Business Perspectives and Research, 2(1), 43-58.
Kallman, M. E., & Ferorelli, J. (2024). The conceivable future: Planning families and taking action in the age of climate change. Rowman & Littlefield.
Kamboj, J. (2024). Hypothesized the relationship between work–family boundaries, work–life balance, workload, and employees’ well-being: Moderated mediation analysis. Human Systems Management, 01672533251331490.
Karakasnaki, M., Pantouvakis, A., & Vlachos, I. (2023). Maritime social sustainability: Conceptualization and scale development. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 121, 103804.
Kazemi, M., & Rashidi Toghralejardi, M. (2022). The effect of role conflict on the balance of work and life of Technical Teachers with mediation of job satisfaction. Teaching and Learning Research, 19(2), 123-138.
Kazemi, S., Arshadi, N., Naisi, A., & Naami, A. (2017). The effect of work-family conflict and work-Family Enrichment on turnover intention and Psychological Well-Being: the mediating role of work-life balance. Psychological Models and Methods, 8(27), 83-108.
Lizano, E. L., Hsiao, H.-Y., Mor Barak, M. E., & Casper, L. M. (2014). Support in the workplace: Buffering the deleterious effects of work–family conflict on child welfare workers’ well-being and job burnout. Journal of Social Service Research, 40(2), 178-188.
Mansour, S., & Tremblay, D.-G. (2018). Work–family conflict/family–work conflict, job stress, burnout and intention to leave in the hotel industry in Quebec (Canada): moderating role of need for family friendly practices as “resource passageways”. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(16), 2399-2430.
Mazzucchelli, S. (2017). Flexibility and work-family balance: a win-win solution for companies? The case of Italy. International Review of Sociology, 27(3), 436-456.
Misan, G. M., & Rudnik, E. (2015). The pros and cons of long distance commuting: Comments from South Australian mining and resource workers. Journal of Economic & Social Policy, 17(1), 119-157.
MUNEER, S. B. (2015). Psychosocial determinants of marital quality among married couples Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad].
Nasiri, E., Heydari, N., Zadi Akhuleh, O., Ghantab Pour, T., & Heydari, M. (2020). Correlation between workload with work-family conflicts in operating room and anesthesia technologists working in Ahvaz teaching hospitals in 2019. Pajouhan Scientific Journal, 18(2), 73-80.
O’Brien, M. (2012). Work-family balance policies. Background paper. UNDESA, New York.
Obrenovic, B., Jianguo, D., Khudaykulov, A., & Khan, M. A. S. (2020). Work-family conflict impact on psychological safety and psychological well-being: A job performance model. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 475.
Oreizi, H., Dibaji, S. M., & Sadeghi, M. (2012). investigation the relationship of work-family conflict with perceived organizational support, job stress and self-mastery in expatriate workers. Research in Clinical Psychology and Counseling, 1(2), -. https://doi.org/10.22067/ijap.v1i2.8541
Oujian, P., Alhani, F., & Tol, A. (2013). Reviewing the work and family conflict and its association with quality of life among clinical nurses. Journal of Health System Research, 9(4), 345-353.
Portner, J. (2014). Work and family: Achieving a balance. In Stress and the family (pp. 163-177). Routledge.
Rezaie, S., & Goudarzi, M. (2022). Effectiveness of family-centered problem-solving training on the negative effects of social distancing caused by COVID-19 in the family of nurses of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Avicenna Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Care, 30(2), 81-89.
Segrin, C., & Flora, J. (2016). Family conflict is detrimental to physical and mental health. In Communicating interpersonal conflict in close relationships (pp. 207-224). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315774237-17/family-conflict-detrimental-physical-mental-health-chris-segrin-jeanne-flora
Shiri, F., Goudarzi, M., Moradi, O., & Ahmadian, H. (2020). Comparison of the Effectiveness of Self Regulation-Attachment Couple Therapy and Systemic-Behavioral Couple Therapy on the Family Function in Women with Substance-Dependent Spouse [Research]. Research on Addiction, 14(56), 247-266. https://doi.org/10.29252/etiadpajohi.14.56.247
Siyar, S., Damghanian, H., & Farhadinejad, M. (2024). Designing a Work-Life Balance Model for Women with an Emphasis on Family Resilience in Government Organizations: A Phenomenological Study. Public Organizations Management, 13(Series 49 (), 1-16.
Soomro, A. A., Breitenecker, R. J., & Shah, S. A. M. (2018). Relation of work-life balance, work-family conflict, and family-work conflict with the employee performance-moderating role of job satisfaction. South Asian Journal of Business Studies, 7(1), 129-146.
Stankiewicz, J., Bortnowska, H., & Łychmus, P. (2014). Conditions necessary to maintain work-life balance of employees-in the light of the research results. Management, 18(1), 326-340.
Strauss, A. (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge university press.
Sulaymonov, A. (2018). FLEXIBLE WORKING AS A DEVELOPING PRACTICE. ББК 65.0501 С 56, 346.
Talebi, A., Koushki Jahromi, Ů., & Boudlayee, H. (2020). Design of Work-Family and Family-Work Spillover Model (Case Study: Control Flight Department Staff of the Country Airport Company. Journal of Transportation Research, 17(3), 181-202.
Tavangar, H., Alhani, F., & Vanaki, Z. (2012). Nurses experience of work–family conflict and performance of the children's rights: A qualitative study. Tolooebehdasht, 10(3), 106-126.
Wang, Y. (2024). Work-Family conflict and balance strategies—an analysis based on the work-family resources model. Open Journal of Business and Management, 12(2), 1228-1239.
Williams, C. L. (2018). The gendered discourse of work-family balance in the oil and gas industry. Social Currents, 5(2), 120-139.
Wu, G., Wu, Y., Li, H., & Dan, C. (2018). Job burnout, work-family conflict and project performance for construction professionals: The moderating role of organizational support. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(12), 2869.
Zakerfard, M., Nouri, A., Talebi, H., & Samavatyan, H. (2014). The Relationship between Job Autonomy and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, Considering the Mediating Role of Work-Family Balance. Industrial and Organizational Psychology Studies, 1(2), 21-38.
Zakirfard, M. S., Nouri, A., Talebi, H., & Samavatian, H. (2015). Organizational justice and employee behavioral outcomes: The mediating role of work-family balance.
Congress of the Iranian Psychological Association, https://sid.ir/paper/828962/fa https://sid.ir/paper/828962/fa
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mozhdeh Hosseinpour, Mahmoud Goodarzi, Omid Moradi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
