A Balanced Professional and Private Life? Organisational and Personal Determinants of Work–Life Balance

Work–life balance (WLB) is central to sustainable social and economic development, as reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3, 5, and 8. The purpose of this article is to identify and examine the key organisational and personal factors influencing the perceived work–life balance of employees in rural areas. The theoretical framework is grounded in three complementary approaches: the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, spillover theory, and boundary theory. Together, they offer a comprehensive perspective on role dynamics in the context of limited resources, technostress, and family-related tensions. The study was conducted on a sample of 700 rural employees in Poland, predominantly women (60.6%), with the majority aged 35–55 years (53.0%). Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analysed using an exploratory approach based on regression trees (CART), which are effective in identifying latent and multidimensional relationships. The findings highlight the mechanisms underlying WLB disruptions in rural contexts and pinpoint areas for intervention through public and organisational policies aimed at supporting employee well-being. The most influential factors were workplace comfort, work flexibility, time autonomy, and employee age. Notably, younger employees require better working conditions than older ones to achieve similar WLB levels. The CART analysis also indicates that some disadvantages, such as low workplace comfort, can be mitigated by more flexible work schedules. Employers should therefore provide multidimensional support through complementary measures, monitor job demands, and educate employees on the effective use of available resources.