Work-life balance of professional quantity surveyors engaged in the construction industry

Job demands compel construction professionals to work longer than what they are contractually obliged to. A study conducted in Africa revealed that most quantity surveyors (QSs) do not have job satisfaction for want of leisure time. Unlike the case of other professionals, there are hardly any studies done on the work life balance (WLB) of QSs despite their significant contribution to the construction industry. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the WLB of QSs working in Sri Lanka. A literature survey was first conducted and its findings were validated using 12 expert interviews through which additional information specific to QSs was also gathered. The findings of a questionnaire survey conducted subsequently among 115 professionals were ranked using Factorial ANOVA. WLB of QSs is found to depend on their gender and experience and deadlines is found to be its most influencing factor. Stress is one significant consequence of poor WLB. Yoga and meditation are found to minimize stress and other consequences of poor WLB. Factors affecting WLB can have a high impact on the technical and business cultures of organizations.