The Hidden Cost of Work-Life Conflict: How It's Eroding Employee Performance in the U.S. and Beyond

May 1, 2025

Based on the study “Impact of Work Life Conflict on Employee Performance” by Muhammad Nabeel Siddiqui, Far East Journal of Psychology and Business (2013).

Work-life balance isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a critical performance metric. Yet for many American workers, balance feels more like a myth than a reality.

An eye-opening study by Muhammad Nabeel Siddiqui, published in the Far East Journal of Psychology and Business, examined how work-life conflict erodes employee performance in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. While the study was geographically focused, the findings echo a universal truth: when life and work collide without support, productivity suffers. And this is especially true in the United States.

📊 U.S. Context: The Numbers Don’t Lie

Let’s take a look at how this plays out closer to home:

• 77% of U.S. workers have experienced burnout at their current job, according to a 2021 Gallup poll.

• A 2023 report by the American Psychological Association found that 76% of employees said work stress negatively impacted their mental health.

• 41% of workers say their job interferes with family responsibilities, per the Pew Research Center.

• Women in the U.S. are disproportionately affected—particularly working mothers, who are 28% more likely than men to report high levels of work-family conflict (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2023).

These numbers underscore the same conclusions Siddiqui reached in Jeddah: unresolved work-life conflict leads to higher turnover, lower job satisfaction, and reduced performance across industries.

🔍 What Is Work-Life Conflict?

Work-life conflict occurs when the demands of work and the responsibilities of personal life are incompatible. This results in stress, emotional fatigue, and reduced effectiveness in one or both areas. Siddiqui’s study highlighted how these conflicts—left unaddressed—create systemic issues in productivity, morale, and mental health.

💥 The Impact on Performance: Global Parallels, Local Consequences

Whether in Jeddah or New York City, the fallout is similar:

• - Lower Employee Engagement: Employees experiencing conflict are more likely to disengage and underperform.

• - Burnout & Health Issues: Chronic stress from juggling conflicting roles leads to sleep disorders, anxiety, and even substance abuse.

• - Higher Turnover Rates: Businesses lose billions annually due to preventable turnover tied to burnout and work-life friction.

In the U.S., the cost of voluntary employee turnover was estimated to exceed $617 billion in 2023, according to the Work Institute.

👩‍👧 Women at the Crossroads of Career and Caregiving

Siddiqui’s research spotlighted how women, particularly in dual-income households, face outsized burdens in managing professional and family roles. The same applies in the U.S., where:

• 60% of working mothers say they feel like they are failing at both work and home.

• Latina women earn just 54 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men, limiting their access to caregiving support or flexible job options.

• A staggering 1 in 3 working mothers considered downshifting or leaving the workforce entirely during the pandemic (McKinsey Women in the Workplace Report, 2022).

This intersection of wage disparity and domestic expectations amplifies work-life conflict and deepens inequality.

🛠️ What Employers Can Do to Help🛠️ What Employers Can Do to Help

Combatting work-life conflict is not only an ethical imperative—it’s a business strategy. Here are five actionable ways employers can create balance:

• - Flexible Work Models: Offer remote or hybrid work arrangements, flexible scheduling, and part-time roles.

• - Mental Health Resources: Provide access to therapy, coaching, and mindfulness programs through employee assistance plans (EAPs).

• - Cultural Sensitivity Training: Equip leaders to manage diverse teams with emotional intelligence and inclusion in mind.

• - Transparent Workload Planning: Encourage realistic expectations, collaborative goal setting, and periodic check-ins.

• - Supportive Leadership: Train managers to recognize signs of burnout and proactively address them.

🌱 Creating a Culture of Wellness

Organizations that prioritize work-life harmony see better employee retention, improved performance, and stronger employer brands. This isn’t just a human resources issue—it’s a leadership imperative.

”You don’t build a business. You build people—and then people build the business.” — Zig Ziglar

✍️ Final Thoughts

Work-life conflict doesn’t care where you are in the world—it impacts everyone. Whether it’s a factory worker in Jeddah or a software developer in San Francisco, the need for balance is universal. Siddiqui’s study serves as a powerful reminder that organizational performance is directly tied to employee well-being.

Let’s stop glorifying burnout and start designing workplaces where people don’t have to choose between personal fulfillment and professional success.

📚 This article is inspired by “Impact of Work Life Conflict on Employee Performance” by Muhammad Nabeel Siddiqui, published in the Far East Journal of Psychology and Business, Vol. 12 No. 3, 2013.

📈 Additional U.S. data sourced from Gallup, APA, Pew Research, McKinsey, and the National Women’s Law Center.