Work-life balance and occupational well-being: A validated scale for Sri Lankan bus conductors

BackgroundWork-life balance (WLB) is crucial for occupational health, especially for bus conductors, who face high levels of stress and irregular schedules. Despite the extensive exploration of WLB across occupations globally, a pronounced research gap exists for bus conductors, notably in the Sri Lankan context.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to develop and validate a context-specific WLB tool for Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus conductors.MethodsThe tool was developed via qualitative methods (in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews) and a review of existing tools, followed by pilot testing. Statistical analyses were conducted for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), whereas confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using the lavaan package in R. The sample sizes for the factor analyses adhered to the established subject-to-item ratio guidelines, ensuring the statistical robustness of the psychometric validation.ResultsThe tool showed high reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.784) and strong construct validity, as supported by EFA with 147 bus conductors and CFA with a separate sample of 100. It comprises 10 items with three dimensions, namely, work-family integration, institutional support and work satisfaction, and health and work interference, collectively explaining 75.7% of WLB variance.ConclusionThis study provides a validated, context-specific instrument to measure the WLB of bus conductors, which can be used by relevant stakeholders to assess, compare, and improve WLB following targeted interventions, thereby enhancing the efficiency of public transportation bus services.