Work-Life Balance in the Public Sector

After decades of attacks on the bureaucracy and recent efforts by political leaders to undermine democracy, public servants are tired, burned out, and questioning the value of public service. This is the first book dedicated to exploring public administration's knowledge of the work-life balance relationship, offering actionable strategies to create healthier, more compassionate workplaces that enhance individual well-being and organizational performance. Work-Life Balance in the Public Sector draws on data from a survey focused on work-life balance and burnout administered to city managers working in U.S. cities with populations of 10,000 or more people. It defines key concepts and analyzes case studies, offering evidence-based solutions rooted in the Demand-Control-Support model and the compassionate management model. Readers will gain insights into the causes and consequences of burnout, learn how to foster workplace harmony, and access practical tools to build caring organizations that support employee well-being and democratic governance. This book is designed for public administrators, policymakers, organizational leaders, scholars, and students in public administration, management, and related fields. It is particularly relevant for those seeking to understand and address the challenges of burnout and work-life balance in public sector workplaces.

William Hatcher is Professor of Political Science and Public Administration and Chair of the Department of Social Sciences at Augusta University, USA. He serves as the co-editor of the Routledge series on Public Affairs Education, and he is former co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Public Affairs Education. Dr Hatcher has served as a public planner and as chair of the Board of Adjustment in Richmond, Kentucky. His research has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Public Affairs Education, Public Administration Review, American Journal of Public Health, and American Review of Public Administration. He is the author of The Curious Public Administrator (Routledge, 2023). Wesley L. Meares is Professor of Public Administration in the Department of Social Sciences at Augusta University, USA, where he serves as the graduate program director for the Master of Public Administration program. Dr Meares's research has appeared in journals such as Cities, Public Administration Review, Public Administration Quarterly, Local Environment, Journal of Urban Affairs, Housing Studies, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and Journal of Urbanism. He also has worked as a consultant and evaluator on a number of development efforts, including a series of reports concerning the HOPE VI development in Covington, KY.

1. Introduction to Work-Life Balance and Burnout in the Public Sector 2. What We Know About Burnout and Work-Life Balance in the Public Sector 3. Burnout and Work-Life Balance in Government: A Theoretical Framework 4. Work-Life Balance, Burnout, and Public Administrators 5. Stories of Burnout and Possible Solutions 6. The Search for Compassionate Public Organizations Index