Flexible benefits, workforce diversity, and working conditions as determinants of work-life balance among unionized employees in Thailand: A mixed methods study

While Work-Life Balance (WLB) is globally recognized as a strategic imperative, Western-centric models emphasizing individual autonomy often fail to capture the structural realities of unionized workforces in emerging economies. Addressing this contextual gap, this study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design to investigate the determinants of WLB among unionized private-sector employees in Thailand. The research focused on the causal interplay of three structural factors: Working Conditions (WC), Workforce Diversity (WD), and Flexible Benefits (FB). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze survey data from 385 union representatives, followed by in-depth interviews with nine tripartite key informants to contextualize the statistical findings. The SEM analysis revealed a robust model explaining 71.1% of the variance in WLB, establishing a distinct hierarchy of influence that challenges conventional HR assumptions. Working conditions emerged as the dominant predictor (β = .520), functioning as the existential bedrock of well-being. The result was followed by Workforce Diversity (β = .254), which works through the lens of distributive fairness, and Flexible Benefits, which had the weakest effect (β = .101). Qualitative synthesis clarified that this hierarchy stems from a critical misalignment of needs, where operational-level workers prioritize survival, defined by manageable workloads, predictable hours, and physical safety, over the luxury of choice offered by complex benefit schemes. Theoretically, the study proposes a structural-hierarchical model, positing that WLB in this context is a cumulative outcome contingent on first securing decent work and social justice before flexibility can provide value. Consequently, the findings suggest a reform agenda that goes back to the fundamentals. At the macro level, the Thai government should ratify ILO Conventions No. 87 and No. 98 to empower collective bargaining processes vital for workplace equity. Concurrently, organizations must pivot from superficial engagement perks to upgrading fundamental welfare, ensuring that the structural foundations of employee well-being are secured.