This study investigates the overarching ideology of work–life balance (WLB) or conflict as predominantly being a work–family affair. Based on a Nigerian study, and using organisational justice as a theoretical lens, it explores perceived fairness in accessing family-friendly policies by managers and professionals who are single and do not have children – a workgroup conventionally ignored in research on WLB.,Relying on an interpretivist approach, the data set comprises of interviews with 24 bank managers and 20 medical doctors working in Nigeria.,The authors’ findings highlight employers' misconceptions concerning the non-work preferences and commitments of singles as well as an undervaluation by employers of their non-work time. Conceptualised as “time biases”, such time is routinely invaded by the organisation, with profound implications for perceptions of fairness. This fosters backlash behaviours with potential detrimental effects in terms of organisational effectiveness.,The study is limited to investigating the WLB of singles in high-status roles, namely banking and medical careers. Future research may examine the experiences of a more diverse range of occupations. The sample comprises heterosexual, never-married professionals, whose experiences may differ from other categories of single workers, such as childless divorced people, widows, non-heterosexual singles and partners who have no children.,In order to avoid counterproductive behaviours in the workplace, WLB policies should not only focus on those with childcare concerns. Inclusive work–life policies for other household structures, such as single-persons, are necessary for improving overall organisational well-being.,The majority of WLB studies have been undertaken in Western and Asian contexts, to the neglect of the Sub-Saharan African experience. Additionally, research tends to focus on WLB issues on the part of working parents, overlooking the difficulties faced by singles.

中文翻译：

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时间偏差：探索单身尼日利亚经理和专业人员的工作与生活平衡

这项研究调查了工作与生活平衡（WLB）或冲突（主要是工作与家庭事务）的总体思想。该研究基于尼日利亚的一项研究，并以组织正义作为理论视角，探索了单身且没有子女的管理人员和专业人员在获得家庭友好政策方面的公平性–在WLB研究中，该工作组通常被忽略。该数据集包括对24名在尼日利亚工作的银行经理和20名医生的访谈。作者的研究结果突显了雇主对单身人士的非工作偏好和承诺以及雇主对他们的低估的误解。非工作时间。从概念上讲，这种时间是“时间偏差”，通常会被组织入侵，对公平的看法有深远的影响。从组织有效性的角度来看，这会激起强烈的反冲行为，并具有潜在的有害影响。该研究仅限于调查处于高级职位的单身人士的WLB，即银行和医疗职业。未来的研究可能会考察各种职业的经验。样本包括异性恋，未婚的专业人员，其经验可能与其他类别的单身工人不同，例如无子女的离婚人士，寡妇，非异性恋单身人士和没有子女的伴侣。为了避免在工作场所出现适得其反的行为，WLB的政策不仅应侧重于育儿问题。针对其他家庭结构（例如单人）的包容性工作生活政策，对于改善整个组织的福祉而言是必不可少的。，大多数WLB研究都是在西方和亚洲背景下进行的，而忽略了撒哈拉以南非洲的经验。此外，研究倾向于将工作父母的重点放在WLB问题上，而忽略了单身人士所面临的困难。