Examining work-life balance and its impact on faculty intention to leave: a cross-sectional study

Background & Objective: Faculty members in medical universities face high academic, research, and clinical workloads, which can negatively affect work-life balance.Imbalance between professional and personal roles is associated with burnout, reduced job satisfaction, and higher intention to leave.This study aimed to investigate work-life balance among faculty members at Urmia University of Medical Sciences and examine its relationship with intention to leave. Materials & Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out in eight faculties.Using stratified random sampling, 120 faculty members were selected from the faculties of Nursing and Midwifery, Medicine, Allied Health Professions, and Health Management and Medical Information Sciences.Data were collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire, Fisher's Work-Life Balance Scale, and a Researcher-Made Intention to Leave Scale.Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses identified predictors of intention to leave. Results:The mean score for Work Interference with Personal Life (WIPL) was higher than other dimensions (23.71 ± 5.20).Univariable analysis showed WIPL and the total work-life balance score were positively associated with intention to leave, while Work-Personal Life Enhancement (WPLE) was inversely related (all p < 0.05).Multivariable analysis confirmed WIPL as a significant predictor of intention to leave (B = 0.52, R² = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.26 -0.78, P < 0.001).Conclusion: WIPL was the strongest predictor of faculty members' intention to leave, whereas WPLE was inversely associated with intention to leave.These findings underscore the importance of workload management and organizational support to enhance work-life balance and potentially reduce turnover among academic staff.