By Monika Agrawal and Ritika Mahajan

Work-family balance, or work-life balance as it is popularly called, is a prominent topic in academic research and a grave concern for HR practitioners. During the pandemic and following global trends like the great resignation, it garnered much attention as jobs shifted permanently to homes and the distinction between work and family lives blurred. This was observed in many sectors, including information technology, education, banking, and finance, among others. But how about essential services like medical care, fire and emergency or the police? Is there any scope for work-life balance for police officers? If not, does it affect their mental health? Are there any ways that the police department can ensure a better working environment? Or is it totally illogical to expect such concern in an essential service? We tried to explore some of these questions in our research.

What did we study?

Police organizations work 24/7, dealing with volatile conditions, unpleasant situations, difficult circumstances, long duty hours, and heavy workloads. The traditional family-friendly policies may not work in such a context. However, it is time we acknowledge that overlooking the work and family aspects can be harmful to the mental health of our officers. We surveyed 356 frontline police officers in Rajasthan, the largest state in India, to understand their perceptions about work-life balance and mental health concerns. More than 85 percent of these officers were men aged 40 on an average with at least one year of work experience.  

What did we find?

More than 50% of the officers agreed to experience conflict between work and family life (Chart I). However, they also perceived that work and family enrich their lives significantly (Chart II). But most of them (73%) showed signs of existing poor psychological health (Chart III).

We also tested and confirmed that an environment of equity and fairness, a sense of optimism, and a cohesive family environment can prove very beneficial in promoting work-life balance. Perceptions of justice regarding workload distribution, reward and appreciation for giving priority to work, acquiring higher qualifications, and optimism were also positively related to their mental health. However, interestingly, we found that the presence of these factors enhanced balance more strongly by increasing enrichment than reducing conflict. This is where the leadership and administration in the police departments can play a significant role.  

What do we suggest? 

Promoting Organizational Justice

Justice refers to feelings of fairness and equity. Police officers are supposed to ensure justice in society. Therefore, perceptions of inequity in their workplace can develop severe negativity and stress, which travels home and creates conflict in the family roles. The reverse also holds true. 

We found that the provisions to advance equity within the department are inadequate, to begin with. Promotions are based upon written tests or seniority, and work-based incentives are uncommon. Recognizing and rewarding officers’ efforts “beyond the call for duty” can improve justice perceptions. The rewards are generally monetary, and the department has budgetary constraints. Therefore, non-financial rewards such as appreciation letters and citations with encouraging titles for outperformers may be given. These rewards could be conferred during special ceremonies organized explicitly, and in the long run, the department can allocate more resources. 

Second, officers may be involved in the decision-making processes, especially for matters related to their welfare and growth. The administrators may organize meetings and encourage officers to present their views without fear. Their opinions may also be collected through anonymous surveys.

Third, there are hardly any guidelines for managing the field officers. The duty roster is at the discretion of the station In-charge. The subjectivity in the assignment of postings often creates resentment among officers. These procedures need revisions to prevent negative sentiments and boost the morale of officers.

Building a Cohesive Family Environment 

Extended shifts and heavy workloads do not allow police officers to spend adequate time with their families. This often leads to marital discord and distancing from family activities. To promote cohesion, police administrators along with the Police Wives Welfare Association may organize meal sharing sessions, games, picnics, and the celebration of festivals. Such events may allow officers to spend quality time and share their concerns with families and friends, building a sense of camaraderie. Police administrators may also hire family therapists to plan interventions with officers and their families to facilitate a cohesive family environment.

Boosting a Sense of Optimism

Optimism symbolizes an attitude of hopefulness and success in future life events. It is found to build resilience, coping abilities, and confidence. The qualities of optimists facilitate them to tackle stress in work and family roles and experience better mental health.  

As optimistic officers are better in their stress handling capabilities, optimism could be a part of the selection process, which is currently based mainly on physical standards. According to positive psychology, optimism can also be learned. Police administrators may plan workshops and training sessions with psychologists to aid positive behaviour among officers.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, police officers functioned as corona warriors. During the difficult time, the services provided by officers helped us to witness glimpses of their incredible contribution. While there is no doubt that this was possible only because our officers are incredibly strong and rock-solid, the organization’s emotional aspect must also be paid attention to and reformed. Sustainable resource-building interventions are vital for balancing their work-family roles and mental health. They are our pride, and we must take good care of them. 

Now published at: https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/work-life-balance-and-mental-health-of-indian-police/