Flying Solo: Work-Life Fit for Single Employees without Caregiving Responsibilities
Despite the increasing presence of soloists, single, unpartnered employees without caregiving responsibilities, organizational research and workplace policies remain largely centered on employees with traditional family roles. This dissertation investigates whether soloists face unique workplace challenges, biases, and adverse professional and personal outcomes based on their identity. Across four studies, this research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to examine how workplace mistreatment and structural inequities influence soloists’ experiences. A qualitative pilot study uncovered patterns of informal and formal discrimination, revealing that soloists are often expected to work longer hours, assume additional responsibilities, and receive fewer workplace accommodations. Building on these findings, Study 1 used archival data to establish that higher workplace demands and lower workplace empowerment for soloists function as a proxy for mistreatment, contributing to lower perceived support and increased burnout. Study 2, a repeated measures panel study, confirmed that perceived discrimination leads to reduced workplace support, ultimately diminishing engagement, performance, and well-being over time. Finally, an experimental study demonstrated that supervisors are more likely to assign demanding or undesirable work to soloists, reinforcing the reality of differential treatment in task allocation. Collectively, the findings highlight that soloists experience workplace inequities akin to those of other marginalized groups, yet their challenges remain largely unrecognized. The research contributes to work–life fit, discrimination, and organizational theories by positioning soloist status as a meaningful identity category that shapes workplace experiences. Practical implications emphasize the need for policy reform, equitable workload distribution, and increased managerial awareness to ensure that soloists receive fair treatment. By challenging prevailing assumptions about workplace flexibility and availability, this research calls for a broader, more inclusive perspective on employee well-being, one that acknowledges diverse life configurations beyond traditional family structures.
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