Minority stress, borders and nowhereness: work–life balance among gay men

Purpose Minority stress experienced in the workplace and family domains can make work–life balance (WLB) particularly challenging for gay employees. This study explores gay men's WLB by examining (1) stressors in the work and non-work domains, (2) bi-directional spillover effects and (3) border management strategies adopted. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study builds on semi-structured interviews with 29 gay men employed at various Indian organizations. It has adopted the Minority Stress Border Theory (MSBT) as the theoretical lens. A combination of inductive and theoretical thematic analysis led to the development of 10 themes. Findings The findings from the qualitative analysis identified gender policing; heteronormative demands and hostility from the family; and internal pressure to conform to masculine norms as salient minority stressors for gay men. Additionally, reciprocal cross-contextual effects – workplace minority stress influences the non-work domain, and vice versa – were also observed. Originality/value We extend MSBT to a collectivistic context by highlighting the family as a generator of minority stress with implications for gay men's work outcomes. Furthermore, we have introduced the concept of ‘nowhereness' to describe a WLB-specific state in which both work and family spheres fail to provide a safe space for the authentic self, leaving no domain available for psychological recovery.