When structure creates strain: Physician perspectives on work-home interference, professional relationships, and organizational resilience

Abstract

Despite widespread recognition of work-home interference (WHI) as a key driver of physician burnout, the day-to-day realities of how physicians navigate these challenges remain underexplored. This study examines how WHI shapes physicians’ professional and personal lives, with a particular focus on its impact on relationships and organizational resilience.

Through seven focus groups with 64 physicians across specialties and career stages at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, we identified key sources of WHI, including inflexible work schedules and the persistent mental burden of balancing multiple roles. Physicians described resorting to unsustainable coping strategies that, over time, became entrenched. They also expressed frustration with institutional efforts to mitigate WHI, which emphasized personal resilience and time management while overlooking deeper structural issues.

A critical finding from the study was the often-underappreciated role of professional relationships in buffering against WHI and sustaining both individual and organizational resilience. Physicians described how efficiency-driven interventions—such as workflow changes and increased productivity demands—unintentionally eroded collegial connections, leaving them feeling increasingly isolated and unsupported. This loss of professional community exacerbated the emotional toll of WHI and arguably weakens the adaptive capacity of most healthcare organizations.

These findings suggest that WHI and burnout cannot be addressed solely through individual-level interventions or efficiency measures. Instead, healthcare institutions must acknowledge the social dimensions of physician well-being and foster work environments that prioritize connection alongside productivity. By reassessing the trade-offs between efficiency and relational cohesion, organizations can better support physicians and promote a more sustainable, resilient workforce.