ABSTRACT
A significant amount of literature has emerged over the last decade in the context of the “Future of Work.” Academics and management consulting firms have particularly contributed rich discussions about how the future of work will manifest new professions, introduce new economies, transform work-life, and evolve the home as a workplace. Indeed, labour markets in the developing and developed countries are likely to undergo major transformations into labour on-demand economies in the decades to come. However, despite a growing body of knowledge, there exists no universally accepted framework defining the home as an economic unit aligned with the on-demand economy. Also, few papers cut across a multidimensional analysis of the different imperatives that drive a promising path to optimise personal time, offer work-life balance and productivity; all the elements necessary for an economic home environment. This literature review provides the first systematic and synoptic overview of topics discussed under the theme of work-life balance in an on-demand economy. It not only highlights the trends of the important drivers as discussed in existing studies, it also identifies possible outcomes of the future of work from the home as an economic actor. The review first devises a structure based on key dimensions of labour markets and the challenges of the home, and then categorises findings from the literature conditioned on such dimensions. It also contains an assessment on the coverage of the studies’ perceived limitations and thematic gaps.
