Navigating disruption: Challenges and adaptive strategies and the implications for academic work-life balance in South African higher education

Orientation: Although academics’ work–life balance (WLB) challenges are well documented in well-resourced institutions, they remain underexplored in resource-constrained higher education contexts. Research purpose: This article examines the nature of WLB challenges faced by academic staff in a resource-constrained higher educational institution in South Africa. Motivation for the study: the is a need to examine WLB in South African higher education, where instability, resource constraints, disruptions, and intensified demands create underexplored Global South challenges. Research design, approach and method: Seventeen academic staff members across multiple faculties at a South African public university participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Purposive sampling ensured representation across academic ranks and disciplinary areas. Data were analysed using iterative thematic analysis. Main findings: The study found that academics face multi-level WLB challenges stemming from individual, interpersonal, and organisational constraints, including workload demands, limited institutional support, and misaligned expectations and resources, they use adaptive coping strategies to try and balance work and personal responsibilities. Practical/managerial implications: Higher education institutions should strengthen support networks, implement flexible workload policies, and offer accessible, self-paced professional development. Contribution/value-add: This study advances work-life integration literature by examining academics’ challenges in resource-constrained higher education settings.