A ‘Dark Side’ of Humane Entrepreneurship? Unveiling the Side Effects of Humane Entrepreneurship on Work–Life Balance

Abstract

Humane entrepreneurship postulates an innovative strategic posture assuming that entrepreneurs should concomitantly focus on the enterprise, the human and the societal cycles of the firm to achieve organisational excellence. Scholars have stressed the economic and societal gains triggered by humane entrepreneurship. However, little is known about its implications for work–life balance (WLB). The article fills in this gap, shedding light into the dark side of humane entrepreneurship on the entrepreneurs’ ability to handle the interplay between work and life. Adopting a humane entrepreneurship posture negatively affected the ability to achieve a WLB, paving the way for work-to-life conflicts. Work engagement and subjective well-being moderated the side effects of humane entrepreneurship on WLB. Tailored initiatives are required to address the overlapping between work and life generated by humane entrepreneurship. Inter alia, employees’ empowerment and the improvement of organisational culture are needed to foster the effective implementation of humane entrepreneurship.