Juggling between work, studies and motherhood: The role of social support systems for the attainment of work–life balance

Abstract

Orientation: In recent years, work–life balance has become one of the most important issues of interest to researchers and policymakers. Although women have been identified to be more at risk of work–life imbalance, little is known about the work–life balance pursuits of women who study in addition to their work in non-Western contexts.Research purpose: Drawing from the ecological system theory and the conservation of resources theory, this study explored the lived experiences of women who study in addition to their work to understand how they achieve work–life balance.Motivation for the study: The views of working mothers on how they strive to balance their work, studies and motherhood can influence the development and implementation of HR policies that empower women to climb the upper echelon of organisations.Research approach/design and method: Six respondents knowledgeable on the subject were recruited with snowball sampling and further interviewed.Main findings: Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed work flexibility, co-worker support, supportive supervisor, supportive family and programmed work–life as the main themes, which explained how working mothers maintained a sense of well-being. Cardinal amongst the themes was the synergistic role of extended family members.Practical/managerial implications: Organisations are encouraged to develop and implement family-friendly policies that can promote healthy well-being of its workforce whilst facilitating the training and development of women.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to work–family literature by providing empirical evidence from a non-Western context as previous research was predominantly conducted in Western contexts.

Exploring the talent retention strategies of Cape Coast Technical University in Ghana

“…To ensure a high level of quality and integrity of the data, the study adopted Guba's (1985, 1986) The study ensured credibility by presenting and reporting exactly the respondents' statements while illustrating with quotes. Transferability was ensured by synthesising the thick descriptions of the various respondents into phrases such that findings could be generalised to other readers with similar experiences (Cope, 2014;Korstjens & Moser, 2018;Osei Boakye et al, 2021).…”

“…Confirmability was determined by linking the data to their sources. This was carried out by ensuring that interpretations given to the texts were actually in line with the original interview and not the authors' opinion (Korstjens & Moser, 2018;Osei Boakye et al, 2021).…”

Effect of Job Demand and Support on Work-Family Conflict in Selected Banking Institutions in Ghana

“…This has led to the proliferation of the nuclear family system, which weakens the ties and support derived from the extended family in times of need (Annor, 2016a). Similarly, in the Ghanaian context, women play instrumental roles in the family in childcare, elderly care, and performing household chores (Osei Boakye, Dei Mensah, Bartrop-Sackey, & Muah, 2021). However, the changes in the family system coupled with increased women's participation in paid work have rendered the performance of these roles difficult (Kundu, Phogat, Datta, & Gahlawat, 2016), making work-family conflict much pronounced.…”

“…However, the changes in the family system coupled with increased women's participation in paid work have rendered the performance of these roles difficult (Kundu, Phogat, Datta, & Gahlawat, 2016), making work-family conflict much pronounced. Consequently, this has increased the number of persons who perform multiple roles across the work-life interface, such as dual-career couples, single parents, employed females, and fathers profoundly engaged in childrearing (Kundu et al, 2016;Osei Boakye et al, 2021).…”

Explaining How Management Safety Practices and Safety Programs Influence Job Safety and Employee Commitment

“…Hence, every organization's worker safety and health must be concerned since health and safety affect sustainability, competitiveness, and productivity. Employees are at the heart of every firm, and their talents and abilities are critical to its success (Osei Boakye et al, 2021). Therefore, employees' well-being must not be downplayed instead be seen as the key to organizational success.…”