An Exploratory Study of Challenges Faced by Working Mothers in India and Their Expectations from Organizations

Abstract

Working mothers worldwide find it hard to deal with expectations about their maternal responsibilities and work. The challenges faced by women across nations are perceived to be similar in nature. However, the known diversity in terms of culture, political scenario, educational framework, economic situation, legal policies and employment guidelines are unavoidable factors which may directly impact the challenges faced by women in their respective workplace. This research, therefore, attempts to identify the challenges faced by working mothers in India in their careers including different industrial sectors in the present scenario. A mix of qualitative and quantitative techniques is used for data collection. On the basis of in-depth interviews, grounded theory approach and exploratory factor analysis, three broad categories of challenges faced by working Indian mothers are identified. Post the empirical identification of perceived career barriers for working mothers, organizational interventions to address their concerns are discussed.