Work-life Challenges Research Articles

Exploration of Workaholic Characteristics of Married Women in Healthcare sector during Pandemic situations

Women in professional and family life are facing lot of challenges where they are struggling to manage their work pressure and family responsibilities. In healthcare sectors, the employees especially the nurses have to carry out shift work and have to perform morning, evening and night shifts. It is analysed and proved by many analysts that mostly the women from middleclass family life are subject to such work-life challenges in particular the women nurses especially during pandemic situations. This study focuses on Workaholism which is an extreme work force that leads to the disregard of others’ welfare and harmful effects faced by the women nurses especially who are married. In this aspect, the research was conducted to examine the workaholic characteristics of married women especially the nursing professionals during the pandemic period. The study was conducted by collecting data from women nurses from South part of India and the sample size derived for the study is 200. The findings reveal that Continuous thoughts of Work Involvement, Accepts Extra Work Time, Task Oriented, Compensation based on Work Performance and No Botheration about Work life Balance are the major workaholic characteristics of women nurses especially who are married.

The Invisible Backpack: An Exercise to Better Understand, Empathize With, and Make Recommendations for Supporting Employees With Their Work-Life Challenges

The Invisible Backpack: An Exercise to Better Understand, Empathize With, and Make Recommendations for Supporting Employees With Their Work-Life Challenges

Night-duty dilemmas: Health and work-life challenges for LIS professionals in Indian libraries

This study investigates the impact of 24/7 library operations on the health and work-life balance of Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in India. Using a mixed-method approach with 52 respondents, reveals significant physical and mental health issues, sleep disruptions, and dietary challenges. Qualitative insights highlight personal and professional hurdles, gender disparities, and concerns about workload and safety. The findings underscore the need for tailored support and infrastructure improvements in continuous library settings. The study contributes to understanding the multifaceted challenges faced by LIS professionals and provides recommendations to enhance overall well-being in 24/7 operational environments.

Resident worklife and wellness through the late phase of the pandemic: a mixed methods national survey study

BackgroundSystem contributors to resident burnout and well-being have been under-studied. We sought to determine factors associated with resident burnout and identify at risk groups.MethodsWe performed a US national survey between July 15 2022 and April 21, 2023 of residents in 36 specialties in 14 institutions, using the validated Mini ReZ survey with three 5 item subscales: 1) supportive workplace, 2) work pace/electronic medical record (EMR) stress, and 3) residency-specific factors (sleep, peer support, recognition by program, interruptions and staff relationships). Multilevel regressions and thematic analysis of 497 comments determined factors related to burnout.ResultsOf 1118 respondents (approximate median response rate 32%), 48% were female, 57% White, 21% Asian, 6% LatinX and 4% Black, with 25% PGY 1 s, 25% PGY 2 s, and 22% PGY 3 s. Programs included internal medicine (15.1%) and family medicine (11.3%) among 36 specialties. Burnout (found in 42%) was higher in females (51% vs 30% in males, p = 0.001) and PGY 2’s (48% vs 35% in PGY-1 s, p = 0.029). Challenges included chaotic environments (41%) and sleep impairment (32%); favorable aspects included teamwork (94%), peer support (93%), staff support (87%) and program recognition (68%). Worklife subscales were consistently lower in females while PGY-2’s reported the least supportive work environments. Worklife challenges relating to burnout included sleep impairment (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 2.82 (95% CIs 1.94, 4.19), absolute risk difference (ARD) in burnout 15.9%), poor work control (aOR 2.25 (1.42, 3.58), ARD 12.2%) and chaos (aOR 1.73 (1.22, 2.47), ARD 7.9%); program recognition was related to lower burnout (aOR 0.520 (0.356, 0.760), ARD 9.3%). These variables explained 55% of burnout variance. Qualitative data confirmed sleep impairment, lack of schedule control, excess EMR and patient volume as stressors.ConclusionsThese data provide a nomenclature and systematic method for addressing well-being during residency. Work conditions for females and PGY 2’s may merit attention first.

From Dual Roles to Dynamic Equilibrium: An Overview of Theoretical Perspectives Used in Studies Addressing Work-Life Struggles of Working Mothers

There has been much scholarly attention given to the role of women in the labor market throughout the years. While there are plenty of evaluations of ideas and perspectives regarding work-life concepts, there is limited understanding regarding the theoretical foundation of work-life concerns specifically about mothers. This study aims to provide an overview of theories used to investigate the work-life issues of working mothers. The data were collected from the Web of Science database. A total of 63 research studies examining the work-life challenges faced by employed women were evaluated based on theoretical frameworks. It was seen that identity theory and gender perspective are dominant perspectives in the current literature. In addition, the prevailing work-life perspectives adopted in the studies are work-life balance and work-life conflict. The study offers a detailed examination of the various theoretical perspectives employed in understanding the work-life difficulties encountered by employed mothers.

Unveiling the Work-Life Challenges Faced by Supply Chain Management Executives: Solutions for a Well-Balanced Career in India

This research study investigates the multifaceted work-life challenges confronted by supply chain management executives in India. The objectives of the study are two-fold: first, to quantify and evaluate the factors impacting the work-life balance of these professionals, and second, to delineate and provide a comprehensive description of the prevalent work-life challenges and stressors they routinely encounter. To achieve the first objective, Factor Analysis is employed to measure and assess the underlying factors affecting the work-life equilibrium of supply chain management executives. Through rigorous statistical analysis, the study uncovers the critical elements that influence their work-life balance and provides insights into potential interventions. For the second objective, the study employs Kruskal- Wallis Test and Mann-Whitney U Test to identify and comprehensively describe the specific work-life challenges and stressors commonly experienced by supply chain management executives. Leveraging a sample size of 100 supply chain executives, the research reveals the nature and magnitude of challenges, offering a nuanced understanding of their experiences. The findings of this study not only shed light on the work-life challenges faced by supply chain management executives but also provide a foundation for crafting tailored strategies to enhance their career well-being. Addressing these challenges is essential for fostering a healthier work-life balance among supply chain professionals in India, ultimately contributing to increased job satisfaction, improved productivity, and overall organizational success. This research serves as a valuable resource for supply chain management professionals, human resource practitioners, and policymakers seeking to create a more conducive work environment and promote sustainable careers in the supply chain industry in India.

Home and Work: Struggles of Indian Women Legal Professionals Before and During Pandemic

Grappling with work–life challenges often hinder the growth of women lawyers within their profession. As women struggle with the dual problems of working long hours and managing the family they are bound in a precarious situation which marginalises them as revealed in literature. The Pandemic 2020 has made the ‘work from home’ the new normal phenomenon. The present study makes a comparative narrative analysis between pre and during pandemics work–life contexts of the women lawyers by interviewing fifty of them based in Kolkata (India). The already existing work–life challenges have been amplified exposing their vulnerabilities. The crisis is about their existence as professionals, due to prioritising home over work during the pandemic. As the women lawyers strive to create a space within the legal profession, the pandemic proved jeopardising pulling them towards their conventional roles. Their professional and private spaces are brought under the same roof, increasing the struggle of their multiple roles and sacrificing their ‘me time’.

Abstract 18955: Post Webinar Survey Responses Regarding Maternity and Legal Rights for Cardiologists

Introduction/Background: Women are under-represented in cardiology and cardiology subspecialties. Work life challenges are often a stated reason why women do not choose cardiology. Pregnancy and motherhood represent a time of significant challenges to women in cardiology due to lack of support and discrimination. The American Heart Association (AHA)Women in Cardiology (WIC) Committee recently held a case-based webinar to increase awareness about the issues, discuss available resources for support, and understand laws protecting women against discrimination. Goals/Aims: The goal of the survey was to understand the current landscape of perceived institutional support during the maternity period and gauge awareness of the laws protecting women against discrimination. Methods/Approach: After the webinar, an email survey was sent to all those who registered on behalf of the AHAWIC Committee within 7days of the event. Results/Data: There were 189registrants for the webinar, of which 29(15%)responded to the survey. Of those who responded, 72%were female, 48%were <40years of age, 33%of the attendees were mothers, and 20%reported fertility issues. Almost all respondents reported working in a hospital-based practice (90%),59%were attending physicians and 38%were trainees. Only 28%reported that their work environment was very supportive of mothers and only 31%were aware of maternal legal rights in the workplace. After the webinar, 76%planned to learn or implement new maternal rights related policies in their workplace (Figure 1). Conclusions: Pregnancy and motherhood represent a challenging time in the career of a female cardiologist or trainee. Perceived support in the workplace is low. Very few women know their legal rights, but a majority had a plan to learn more after the webinar. This survey highlights opportunities for the cardiology community and national societies to help support women cardiologists.

Dynamic learning spaces—dynamic pedagogy. Students’ voices from a master’s program focusing on student active learning in a cross-institution two-campus organization

These past few years have shown the importance of successfully designing cross-campus and multi-campus hybrid and fully digital learning environments to sustain and guarantee continuity in learners’ higher education - an aspect that has become pivotal to ensure the survival of Higher Educational Institutions in an increasingly digitalized world. Such learning environments, and related pedagogical practices, seem to contribute to promoting the development of the learners’ critical skills to meet future work-life challenges and possible new crises. It is therefore increasingly important to include students’ experiences and feedback to help develop and define standards and frameworks that can guide educators and other stakeholders in their work. This article presents the results from an exploratory case study within the frame of a larger research project closely linked to a cross-campus and cross-institution master’s degree program at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The master’s program is a collaboration between NTNU and the University of Oslo (UiO) and is co-located at both campuses through one shared hybrid, physical and virtual, learning space called the Portal. The genesis of the Portal is informed by Radcliffe’s Pedagogy-Space-Technology framework for the design and evaluation of learning spaces. The scope of our research focuses on the “user experiences”, particularly on how students experience their learning space as an arena for student active learning and collaborations in a cross-campus (and cross-institution) organization. With this article, we hope to contribute to the research field in higher education by bringing in newer insight and, hopefully, a fresh point of view.

Exhausting work-life challenges through boundary management: an investigation of work-life boundary management among college students during remote work and COVID-19

ABSTRACT The abrupt transition to remote learning during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic created considerable work-life boundary challenges for college students. Grounded in boundary management theory, this study utilizes an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, incorporating both a survey and subsequent focus groups, to explore the dynamics of boundary permeability, communication, work-life conflict, and exhaustion. Both traditional and underrepresented students were included, highlighting the experiences of these distinct populations. Our findings underscore that underrepresented students are particularly susceptible to work-life conflicts and exhaustion, a realization that points towards the critical need for supportive interventions tailored to their specific needs. Furthermore, this research addresses the paucity of studies focusing on students in the boundary management literature and offers valuable insights into diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) research. By emphasizing the necessity of differentiating support strategies for diverse student populations, the study aids in formulating effective practices for institutions to enhance student well-being in the context of remote work and learning.

The Future of the Journalism Profession from the Perspective of Professionals Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic widely affected almost every field of life, and journalism is no exception. Following these major transformations, journalism is today going through different phases which further indicate the future of journalism worldwide. This study examined the future of the journalism profession in the post-pandemic era from the perspective of professionals in media organizations. The results revealed that most of these indicated that their organizations dealt with the coronavirus pandemic professionally by changing the work pattern in the institution. For example, changes in work location during the crisis were emphasized. Many journalists also had to adopt job turnover due to the increase of work-life challenges. In addition, recruitment patterns were altered and working patterns were transformed into digital approaches such as news gathering, publishing online and via social media. Additionally, the professional pressures on journalists were also emphasized in the responses. Regarding the future of journalism in the post-pandemic era, respondents revealed that journalism practices changed greatly after the pandemic. Specifically, changes in working hours, resources and approaches are now affecting the competencies of journalists in their organizations. Finally, the respondents indicated that the demand for “comprehensive journalism” is now in demand by media organizations. Consequently, there are increasing demands for individuals to have professional degrees in media and journalism.
 
 Received: 1 January 2023 / Accepted: 16 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023

Promise and Perils of Leader-Employee Check-ins in Reducing Emotional Exhaustion in Primary Care Clinics: Quasi-Experimental and Qualitative Evidence

ObjectiveTo analyze the role of short (<30 minutes) and frequent (quarterly) check-ins between clinic leaders and employees in reducing emotional exhaustion. MethodsThree interrelated studies were conducted: a 3-year repeated cross-sectional survey at 10 primary care clinics (n=505; we compared emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and values alignment among employees of a clinic where check-ins were conducted vs 9 control clinics); interviews with leaders and employees (n=10) regarding the check-ins process and experiences; and interviews with leaders and employees (n=10) after replicating the check-ins at a new clinic. ResultsOutcomes were similar at baseline. After a year, emotional exhaustion was lower at the check-ins compared with control clinics (standardized mean difference, d, −0.71 [P<.05]). After 2 years, emotional exhaustion remained lower at the check-ins clinic, but this difference was not significant. The check-ins were associated with an increment in values alignment (2018 vs 2017, d=0.59 [P<.05]; 2019 vs 2017, d=0.76 [P<.05]). There were no differences for perceived job stress. Interviews indicated that work-life challenges were discussed in the check-ins. However, employees need confidentiality and to feel safe to do so. The replication suggested that the check-ins are feasible to implement even amid turbulent times. ConclusionPeriodic check-ins wherein leaders acknowledge and address work-life stressors might be a practical tactic to reduce emotional exhaustion in primary care clinics.

GENDER-WISE ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS WORKING ONLINE DURING COVID-19

In Pakistan, a novel disease COVID-19 was transpired in 2019 that has been affected unexpectedly to everyone in different fields of life. The aim of this research was to explore gender differences in psycho-social challenges of university teachers during COVID-19. Likewise, other major aspects, educational sector had to shift its pedagogy from traditional learning to e-learning. This was a challenging and threatening to human life around the globe especially in the learning community. The main objective of the study is to explore experiences of teachers to develop an understanding of their work life challenges during pandemic, lockdown and online teaching. Considering the research goal, the data has been collected through in-depth interviews under the qualitative research paradigm. Twenty university faculty were interviewed, ten male teachers and ten female teachers from five private and five public institutes respectively. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis under the seven major themes i.e. Work Family conflict, Psychological issues, Social constraints, Technical issues, Uncertainty about Future, Gender roles, &amp; Discipline wise challenges. The findings of the study showed that male and female teachers both faced work pressure and stress in professional lives during COVID. Female teachers in addition with their professional work were performing extra duties regarding household work, with less or in some cases zero domestic help. This study also showed that the common psychological effect of COVID-19 was stressful to meet job demands and accompanying fear of exposure to disease both in male and female teachers. However, fewer ratio of male and female teachers was affected socially, the only trouble was missing out on social gatherings which were put aside due to one’s own safety. Keywords: COVID, Work family conflict, Psychological issues, Social constraints, Technical issues, Gender roles, &amp; Discipline.

Role of Emerging Job Skills for Adjusting with Digital Work–Life Challenges

There is a paradigm shift amongst the organizations post the pandemic with the emergence of digital workplaces which resonate virtual settings rather than physical settings at work which have implications on work–life balance among employees. The research in past have mostly explored the ways in which digital workplaces have changed the skills desired by employers for organizational effectiveness. However, the current research has tried to foster a holistic understanding of the challenges in digital work places and the specific job skills that enable to handle digital work–life challenges for employee effectiveness. The article provides the problem and solution under a singular umbrella, providing an anchor for human resource professionals to embrace changes in people process management with the rise of digital workplaces. The study has deployed a sequential mixed method approach to conduct the study. In the first phase an in-depth qualitative inquiry was conducted to explore digital work–life challenges through interviews conducted with practicing managers in IT industry from North India. In the second phase of the study an empirical model was developed to validate the specific job skills that impact digital work–life challenges using structural equation modelling (SEM). The empirically tested model indicated that stress tolerance and communication prowess were the two most important predictors of managing digital work–life challenges. Ability to adjust on the other hand, emerged as a mediating factor between uncertainty management and communication prowess. The model highlights the socio-technical arrangements that can be explored by practitioners in Industry for an effective digital work–life balance and effectiveness.

Work-Life Challenges Faced by Sanitary Workers-A Special Reference to Thoothukudi District

Waste production occurs due to business activities, consumption, and use of goods or materials. Solid waste handling, management, and precise and appropriate disposal is a hot topic and public and environmental health concern topic. Sanitary workers are primarily responsible for the health of the entire world. At the same time, challenges such as issues related them financial, mental, and physical problems. Injuries include cuts, bruises, musculoskeletal issues, respiratory issues, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid fever. Furthermore, they are facing a lack of financial security, and they are facing various social problems. This study selects the primary and secondary data. The primary data were directly collected from the respondents, and it had been preparing a structured questionnaire. Secondary data it had been collected from the website, published journals, and magazines. This has been chosen as the stratified sampling method. It has selected 120 respondents and describes the health problems faced by sanitary workers at work in Thoothukudi District. Public health research has not adequately considered the welfare and conservation of sanitary workers. Unlike other risk industries, sanitation does not have specific safety regulatory guidelines for resolving health risks.

Gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-method study of teacher stress and work-life balance

ABSTRACT There is a growing concern that the COVID-19 pandemic has had disproportionate impacts on women, especially those with children. Female educators, and, in particular, those with childcare responsibilities, have also reported higher levels of stress and work-life challenges as compared to their male counterparts. It is unclear exactly which factors are behind these disparities. However, while some have pointed to the gendered division of domestic labor as the main contributor, other pandemic-related and work-related stressors may be involved in female educators’ increased stress levels and work-life balance challenges. To address this question, this mixed-methods research draws on survey data gathered from 752 educators across New York State. Findings demonstrate that women reported higher levels of stress and work-life balance challenges than their male counterparts. While quantitative analyses indicated that gender disparities in work-life balance challenges were related to the higher stress women experienced from work and COVID-19 rather than childcare responsibilities, qualitative analyses of open-ended survey responses revealed that childcare duties were nonetheless an important factor impacting work-life balance challenges for both men and women. This article has significant implications for the teaching profession and adds broader insights into the gendered effects of the pandemic.

Developing organisational ambidexterity in sport organisations? A qualitative study of a mentor programme for young leaders

This article explores the position of organisational ambidexterity in a Norwegian mentor programme for young leaders in sport. It examines to what degree it enabled participants to reflect on two main themes in theories of organisational ambidexterity: to sense the possibility for, and/or seise, actual change opportunities within their own sport organisations. Drawing upon 22 in-depth interviews (14 mentees, split into 10 males and 4 females), six mentors (3 males and 3 females), and two female programme organisers, two key findings emerged. First, the mentor programme provided a useful arena for improving the mentees’ self-awareness of the type of leaders they would like to become. Second, the programme fell short of addressing the educational preconditions for ambidextrous leadership as the ability to solve work-life challenges requires insight into the contextual factors that influence leadership practices in sports. The article introduces Time, Agency and Change as conceptual additions to the theory and application of ‘organisational ambidexterity’ in sport management work. These additions improve the analytical usefulness of organisational ambidexterity in studies of sport organisations and itemise its applicability to further mentor programme developments.

The Intersection of Motherhood and Academia During a Pandemic: A Storytelling Approach to Narrative Oral History

This paper takes a storytelling approach to narrative oral history using reflexivity as analysis, making meaning through social engagement between co-authors, friends, family, and colleagues. The story presents the first author's lived experience as a mother and academic, both journeys at their peak as the pandemic loomed closer to and arrived in Canada. These journeys and their intersection are presented in chronological order, detailing the stressors and struggles of mothering in academia during a pandemic. The second author played an integral role in telling this story, by drawing out the narrative through an open-ended interview. Reflexive thoughts, authentic accounts, and interview quotes are embedded throughout conveying lived experience, feelings, and concerns. The paper magnifies structural gender inequality in academia by sharing struggles, such as loss of opportunity for scholarly contributions, pregnancy secrecy and career advancement anxieties, the reality of maternity “leave” in academia, and accounts of personal support and lack of professional support. We hope this piece gives mothers in academia comfort in knowing they are not alone in work-life challenges, encourages women in similar positions to share their stories, opens the academic world to these lived realities, and inspires equity-informed change for the good of mothers and academia.

A quantitative study on salient work-life balance challenge(s) influencing female information and communication technology professionals in a South African telecommunications organisation

Orientation: There have been numerous studies on women’s WLB in various industries in South Africa. This study is unique in that it investigates work-life balance among female ICT professionals in South Africa who work in a male-dominated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) sector.Research purpose: The study aimed to investigate the salient WLB challenges influencing female ICT professionals in a South African telecommunications organisation.Motivation of the study: In male-dominated sectors, understanding the factors that influence women in combining work and family life is invaluable in gaining a competitive advantage by having a committed and diverse workforce and understanding how women cope with WLB challenges.Research approach/design and method: Data were collected using a quantitative approach employing a cross-sectional survey design from female Information Communications and Technology professionals (n = 50). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Measure Central Tendency and Dispersion, and Exploratory Factor Analysis were used in analyzing the data.Main findings: The main findings indicated the challenges of the different age groups, with the age group 21–25 exhibiting the highest score for the ability to combine work and family roles successfully.Practical/managerial implications: This study may lead to practical applications to support human resource management practitioners towards comprehending the impact of work-life balance practices, either directly or indirectly, especially females.Contribution/value-add: This study will fill the unexplored area of improving work-life balance by highlighting a unique insight into how females cope with their work-life challenges in their chosen careers.

The Workplace and Psychosocial Experiences of Australian Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had significant mental health impacts among healthcare workers (HCWs), related to resource scarcity, risky work environments, and poor supports. Understanding the unique challenges experienced by senior doctors and identifying strategies for support will assist doctors facing such crises into the future. A cross-sectional, national, online survey was conducted during the second wave of the Australian COVID-19 pandemic. Inductive content analysis was used to examine data reporting workplace and psychosocial impacts of the pandemic. Of 9518 responses, 1083 senior doctors responded to one or more free-text questions. Of the senior doctors, 752 were women and 973 resided in Victoria. Four themes were identified: (1) work-life challenges; (2) poor workplace safety, support, and culture; (3) poor political leadership, planning and support; and (4) media and community responses. Key issues impacting mental health included supporting staff wellbeing, moral injury related to poorer quality patient care, feeling unheard and undervalued within the workplace, and pandemic ill-preparedness. Senior doctors desired better crisis preparedness, HCW representation, greater leadership, and accessible, authentic psychological wellbeing support services from workplace organisations and government. The pandemic has had significant impacts on senior doctors. The sustainability of the healthcare system requires interventions designed to protect workforce wellbeing.