Working Women Research Articles

The mediating effect of work-life balance on the relationship between work-family conflict and psychological well-being among Chinese working women

The study aims to explore whether work-life balance mediates the impact of work-family conflict and its dimensions on psychological well-being. Using a survey method, data were collected from a sample of 258 working women in Hebei province in China. The analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS and the PROCESS macro in order to test the mediation model. The findings show that work-family conflict has an indirect effect on psychological well-being through work-life balance. In the case of work-to-family conflict, a suppression effect is detected in which the mediator shows an underlying relationship between the work-to-family conflict and psychological well-being. On the other hand, family-to-work conflict is fully moderated by work-life balance. Based on these results, it can be concluded that enhancing the quality of work-life balance may help to reduce the negative impact of work-family conflict on psychological health. The findings of this study can be beneficial to organizations and policy makers to formulate policies that would enhance the mental health and work productivity of women professionals in China.

Psychosocial factors of work-life balance and resilience among Malaysian working women: A qualitative approach

Regardless of cultural or geographical contexts, women worldwide often bear the primary responsibility for childcare and household management. For women pursuing careers, these responsibilities are amplified, creating a challenging dynamic as they strive to balance professional duties with domestic obligations. The onset of COVID-19 profoundly disrupted lives, with working women being particularly impacted. The pandemic necessitated a rapid transition to a "new normal," where remote work became the standard. This shift required women to juggle childcare, household chores, and professional tasks within the confines of the same physical space. Work-life balance refers to the equilibrium between personal, family, and professional responsibilities, while resilience is defined as an individual's capacity to cope with and recover from adversity. This paper examines the psychosocial factors contributing to work-life balance and resilience, which are vital for achieving a balanced and fulfilling life among working women in Malaysia. Data was collected through a qualitative approach using focus group discussions with eleven working women from diverse professional backgrounds, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the psychosocial factors affecting work-life balance and resilience are deeply interconnected. Three major themes emerged from the analysis: social support, individual factors, and spirituality. These factors enable working women to adapt, persevere, and thrive despite challenges, especially with the support of their families, including spouses and parents. This study underscores the critical role of psychosocial factors in enhancing work-life balance and resilience among working women, highlighting their importance in navigating the complexities of modern life.

Spinnen Out: Women's Work in Early Modern Textile Trades

The production of cloth was a vital aspect of the early modern economy. Women were involved in almost all stages of the process, both in unofficial capacities and sometimes as officially recognized or tolerated artisans. However, associations between women and unskilled labor and guild fear of economic competition led to both legal restrictions and social stigma around women’s involvement in artisan textile work. This pushed more women into low-paying piecework, especially spinning. Spinning was the form of textile work women were most encouraged to do, or least restricted from. As one of the most common types of womens’ labor, it carried both positive connotations of diligence and the social stigmas that followed women as workers, such as anxieties around poverty, sexual immorality, and threats to the stability of male guilds. This essay investigates social attitudes towards women’s textile work, followed by a creative component which examines the spinning process directly.

Impact of Multiple Sclerosis on different life dimensions among working women in Sweden

Abstract Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS), like many other chronic diseases, may impact the whole life situation. MS is more common among women than men, in addition, women tend to report worse health status. We aimed to explore the self-reported impact of MS on different dimensions of life such as work, family, leisure activities and, contact with friends and acquaintances. Methods All individuals 20-50 years of age listed in the Swedish MS Registry were invited to answer a survey in 2021. Responses from 2659 working women regarding impact of MS in different dimensions (1, not at all; 2-3, occasionally; 4-5, frequently; 6-7 to a high extend) were explored with descriptive statistics. Results Reported impact of MS varied across the different life dimensions. Working women reported that MS had a greater impact on their leisure activities (20.7% - responding to ‘to a high extent’), followed by contact with friends and acquaintances (15.8%), work (15.5%) and family (11.7%). This despite the fact that 77.1% had mild levels of disability. Further, the MS diagnosis was reported to have contributed to reduced working time (31.4%), refrained from changing job (28.8%), changed jobs (20.5%) or changed career track (20.4%). When questioned about positive life-changing experiences due to MS diagnosis, a majority of the women stated that it had contributed to learning how to adapt to things one cannot change (59.2%) and being grateful for everyday (51.7%). Conclusions An MS diagnosis can significantly impact various aspects of life. While work is notably affected, leisure activities also undergo substantial changes after MS diagnosis. However, acceptance, adaptability and finding meaning, among other, can be important parts of the journey. Key messages • At early stages of MS, the disease tend to affect leisure activities more than other dimensions of life. • Finding coping mechanisms to handle MS may contribute to compensate the impact of MS.

“We Were Put Out of Good Jobs”: Women Night Workers in New York and the Origins of the Women’s Equal Opportunity League

Abstract In the 1910s, U.S. social reformers advocated for labor laws to protect women who worked in factories. The laws included bans on women working at night. In New York, a small contingent of night-working women who had lost their jobs objected. Arguing that the laws were paternalistic and harmful, they formed the Women’s Equal Opportunity League. The group opposed all single-sex laws and ultimately won repeal of New York’s night work ban for printers, elevator operators, and transit workers. Night work was the stage on which reformers’ ideas about the greater good conflicted with arguments for women’s autonomy. Whether and what kind of work women should do at night was a conflict about class, motherhood, and self-determination. This article profiles three leaders of the Women’s Equal Opportunity League—printer Ella M. Sherwin, transit guard Margaret Hinchey, and streetcar ticket agent Mary A. Murray. All three were devoted union members whose opposition to women-only laws made them dissidents within their unions. They remained shift workers their entire lives while lobbying state legislatures and Congress to demand formal legal equality for women. Histories of the early Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) have emphasized the support of upper- and middle-class women. These working-class women, who had long opposed protective legislation, later demanded the ERA—not in spite of the prospect that it would nullify single-sex labor laws, but because they hoped it would. Theirs was a minority position, and paying attention to it reveals the complexity of class conflict at the root of a feminist dispute which persisted long into the twentieth century.

Role of Eco-spirituality in Psychological Well-Being of Selected Working Women

This study intended to determine the role of ecospirituality in the psychological well-being of selected working women in Metro Manila; thus, casual research design as well as a cross-sectional survey were utilized in this study. Moreover, this study aimed to identify the level of ecospirituality and psychological well-being of the participants. A total of 574 working women in Metro Manila were conveniently selected. They participated and voluntarily answered the survey questionnaires, such as the Ecospirituality Scale and the Psychological Well-being Scale. The Ecospirituality Scale measures emotional and spiritual states about nature and has five aspects such as dwelling, caring, revering, experiencing, and relating. Moreover, the Psychological Well-being Scale measured six aspects of wellbeing and happiness, such as autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Findings revealed that working women were low in dwelling, caring, revering, experiencing, and relating the same as with psychological well-being in terms of personal growth and personal relations with others. On the other hand, they were high in psychological well-being as to autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Findings also revealed that ecospirituality in terms of caring predicts psychological well-being as to autonomy and personal relations with others. Likewise, ecospirituality in terms of dwelling predicts environmental mastery. Further, ecospirituality in terms of relating predicts psychological well-being as to personal growth, personal relations with others, and purpose in life. On the other hand, all aspects of ecospirituality do not predict psychological well-being as to self-acceptance. It can be concluded that working women’s life fulfillment and happiness were influenced by their spiritual connection with nature; hence, the need to design an employee development program focused on ecopsychology was recommended.

Empowering work-life balance: Exploring the nexus of flexible work arrangements, job satisfaction, and women's well-being in SMEs

The aim of this study is to evaluate flexible working arrangements, work-life balance, and job satisfaction among women who work in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of flexible working arrangements, particularly for women juggling work and family responsibilities. The study evaluates the extent to which flexible working arrangements enable women to maintain a balance between work and family life in order to achieve work-related satisfaction. One hundred and thirty questionnaires were collected from the respondents for analysis. The analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between flexible working arrangements and work-life balance/job satisfaction among women working in SMEs. Importantly, work-life balance is an explicit factor that influences job satisfaction and mediates the relationship between flexible working arrangements and job satisfaction. These findings emphasize the need for organizations to seriously consider implementing flexible working arrangements and work-life balance policies in return for enhanced satisfaction of their workforce, especially women in SMEs in Malaysia. Research in this area is scarce; however, these findings offer valuable insights for SMEs in improving employee satisfaction and striving for growth and sustainability in the long run.

Self Compassion and Emotional Intelligence among Working and Non-working Women

The present study is an attempt to study Emotional Intelligence and Self- Compassion among working and non-working women. In this study, some qualitative analysis was done on the sample by asking them to fill up the questionnaires of Emotional Intelligence and Self-Compassion. The sample consisted of 15 working women and 15 non working women. Statistical method applied on the data was t-test along with analysis of correlation. Emotional Intelligence Scale is developed by Anukool Hyde, Sanjyot Pethe and Upinder Dhar and Self-Compassion scale developed by Kristin Moff. There is a significant difference between working and non working women on both Emotional Intelligence and Self-Compassion which shows that Working women are more self-compassionate and high in emotional intelligence. Non-working women due to limited social contact and not being able to experience financial independence makes them more critical about themselves in some cases which adversely affects their emotional intelligence.

KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND CONSTRAINTS AMONG BREASTFEEDING EMPLOYEES TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF LACTATION AREA

Breastfeeding empowers women and children and working mothers who revolutionize the workplace globally, specifically in carrying mutual roles as employees delivering quality service to humanity and mothers nurturing their children. This study explored the knowledge, practices, and constraints among breastfeeding working mothers in Region III, Philippines, towards implementing lactation areas. A mixed-methods approach combined a quantitative survey with a qualitative semi-structured interview component. Findings showed a high prevalence of breastfeeding among working mothers, coupled with a good level of knowledge about breastfeeding practices. However, constraints such as lack of lactation areas in offices, heavy workload, and limited support were revealed, thus foregrounding the need for institutionalized policies and guidelines to establish lactation areas in offices, promote breastfeeding, and support working mothers and their welfare, anchored on sustainable development goals (SDGs). By addressing these issues, workplaces position a more conducive environment for breastfeeding mothers, contributing to improved maternal and infant health outcomes. Further, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers, employers, and healthcare providers in initiating more effective strategies to support breastfeeding working women. Through the documented findings and by providing concrete recommendations for policy and infrastructure, this research advances the shaping of a more breastfeeding-friendly environment, promotion of maternal and infant health, supporting SDG 3-good health and well-being, and enhancement of workplace productivity towards achieving SDG 8-decent work and economic growth and SDG 5-gender equality.

Signaling trust during disruptions: perceived gender differences in trustworthy leadership traits

Purpose This study aims to examine differences in the self-perception and value of four traits associated with trustworthiness: transparency, credibility, accountability and honesty to find out whether these traits are more likely to be adopted by female leaders during episodes of disruption. Design/methodology/approach Regression estimation of perceived trustworthy leadership values using a survey of full-time employed men and women in management working for various organizations. Findings Honesty emerged as the highest rated trait overall, both in the respondents’ self-measure and in their reflected level of desirability. However, women described their honesty as higher than how men relayed their honesty score. Both genders rated their own transparency as their lowest scoring trait and treated it as the least important of the desired traits. Relative to men, not only do women espouse to greater levels of honesty and value it more but they also appear to embrace honesty in their desired behaviors more highly. Research limitations/implications A natural extension of this study is to design a longitudinal study to show causality or whether socialized gender differences, in fact, play a role in measuring the value of trustworthy leadership during disruptions. Practical implications Understanding self-perceptions of leaders’ efficacy and desired expectations helps prepare both current and future leaders to regain followers’ trust, especially during disruptions. Lessons learned to date require investments in building awareness of leaders’ perceptions of trustworthiness and developing relevant skills for dealing with disruptions. Originality/value This research adds further insight to leadership studies by establishing a linkage between characteristics of trustworthy leadership and the ability to lead in challenging times. Cultivating traits of transparency, accountability, credibility and honesty enables leaders to develop the skills needed to be viewed as trustworthy and be prepared for the unexpected.

The Impact of Financial Literacy on Selected Nigerian Public Sector Employees Savings Culture and Investment

Financial literacy ensures that an individual is able to match his income with his expenditure, lives within his means and forestall going broke or bankrupt. Like general or health literacy, financial literacy could be conceptualized as having two dimensions: understanding (personal finance knowledge) and use (personal finance application). In this study, we reviewed how financial literacy is measured in the current literature and examine how well the existing studies addresses whether financial literacy improves employees savings culture and investment. We review the literature on alternative policies to improve financial outcomes and compare the evidence on whether financial literacy improves employees spending habits, savings, investments and standard of living. The sample size of this survey based study consists of 110 working men and women from non-financial public sector in Nigeria. Data was analyzed using simple percentage and frequency distribution. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used in the analysis of the data. The major challenge in financial education has been how to measure the impact of financial education on the recipient savings culture. Investment and standard of living. On the other hand what is the influence of financial literacy on employees’ savings and investment outcome. It can be observed that in some instances those who did not have formal financial education and those who are primary or secondary school dropout have risen to own successful business empire. However, some who have tertiary financial education are struggling to survive. A large proportion of the sampled employees are deficient in financial literacy notwithstanding their exposure to financial education. Contrary to popular perception this research shows that there is no significant relationship between financial literacy and education level, savings culture and investments, of Nigerian public sector employees. Finally, we discuss directions ........

Prevalence and Correlations of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Sample of Adult Working Women.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) represents a significant psychiatric condition affecting women of reproductive age. It is characterized by cyclical emotional and physical symptoms that considerably impair psychosocial functioning. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of PMDD among adult working women and identify associated etiological factors. From January 2022 to March 2022, a cross-sectional study utilizing cluster sampling methodology was conducted to investigate the prevalence of PMDD among adult working women in six communities in Hangzhou (China). A total of 1710 participants were selected for research through a questionnaire-based survey. To elucidate the factors associated with PMDD, logistic regression analysis was employed. Among 1710 working women, 52 had PMDD, representing an incidence of 3.04%. Age (odds ratio (OR) = 3.196, p = 0.002), age at menarche (OR = 0.362, p = 0.011), income (OR = 0.449, p = 0.043), menstrual cycle (OR = 2.352, p = 0.022), menstrual symptoms (OR = 0.317, p = 0.003), physical activity (OR = 2.234, p = 0.028), and caffeine intake (OR = 2.318, p = 0.022) were independent influencing factors of PMDD in adult working women. The study highlights that PMDD, which has a prevalence of 3.04% in the surveyed population, is a notable concern among adult working women. Key factors, such as age, age at menarche, income level, menstrual cycle characteristics, menstrual symptom presence, physical activity, and caffeine intake, significantly contribute to the likelihood of developing PMDD. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and monitoring the above risk factors by clinicians to identify and manage PMDD in working women.

Prevalent Workplace Sexual Abuse of Ready-Made Garments Female Workers in Bangladesh: Understanding the Pseudo Dynamics of This Offence from Socio-Criminological Perspective

Safe workplace for women is a matter of great concern, even with the increasing rate of their participation in the economic sphere of Bangladesh. In spite of extensive empirical research focusing on infectious crime as sexual harassment across various spheres of human existence, even in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, sexual harassment remains a painstaking global thorn in the flesh. Though the prevalence of sexual harassment is at its peak, a significant proportion of society normalizes this as a custom and manifests it by keeping silent about sexual harassment against RMG female workers. The primary objective of this study is to understand the victims' experiences and the major factors behind the sexual harassment at ready-made garment factories in Bangladesh. This study utilizes qualitative research methodology employing purposive snowball sampling of 20 working women and 5 KII in-depth interviews, aiming to delve into the underlying factors of this behavior from a socio-criminological perspectives.

SAVINGS AND THRIFT AMONG WORKING WOMEN IN KERALA: A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO KOLLAM DISTRICT

Women are getting empowerment through literacy and employment. The biggest motivation of the working women is needing the sheer economic necessary with growing rate of inflation. To help the family by adding some meager resources women are working, which facilitate to meet the financial needs and reduces the financial stress. But it is the best aid only to solve the temporary problems. Women are aware of financial services offered by both governments are private financial institutions to save their hard-earned income. This paper is attempted to study the constraints faced toward saving by people especially working women

The influence of income on mental health status of working and non-working women

The influence of income on mental health status of working and non-working women

Analysis of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Working Women During Pregnancy and in the Post-Partum Phase

Analysis of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Working Women During Pregnancy and in the Post-Partum Phase

Impact of Human and Social Capital on Women’s earning: Implications for Home Based and Outdoor Workers

The objective of this study is to explore the effect of human and social capital on women’s earning. The cross-sectional data was collected from 1227 working women both home based and outdoor, residing in urban and rural areas of Multan Division (Pakistan). The extended form of Mincerian earning function was estimated for home based and outdoor workers and results indicates that the coefficient of age, education, training, presence of basic health unit, education of closed relatives, strong family ties and formal ties have significant positive influence on earnings. While the coefficient of presence of disease and distance is negative. For procurement of raw material, the role of middleman is insignificant, has no effect on women’s earnings. Moreover, the coefficients of head of household, ownership of assets, number of children, number of dependents, location, marital status, family setup and awareness about labor laws positively related with earnings. Women who are more satisfied with their work are more likely to work overtime for more earnings. It is recommended that human capital be prioritized by investing additional resources in health care, improving access to higher education and provision of free technical and vocational trainings specifically for home based workers to improve earnings which reduce poverty and put the economy on a path of increased growth and development.

Work life balance and women representation in leadership positions in Ugandan public universities

Work life balance and women representation in leadership positions in Ugandan public universities

Comparative analysis of stress levels among working and non-working Indian women in rural Gujarat.

Stress is derived from the Latin word "stringers" manifests as the body's response to various demands and pressures, affecting individuals' health and well-being. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate stress levels in employed and unemployed women, recognizing the differential stress experiences in various life domains. A quantitative non-experimental comparative research design was employed, with data collected through structured questionnaires from 120 women in Visnagar, Gujarat. Results: Non-working women demonstrated lower stress levels compared to working women in pre-test measures. Post-intervention, non-working women experienced a reduction in stress, while working women showed no change. Demographic factors like age, education, and family structure did not significantly influence stress levels, except for monthly income, which correlated with lower stress across both groups. The study underscores significant disparities in stress levels between employed and unemployed women in rural Visnagar. Tailored interventions effectively reduced stress among non-working women but showed limited efficacy for working women. Financial stability emerged as a crucial factor in mitigating stress. Younger working women reported higher stress levels, suggesting the need for targeted interventions addressing career and familial pressures.

‘You are gold’: the role of workwear jewelry advertisements in ‘Disempowering’ urban working women in India

ABSTRACT From 2011 onward, jewelry advertisements in India have witnessed a surge in multimedia campaigns of branded work wear gold and diamond jewelry. These commercials target the urban Indian working woman with an affinity for fine, workwear jewelry marketed as versatile, cool and chic. This study takes up discourse analysis of 23 select commercials released on television channels and over the top (OTT) platforms between 2017 and 2022 to unravel the many contesting and contradictory displays of women’s apparently empowered personas. In doing so, it also seeks to unravel the rather complicated connections between the jewelry business and the gendered cultural habitus of working women in contemporary urban India. Most women depicted in the advertisements possess high economic and cultural capital and are seen as ‘doing urbanity’ in choosing workwear jewelry. Ironically though these possessors of refined habitus are perfectly adjusted in performing traditional gendered roles and relegating their own self-hoods, a much saleable business trope for advertisers. Such portrayals of urban Indian working women subtly and paradoxically dovetail in valorizing ideals of traditional femininity. This paper further argues that jewelry advertisements become sites where the projection of the ‘urban Indian working woman’ becomes a conduit for legitimizing a more mutated and reflexive patriarchy.