Work-Life Balance is one of the most significant issues for women and men. Now, most women are working to support their families and build a successful career. Women Employees also participate and contribute to our economy like others. But their greatest problem is maintaining a balance between their professional and personal lives. They feel pressure from both their workplace and family. They play different roles in society, so they need help keeping a balance between work and family.
Women face fewer income opportunities as compared to men. Women are less likely to work for income or actively seek work. According to a survey, women make up slightly more than half of the global labour force, while men make up 80%. Women are less likely to work in formal employment and have fewer opportunities for business expansion or career progression.
In this article, we provide some information about work-life balance and the struggles of women employees. Continue reading this article to find out the struggles women face to maintain a work-life balance.
Balancing Work and Life
Work-life balance for women employees refers to an individual’s ability to manage their personal and professional lives to live a healthy life. Here are the four variables that affect work-life balance.
1. Work-Family Conflict
Work-family conflict refers to the incompatibility and inconvenience between work and family. When your involvement in one activity becomes more difficult due to your participation in another activity, then conflict starts between both activities.
Work-family conflicts occur due to expectations and commitments to work interfering with family life, such as irregular or inflexible work hours, work overload, interpersonal conflict at work, extensive travel, career transition, an unsupportive supervisor, and health issues.
2. Women in a variety of roles
To balance work and life, the majority of women employees take on a variety of responsibilities. For the organization, they are employed, work a minimum of 8 hours per day, five days per week, and face a daily workload. For their families, they are full-time employees.
Women Employees must manage their office commitments, tight meeting schedules, duties, and responsibilities. Working women face many problems, but they can overcome them with determination and dedication.
3. Workplace and Family Stress
Stress is normal for all, but if stress levels increase in day-to-day life, it can interfere with your work, family life, and health. Most women employees experience more stress than men because of work-life balance. Now, all women want to continue their work after marriage. Women working in high-demand professional jobs are more likely to experience work-family conflict and work stress.
Families expect a lot from women, especially if they are married with children and elders to look after. In that situation, they feel more stressed for not fulfilling their expectations and commitments. As a result, Stress can have negative effects on their health.
4. Taking care of children
Working mothers are forced to leave their children in daycare or with babysitters. This will help them fulfil their duties, but sometimes they feel more stressed and unable to focus on their work. They are unable to provide enough care for them. They also missed out on some priceless moments with their growing kids.
Sometimes, when the child is sick, they may be unable to concentrate on their work and experience increased tension. As mothers, they want to take care of their children, but as women employees, they also have some commitments at work to fulfil.
5. Taking care of yourself
Self-care should be an important priority more than just being a woman employee or a homemaker. To manage a good work-life balance, they should practise a healthy schedule, stay hydrated, and eat healthy food. It’s important to take some time for yourself, do what you like, complete the easy tasks first based on priorities, and practise meditation to calm your mind.
Women are generally very courageous and generous. When they take on the roles of daughters, sisters, and mothers, they take care of their parents, siblings, and the needs of the family as a whole, giving a whole new meaning to the word “home.” Women frequently neglect their own needs while caring for others. Take some time to unwind and take care of yourself.
Closing Thoughts
Work-life balance does not happen magically. It needs a collective effort from family members and society. In today’s fast-paced world, achieving a healthy work-life balance is crucial for female employees. Employers can help female employees by implementing family-friendly policies and promoting a healthy work-life balance culture within their organizations.