The experiences of work-life balance, stress, and coping lifestyles of female professionals: insights from a developing country
dc.contributor.author | Akanji, Babatunde | |
dc.contributor.author | Mordi, Chima | |
dc.contributor.author | Ajonbadi, Hakeem Adeniyi | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2021-02-02T10:16:50Z | |
dc.date.available | 2021-02-02T10:16:50Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2020-05-06 | |
dc.description.abstract | Purpose – Given the limiting conditions of the gender roles confronting professional working women and drawing on spillover theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of work-life balance with an emphasis on the causes of the imbalances, perceived stress, and coping techniques experienced by female medical doctors in an African context – Nigeria, a geographical location that is considered under-researched. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative data is based on one-to-one in-depth interviews with 52 Nigerian female medical doctors. Findings – Based on the findings of the thematic analysis, it is clear that time squeeze, as a well-known factor in the medical profession, exacerbates negative work-home interference. However, other themes, such as patriarchal proclivities and task-pay disparity, that affect female doctors but are rarely considered in studies on work-life balance also emerged as sources of stress and work-family conflicts, leaving these doctors to devise individual coping methods as mitigating strategies. Research limitations/implications – The study relies on a limited qualitative sample size, which makes the generalisation of findings difficult. However, the study contributes to the limited literature on the implications of stress and work-family incompatibilities facing women in a society that is not particularly egalitarian, with an extremely pronounced culture of masculine hegemony that is contrary to western cultures. The article unveils the socio-cultural difficulties of the work-life demands facing women specific to the Nigerian society and experienced with a different level of intensity. Originality/value – The majority of the research on work-life balance has been undertaken in western countries and has focused on various professional groups and organisations, including the health sector. Nevertheless, work-life balance is a novel concept within the Nigerian work environment, where female medical doctors, as a professional group, are rarely studied. The article also provides valuable insights into the macrocontextual features influencing the work-life balance of Nigerian professional women. | en_US |
dc.identifier.citation | Akanji, B., Mordi, C. and Ajonbadi, H.A. (2020), "The experiences of work-life balance, stress, and coping lifestyles of female professionals: insights from a developing country", Employee Relations, Vol. 42 No. 4, pp. 999-1015. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2019-0089 | en_US |
dc.identifier.issn | 0142-5455 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2019-0089 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://repository.elizadeuniversity.edu.ng/handle/20.500.12398/798 | |
dc.publisher | Journal of Employee Relations: Emerald Publishing Limited | en_US |
dc.subject | Coping Strategies | en_US |
dc.subject | Female Doctors | en_US |
dc.subject | Work-life Stress | en_US |
dc.title | The experiences of work-life balance, stress, and coping lifestyles of female professionals: insights from a developing country | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |