Work-Family Conflicts: Assessing a South African Sample of Urban Employees

• Autores: David M. Akinnusi, Adebukola E. Oyewunmi, Olubukunola Sonubi
• Localización: RIMCIS: Revista Internacional y Multidisciplinar en Ciencias Sociales, ISSN-e 2014-3680, Vol. 7, Nº. 2, 2018 (Ejemplar dedicado a: July), págs. 108-134
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.17583/rimcis.2018.3396
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Conflictos Familia-Trabajo: Evaluando una Muestra de Empleados en la Sudáfrica Urbana
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Resumen
  • español

    El artículo explora el alcance y el impacto de las responsabilidades laborales de los empleados en la vida familiar y viceversa. Describe la variedad de estilos adoptados por una muestra de empleados en el medio urbano y la eficacia de tales estilos. Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad mediante cuestionarios semiestructurados a 48 personas, tanto parejas en las que ambas personas trabajan como madres solteras. Los hallazgos revelan que prácticamente todas las personas entrevistadas experimentan conflictos familia-trabajo serios, especialmente para gestionar su tiempo, tareas domésticas y estrés. El reto es para el empleador, el empleado, los sindicatos y las parejas para apoyarse mútuamente a aliviar los conflictos familia-trabajo. Los hallazgos son importantes dado la importancia que el gobierno sudafricano da a emancipar y empoderar a las mujeres a través de la legislación y del establecimiento de mujeres nacionales. Las contribuciones de las mujeres estarían menoscabadas si conflictos familia-trabajo como los identificados en este trabajo no se abordaran.

  • English

    The article explores the scope and impact of employees’ work responsibilities on the family life and vice-versa. It describes the coping styles adopted by a sample of urban employees and the efficacies of these styles. A semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews were the means of collecting data from 48 respondents who were either dual career couples or single parents. The findings reveal that virtually all the respondents experience serious work-family conflicts, especially with managing their time, domestic chores, and stress. The challenge is for the employer, the employee, trade unions and partners to support each other to alleviate work-family conflicts. The findings are important given the focus of South African government on emancipating and empowering women through legislation and the setting up of national women. The contributions of women would be undermined, if family-work conflicts such as identified here were not addressed.

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