Coping mechanism of South African women balancing managerial and motherhood roles

Abstract

This research study focuses on women in the South African workplace balancing managerial and motherhood roles. The purpose of the study is to explore both domestic and work coping mechanisms that these women employ or wish to employ. Exploratory or qualitative research methodology was used based on semistructured interviews on a non-probability sample of 14 respondents as mothers employed in middle management positions within a large banking organisation. Content analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. On the domestic side, working mothers appear to rely heavily on maids in the household and in terms of child-care, extended family and formal child-care facilities with much less reliance on the spouse or partner. This implies a necessary attitude change in South Africa in terms of the traditional gender roles of men and women no longer being suitable in today’s age. On the work side women appear not to perceive the organisation as a whole to be supportive of work-family life balance. The research study offers insights into the ideal role of organisations in South Africa in embracing work-family life balance as an holistic quality strategy for the retention of talented women in their leadership pipeline.