Predictors of work-life conflict in working women: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Work-life conflict has destructive effects on people’s lives and the well-being of societies. Considering the greater vulnerability of women to work-life conflict, the present study aimed to explore the predictors of work-life conflict in working women in Birjand, a city in the east of Iran. Methods: The present cross-sectional descriptive-analytical was conducted in 2022. The research population were women working at the University of Medical Sciences and Birjand University, evaluated using a two-part questionnaire (demographic, work-family conflict, Carlson). A cluster sampling method was used to select a representative sample from the research population. Besides descriptive statistics, a logistic regression model was used to measure the odds of work-life conflict among working women based on predictive variables. Results: The data analysis showed that participants with and without conflict significantly differed in terms of employment type, income, presence of a person needing care at home, physical health, marital status, level of education, type of university, and spouse’s job (p < 0.05). The odds of work-life conflicts were higher in participants who had someone needing care at home (OR: 4.08) than those who had none. The odds of conflict were also higher among the married (OR = 2.57) than the single, and among those holding a diploma (OR: 0.320) and associate degree (OR: 0.406) than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Moreover, the odds of work-life conflict were higher in participants whose spouses were self-employed (OR: 3.356). Discussion: Considering the important role of women in family and society, it is necessary to take effective steps at the individual, familial and organizational levels to minimize the conflict between work and life. Knowing the changeable and controllable factors and carrying out appropriate educational interventions can be helpful. Take-home message: Sometimes the causes of some events in life cannot be changed, but they can be managed. The issue of conflict between work and life is the same for women. Such research provides the basis for future research to teach people resilience and manage situations with effective interventions.