Work-Life Balance: Experiences of Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic that engulfed the world interrupted work and employment as well as economics globally in 2020, causing millions of people to experience several periods of lockdowns. The contagion’s dynamics have raised the importance of the corporal work’s dimension, accelerating prevailing tendencies in remote work, e-commerce and computerisation. Many people lost their jobs, while others quickly adjusted to working from home as offices were closed. Although the empirical research conducted covers men and women, the objective of this study is to provide insight into the experiences and challenges faced by women regarding working from home and managing their parental/maternal responsibilities. The article adopted a mixed methodology as both qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed. Most remarkably, for those who shifted to remote work, not having to commute to other business engagements, conferences and workshops top the benefits list. Furthermore, family commitments were easier to manage, and interviewees were able to attain an improved level of concentration without the distraction of office conversation and telephones. Most notable, flexibility allowed parents to balance work and parenting. On the other hand, some interviewees experienced working from home as a huge challenge, have to maintain a balance between family and work responsibilities. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown(s) created increased challenges for families with both parents, having increased parental tasks and the women having to bear the main responsibilities of this.