EXPLORING MARITAL FACTORS OF WORK–FAMILY CONFLICT IN WORKING WOMEN

Abstract

Work-family conflict is becoming more of a challenge for women in the work force, particularly in the balancing of the demands of their profession and the expectations of marriage. The present study qualitatively examines marital factors contributing to work-family conflict among working women. The study aims to explore the impact of marital relationships, spousal expectations, communication patterns, household responsibilities, emotional support, and family dynamics on the experiences of work-family conflict. The qualitative research design was employed, involving in-depth interviews to collect rich, detailed experiences of working women. The participants were selected through purposive sampling techniques for getting the relevance of their experience in marriage and employment. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis to identify themes that emerged from the participants’ narratives. The findings highlighted various significant marital factors that contribute to work-family conflict. These consist of imbalanced distribution of domestic duties, absence of partner support, conventional gender role norms, marital conversation differences, childcare obligations and psychological strain due to conflicting priorities. The study highlights the importance of marital understanding and shared responsibility in enhancing women's capability to balance work and family life. The study contributes to a better understanding of the marital aspects of work–family conflict and provides implications for social work practice, policy development and future research.