Ghanaian women’s experience of work-family interference: What have men in dual earner relationships got to do with it?

Paul K.A. Bedu-Addo, Ph.D

Counselling Centre, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

pkabaddo@uew.edu.gh

Ghanaian women’s experience of work-family interference: What have men in dual earner relationships got to do with it?

Abstract

Many professional women in emerging economies like Ghana have had to grapple not only with stress and intricacies of occupying the upper echelons of the corporate world, but also the burden of trying to strike a good balance between the home and work. The study focused on Ghanaian men’s perception on their spouse’s experience of work-family interference (WFI) and its impact on family-related variables.  Additionally the study sought to investigate how this coterie of Ghanaian men saw any social support they offered, enabled their spouses in dealing with WFI. Using a cross sectional descriptive design and qualitative approach, a semi-structured questionnaire was utilized in obtaining data from Ghanaian men (N=20) in dual-earner relationships using convenience sampling.  Applying percentages (for closed ended items) and open and axial coding as a coding regime, a hybrid of theoretical and inductive thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the (open-ended) data.  Results indicated that men felt long hours at work and work overload exacerbated women’s experience of WFI.  Nonetheless men were appreciative of their spouses’ financial contributions to household income.  The study thus recommended that social psychologists as well as family counsellors must drum home the point of men helping out at home owing to the myriad of benefits for the men themselves, their spouses and the family in general.

Keywords:     dual-earner relationship, work-family interference, work-family enrichment, social support, work overload