Challenges And Strategies For Achieving Work-Life Harmony Among Married Women In Government Departments In Aligarh Division

Abstract

This quantitative investigation explores Work-Life Harmony (WLH) among married female government employees in the Aligarh Division, identifying it as a crucial element for organizational commitment, workforce retention, and productivity in today's landscape. While numerous developed nations have embraced family-supportive workplace policies, India's progression in this regard has been comparatively gradual. Contemporary women are increasingly pursuing professional fulfillment while simultaneously engaging in intensive parenting, significantly amplifying their time demands. Striking equilibrium between career imperatives and personal obligations presents a substantial challenge, particularly for married women navigating 21st-century careers. This research specifically seeks to evaluate WLH, pinpoint factors contributing to occupational stress and familial pressures, and analyze their respective influences on employee performance within this demographic.

The study employed a rigorous survey methodology, with data subsequently analyzed using ANOVA and mean scores via SPSS. The findings reveal that married female employees, especially those with advanced academic qualifications, demonstrate high levels of professional dedication even as they confront elevated job expectations and considerable family responsibilities, often within nuclear family structures that lack traditional extensive support networks. A robust positive association was observed between both supervisory and peer support and positive parenting, underscoring the vital role of the workplace environment. Intriguingly, parental satisfaction exhibited a positive correlation with role overload, suggesting that personal fulfillment may, to some extent, mitigate the perceived burden of multiple responsibilities.

This research underscores that WLH extends beyond individual attainment, representing an organizational imperative with tangible benefits. It proposes targeted recommendations for government departments to cultivate more supportive ecosystems: promoting the delegation of caregiving duties, advocating for judicious technological engagement in care, ensuring an equitable distribution of domestic responsibilities, establishing confidential counseling services, implementing emotional intelligence workshops, guaranteeing fair workload allocation, and acknowledging experience in career advancement. Ultimately, the institutionalization of WLH frameworks offers measurable advantages, including reduced turnover, enhanced productivity, and the cultivation of equitable, psychologically secure work environments. This study contributes meaningfully to the academic discourse on gender and labor dynamics within India's bureaucratic system, offering a valuable template for context-specific WLH policies in comparable settings across the Global South.