Having It All For Working Professional Mothers: A Qualitative Study
The crossroads where career and family intersect has become increasingly more complex through the workplace shifts that have occurred over the last several decades. The modern family of today can take on many forms, and the demands being placed on working mothers to meet both their personal obligations and commitment to career pose many challenges. Yet despite the technological advances that have promised to make life easier, working mothers are still struggling to meet traditional societal expectations coupled with leadership responsibilities at work. The concept of “having it all’ was at the crux of this phenomenological study. Understanding the pressure that working mothers are feeling to be both “super mom” and courageous leader forces women to make difficult compromises in an effort to balance conflicting demands. The importance of this research is that it is essential for organizations to attract the most eligible employees, and the current work culture at many organizations is alienating some of the most gifted individuals. This research revealed that working mothers desire both career and family, but due to the increasing demands on their time as they climb the corporate ladder, working mothers are opting to plateau their careers. They have witnessed the grueling time commitment individuals must give to organizations as they take on senior leadership roles and have decided that the commitment is too steep and the sacrifice far too great. This research confirmed the need for transformational change across organizations to create balance for individuals. When organizations view employees as an asset for growth versus a controllable expense, they will realize their full potential and commitment.|Keywords: Leadership, work and life balance, women in leadership
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations