Wage employment and gender differences in work–family role conflict among industrial workers in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of men and women involvement in wage employment on work-family role conflict among industrial workers in South-Western Nigeria. This was for the purpose of ascertaining the variation in the value attached to life roles and determine the gender difference in the importance assigned to family and work roles with implications on work- family role conflict among workers in work organizations in Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design. A total of 375 respondents were selected for the study using proportionate sampling technique. The hypotheses generated for the study were tested at .05 alpha levels using Pearson product Moment Correlation, Chi-Square, Multivariate Analysis and t test statistical methods. The findings of the study revealed that men and women involvement in wage employment has significantly influenced work-family role conflict. Also, men were found to be higher than women on work value, while women were rated higher than men in family value. The finding further showed that there was a significant difference between the three groups on the importance assigned to life roles. Women are higher than men in their levels of work-family role conflict. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the employers of labour should organize organizational support system in terms of incentives, which could cushion the effect of work-family role conflict on the part of the workers. More so, workers education programmes that could incorporate management strategies for work-family role conflict should be introduced in work organizations in order to afford the workers acquiring the skills required for coping with challenges arising from work-family role responsibilities.

IFE PsychologIA Vol. 14(1) 2006: 222-239