Women, Patriarchy & Work-life Balance: A Qualitative Study

The study analyzes the effect of patriarchal values on work-life balance efforts of urban working women. It seeks to find out if the work-life balance efforts of the urban working women led to wellbeing. It is a qualitative study carried out in triads consisting of the respondent (woman), her spouse or a significant family member and an office colleague. NVIVO and DICTION were used for analysis. The study showed that Indian women upheld patriarchal values. To manage their occupations women showed their preference for a joint family over the nuclear family. Women handled work-life balance but the effort led to stress. Work gave them respect as an earning family member. Their motivation to continue to work gave them different coping methods.