Influence Of Gender Role Ideology And Work Life Balance On Career Success Of Women

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of gender role ideology and work life balance on career success of women. The study adapted the concurrent mixed method design. Two hundred and eighty-one (281) career women comprising of bankers and teachers in the greater Accra region of Ghana were purposively sampled and used for the quantitative approach. For the qualitative phase, one-on-one interviews were conducted with fourteen (14) purposively sampled career women. The quantitative study result shows that gender role ideology and work life balance were not significantly related to career success of women. However, social support moderated the relationship between work life balance and career success of women. The qualitative study also, shows that, women conceive career success as an achievement, contentment, self-improvement, competency, ability to provide for oneself and satisfaction. Also, the result indicated that social support was an important element for career success. The women are able to complement their career and household responsibilities due to the support they receive from the organization and their significant others, and this in turn help them to achieve their career objectives. Further, most participants adapted strategies such as good work organization/planning of work, making sacrifices, time management, self-programming among others, in balancing career responsibilities with family life. Though gender biases exist in the society, it has no influence on women career advancement, women receive encouragement from the opposite sex and sometimes the society and this inspire them to go higher in their career.

Keywords: Gender Role Ideology, Work Life Balance, Social Support and Career Success.