Reimagining work but operating with a no off button: experiences of working mothers in India during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Gender in management 2024-05, Vol.39 (5), p.714-728
• Main Authors: Purang, Pooja, Chittem, Mahati, Narsimhan, Haripriya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Families & family life; Female employees; Feminism; Flexibility; Gender; Mothers; Pandemics; Patriarchy; Work at home; Work life balance; Working mothers
• ISSN: 1754-2413; 1754-2413; 1754-2421
• DOI: 10.1108/GM-08-2022-0283

Purpose This study focuses on the work from home experiences of professional, middle and upper middle class married women with children in India during the COVID-19-induced lockdowns. This study aims to examine the experiences of changing nature of work and gendered realities of work–life balance for working mothers while working from home during the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight working mothers at three different time points during the lockdown in the city of Hyderabad in India. Findings A thematic analysis revealed changed work practices that required adapting, reinventing and reimagining new ways of working. This was time consuming albeit a satisfying experience for working mothers. At the same time, the blurring between home and work meant working mothers were operating without an off button. Research limitations/implications The findings show that the existing gender inequalities in sharing the domestic burden unravelled fast in the absence of support structures. Originality/value The authors give voice to the lived experiences of working mothers of managing both work and home and how they navigated challenges during the lockdown.