Managing the work-family dilemma - a qualitative study of Volvo IT India

Abstract

This thesis it written upon a request from Volvo IT India, in order to explain how the organisation can increase gender diversity and the effects an increase might generate. The thesis aims to investigate and understand the respondents’ perceptions on why women in India start working and the challenges they might come across. Furthermore, Volvo IT India wants to facilitate work life balance for females which is why the thesis also aims to explore how the employees manage the work and family dilemma from a gender perspective, with an emphasized focus on mothers.

The theoretical and empirical background regards gender diversity, the work-family dilemma, role theory, border theory and flexibility. In order to obtain and fully understand the respondents’ thoughts and feelings, a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was used. The respondents consists of 12 employees at Volvo IT India; women with children, women without children and men with children, with four respondents in each category. According to the findings, there is a lot that Volvo IT India can gain from having a diverse workforce, for example gender diversity leads to productivity and creates innovation. Work- family interface is something that all of the respondents face, but it emerged that the females experience higher degrees of both work-family interface and vice versa. It was also shown that the respondents were satisfied with their work and the family situation but that the borders between them were more difficult to separate for the females than the men.

Most of the respondents express that having multiple roles is a gratitude for them and the benefits that it generates compensates the downsides. To create a more satisfying work-life balance, decrease gender inequalities and create more equal opportunities for everyone in the organisation the respondents would like to see more flexible work options.