eHomemakers conducted an online survey of 776 women-respondents to determine their work life balance status.
Of the 776, most (31.18% or 242) belonged to the 31-40-age range. As well, 30% of women-respondents were under 25 years old. This implies that a great majority (87.51% or 679) was still in their youth. Thus, being relatively young, 60.6% (471) are still single. Most (48.71% or 378), therefore, have no children. It can be assumed, however, that more than 10% (12% or 93) are single parents. Family size among women-respondents was mostly (286) small between 1 to 2 children. It can be deduced that workingwomen in the Philippines are relatively young, single but could be single parents. This explains why the youth have to work or be gainfully productive economically. Some young adults now would want to have children but not necessarily get a husband. The notion of “family” being the basic unit of society seems to be on the decline. This should cause for alarm since rearing up children requires both father and mother figures to raise people with balance personalities.
To top it all, more than the majority (53% or 401) has to take care of their elderly at home. In the Philippines, families are usually extended and caring of the elderly is seldom left to hospice care not only due to high cost but a cultural practice that remains enforced. It does not mean, however, that direct family members take care of them. Usually, caregivers or private nurses are hired for homecare if families can afford.
With a great majority (65.6% or 462) as highly educated (baccalaureate level) women-respondents, it implies that they understood the requirements of taking care of their elderly, hence, the need to do hard work. Work types ranged from technical to highly professional degrees with most (16% or 110) in education and training. As educators, family relationships are very important despite conflict among members.
Most (30.53% or 229) are employed in big companies with more than 250 employees where a great majority worked from Monday (714) to Friday (712) although almost 50% (49.45% or 361) had six days a week. With a six-day work, surprisingly, almost 20% (19.13% or 142) do not enjoy annual leave. This is a clear violation of the labor code as provided for in the Labor code of the Philippines.
Most (17.5% or 128) had an average of more than 25 days work off per year but closely followed by 16.7% or 122 women-respondents who do not have any day off. This is substantiated by the result that most (26% or 189) women-respondents who also do not take medical leave. This implies that women-respondents workers are either healthy or just come to office even if they are not feeling well. In the Philippines, government offices require a medical certificate for a 3-day consecutive leave on the assumption that the employee got sick. Medical certificates accompany the filing of leave of absence once the employee has gone back to work. This can be further explained by the fact that most (46.33% or 333) women-respondents on the average do not take unpaid leave. This implies that if workers would go on leave, it must be with pay as provided for by law.
“It can be deduced that almost 70% (68%) worked between 31 to beyond 40 hours per week implying that very little time is spent at home.”
This is because mostly (36.42% or 275) women-respondents have contracted hours between 31-40 per week ore even beyond 40 (32% or 242). It can be deduced that almost 70% (68%) worked between 31 to beyond 40 hours per week implying that very little time is spent at home. As if working beyond 40 hours a week is not enough, 68% (513) of women-respondents rendered overtime. Women-respondents cited several reasons for working overtime. Foremost of which was having too much work (209); it’s the nature of the business (189); and to make more money (162) among others. Reasons revealed that women workers are exploited by working beyond office hours even if these are paid since they are robbed of their time to be with their family. Working overtime, however, was also done for obvious reasons, to have more money. It seems to appear understandable if there is too much work to be done which means understaffed or very competent. Usually, people who work well are given more tasks to do because they deliver. Alternatively, they work overtime to have more money even it if it is not needed.
In the survey, more than the majority (56% or 325) indicated that they can claim overtime pay but 44% (253) is a big percentage as well who cannot claim overtime pay. Normally, most government offices do not allow overtime pay especially educational institutions. In the university, for instance, only the accounting, budget, health service, and other service units are allowed to render overtime.
When women-respondents were asked what they think about having a job with the same number of hours of work, including overtime, what kind of job would they prefer to work in. Of the 704 responses, most (46.73% or 329) prefer a job with the same number of hours currently working in. The reason, perhaps, can be attributed to Filipino’s culture of regularity. As a practice, Filipinos would prefer to have the same job due to regularity of income to ensure sustainable livelihood. Hence, this is also the reason why a great majority (73.49% or 549) would still prefer to work with more hours instead of few hours but with less money as a result.
“This implies that work is more important than one’s personal life condition especially if the nature of business demands full-time attention and longer periods.”
Given their responsibilities as single parent or married parents plus taking care of the elderly, working for less pay will not be an option even if it means being away from home. This implies that work is more important than one’s personal life condition especially if the nature of business demands full-time attention and longer periods.
When asked about satisfaction with the number of their working hours, most (30.3% or 231) agreed. This is to be expected since working with fewer hours means lower income. On the other hand, most (33% or 248) women-respondents totally agreed to the statement that they could fulfill their work requirements without rendering overtime. This implies that women-respondents can actually do their jobs within the work duration but if they will be required to render overtime they would be ready to do so. Furthermore, it simply shows that Filipino workers are flexible depending on task requirements. Most (37.33% or 283) also agreed to the statement they can perform well at work without working overtime. However, if the nature of the business requires overtime then they cannot do anything but work.
“Filipinos often try to play safe to please everyone or something that would connote negativity.”
However, when asked if they are happy with the amount of pay that they received, most (30.96% or 235) remained neutral on their disposition. Culturally, when Filipinos stay neutral, it means they do not agree but do not want to categorically say “no.” This is also the reason why a 7-point Likert scale is used to determine wider variances. Filipinos often try to play safe to please everyone or something that would connote negativity. Just like the statement: my office/colleagues do not conduct work-related communications with me after work. Most (259 or 34.25%) stayed neutral. The attitude could be seen as being incompetent or pretend to be doing something to get an overtime pay. Logically, after office hours, officemates talk about where to go after work especially for single and young professionals.
While the statement is true, work time wise, it can no longer be done because employees hurry back for home to avoid heavy traffic during peak hours. A delay of a minute or two means an hour or two hours of wait to get back home to do household chores or observe balance work and life.
However, the concept of work life balance is not very common among Filipinos but we refer to this as “spending quality time with the family.” This is probably the reason why most (30% or 215) women-respondents remained neutral because flexi time especially in government offices is fixed. Once can choose whether to start working from 7:00 am till 4:00 pm or 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Failure to observe these schedules means deduction from salary or annual leave credits or daily rate for private companies. Telecommuting seems not to be possible especially for clerical work or administrative tasks where relationships with the boss on a day-to-day basis are required. However, other tasks like computing or evaluation of documents can be done online which do not require physical presence. Unfortunately, if one is not in the office then it means you are absent.
When asked what type of flexible working arrangements would they choose, most (439) respondents chose flexitime as the best type of working arrangements to allow doing household chores before going to the office and avoiding traffic during peak hours. Most (358) also agreed that they worked through flexitime. This result seems to be in conflict with working overtime because if one works through flexitime then there is no need to render overtime unless the work is quota-based where one is to produce outputs beyond the prescribed quota requirements.
Despite working through flexitime, most (29% or 219) women-respondents stayed neutral to admit that they come home too tired to do some work. This could be a “guilt free” attitude so they can continue working. Such disposition if left unattended can result to fatigue, depression or being unproductive and inefficient workers. It is becoming to be the norm and people at home are not bothered or working mothers do not feel guilty because other members can do the work anyway.
Similarly, most (25.5% or 191) remained neutral about how family feels about their working hours. This is understandable because family members “blindly” accept that mothers have to work for the sake of the family. Hence, people at home will not question why a working mother comes home late from work.
Working at home seems to be neither acceptable nor acceptable according to most (27.3% or 204) women-respondents. Again, being busy at home is “seasonal” and had been viewed as customary or normal. In like manner, working at home instead of spending time with family/friends was rated neutral by most (25.88% or 190) women-respondents. This means that people around them “understood” their predicament.
Work preoccupies the working women where health condition takes a backseat. Health condition neither gets better or worse caused by work according to most (26.27% or 196) of women-respondents. This implies that they can balance work and life or still in denial because they need money more to sustain a better quality of life.
As to the interference of work responsibilities at home, most (28.1% or 208) women-respondents remained neutral to the statement. Perhaps, because they can afford to pay extra help or housemaids to do the household chores or some have househusbands. Their function at home is to supervise and to see to it that everything is smoothly running. That is the power of money.
True enough, when asked if they are too tired at work to do things that they have to do at home, majority (51% or 374) disagreed with the statement that work at home hinders them from working well in the office. This could be attributed to the fact that routines condition one’s body clock to balance work and life.
While they are not too tired to work either at home or work, a great majority (62.45%) of the women-respondents were dissatisfied with their working arrangements despite the flexitime. Foremost reasons cited was poor salary (318); pressure of work (194); unpaid overtime (199); worked too many hours (175); heavy workload (172) among others. This explains the neutrality of some responses. It can be that they cannot complain because they do not have an alternative employer or they pretend to be happy else lose their jobs. Dissatisfaction due to poor salary will in the long-term be remedied by looking for another better paying job, which could be found overseas.
In conclusion, it appears that young women-workers are dissatisfied with their current job not only because of working arrangements and heavy workload but the poor salary more importantly.
These results have to be addressed if the government wants to keep their people in country. The low salary can perhaps be addressed by jobs that can be done online or through telecommuting. Flexible in this context means working from home for the same outputs.
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