Changed Landscape, Unchanged Norms: Work-Family Conflict and the Persistence of the Academic Mother Ideal

Abstract

Extensive research suggests that ideal worker and mothering expectations have long constrained academic mothers' personal and professional choices. This article explores how academic mothers experienced their dual roles amid the unprecedented shift in the work-life landscape due to COVID-19. Content analysis of questionnaire data (n = 141) suggests that academic mothers experienced significant bidirectional work-life conflict well into the fall of 2020. Increased home demands, such as caring for young children and remote schooling, interfered with their perceived capacity to meet ideal academic norms, including a singular focus on work, productivity standards, and their ability to signal job competency and commitment. Likewise, work demands reduced their perceived ability to meet ideal mothering norms, such as providing a nurturing presence and focusing on their children's achievement. Academic fathers experienced increased demands on their time but primarily described intrarole conflict within the work domain. Despite a pandemic landscape, ideal academic and mothering norms remained persistent and unchanged. The article concludes with implications for policy and practice in higher education.

Associations of Work-Family Conflict with Family-Specific, Work-Specific, and Well-Being-Related Variables in a Sample of Polish and Ukrainian Adults during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the overall work organization and arrangements, accelerating and disrupting various trends in the work area [ 17 ]. In particular, many schools and workplaces were closed during the lockdown, so stationary work was changed to remote online, and working parents were forced to divide their time between caring for children and teleworking [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Experts assumed the transition to telework was one of the essential issues for occupational health during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 26 ].…”

“…The imbalance between family and work responsibilities has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as suggested by a recent systematic review [ 16 ]. One of the most sensitive groups for high WFC and FWC was parents of minor children [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. For example, a disturbed work-family balance was found among German medical doctors due to insufficient childcare when schools and preschools were closed during the pandemic [ 19 ].…”

“…Compared to men, women were more responsible for childcare, schooling, and household tasks, working primarily from home and reducing their work hours [ 19 , 23 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. Overload in caregiving and overall workload in women was related to heightened WFC and FWC, as well as parenting stress, general perceived stress, concerns about job insecurity, general and neck/shoulder pain, stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and lower life satisfaction [ 19 , 23 , 24 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]. In particular, solely employed mothers were at higher risk of mental health adverse effects and job-related well-being than partnered working mothers [ 38 ].…”

“…Based on previous literature [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ], we assume that changes in lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic were stressful events that contributed to the work-family imbalance, leading to high WFC and FWC [ 16 ]. We will examine the differences in WFC, FWC, well-being dimensions, and time pressure across countries, genders, relationship status, parenthood experience, caring for children under 12, and type of work (stationary vs. remote).…”

How Work-Family Guilt, Involvement with Children and Spouse’s Support Influence Parents’ Life Satisfaction in a Context of Work-Family Conflict

“…Recent research suggests that mothers, and especially mothers of young children, are more likely to experience guilt regarding the negative impact of work on family than fathers (Aarntzen et al, 2021 ; Borelli et al, 2017 ). Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased levels of WIF and WFG in working parents (Miller and Riley, 2022 ; Montazer et al, 2022 ). For working parents, the COVID-19 pandemic has blurred the line between the roles of parent and worker which has amplified WIF and WFG (Aplin-Houtz et al, 2021 ).…”