The work-life experiences of an invisible workforce

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the work-life (WL) experiences of live-in women migrant domestic workers (MDWs), who represent a significant proportion of migrant workers globally. MDWs play a key role in enabling the work-life balance (WLB) of others, namely the middle-class households that employ them. Yet, their experiences have largely been invisible in mainstream WL literature. The authors draw on an intersectional approach to frame the WL experiences of this marginalized group of women at the intersection of being secondary labour segment workers, with significant legal and employment restrictions as migrant workers, who work and live in the same place as their employers. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 women MDWs from Indonesia and the Philippines working in Malaysia. The women talked about the meaning of work as MDWs, how they maintain familial connections whilst working abroad, and how they negotiate their WLB as live-in workers. Thematic analysis of the interviews focused on the intersection of the women’s multiple dimensions of disadvantage, including gender, class and temporary migrant-foreigner status, in shaping their accounts of the WL interface. Findings Three thematic narratives highlight that any semblance of WLB in the MDWs’ lived experience has given way to the needs of their employers and to the imperative to earn an income for their families back home. The themes are: working as MDWs enables the women and their families back home to have a life; the co-existence of WL boundary segmentation and integration in relation to “real” and “temporary” families; and the notion of WLB being centred around the women’s ability to fulfil their multiple duties as MDWs and absent mothers/sisters/daughters. Research limitations/implications The study is based on a small sample of live-in women MDWs in Malaysia, intended to promote typically excluded voices and not to provide generalizable findings. Accessing potential participants was a considerable challenge, given the vulnerable positions of women MDWs and the invisible nature of their work. Practical implications Future research should adopt a multi-stakeholder approach to studying the WL experiences of women MDWs. In particular, links with non-governmental organizations who work directly with women MDWs should be established as a way of improving future participant access. Social implications The study underscores the existence of policies and regulations that tolerate and uphold social inequalities that benefit primary labour segment workers to the detriment of secondary labour segment workers, including women MDWs. Originality/value Extant WL literature is dominated by the experiences of “the ideal work-life balancers”, who tend to be white middle-class women, engaged in professional work. This study offers original contribution by giving voice to a taken-for-granted group of women migrant workers who make other people’s WLB possible. Moreover, the study challenges WL research by underscoring the power inequities that shape the participants’ marginal and disadvantaged lived experience of work, life, family and WLB.

Work–life balance: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

“…The keyword-search term identified and selected in this paper included "work-life balance", instead of any other related keywords. WLB is an emerging concept that researchers use to de-gender debates about the work-life imbalance and emphasize a broader and more inclusive approach (Akanji et al, 2020a, b;Au et al, 2020). From the existing literature studies, we identified that this term is entirely different from other closely associated terms such as WFC, WFE and WFB.…”

“…Hence, WLB has become a dynamic phenomenon affecting an individual's perception about work and non-work activities to assess compatibility between both, which can promote growth in accordance with their present life priorities. Most often, studies have confined the notion of WLB with the mere absence of conflict between work and family (Au et al, 2020;Robertson et al, 2019), but in a broader sense, it is a separate and unique construct. WLB reflects the perceptions of striking a balance between employees' work and personal life, including sensitivities about social life and leisure time (Casper et al, 2018;Chan et al, 2020;Weale et al, 2020).…”

“…WLB is a social construct that tends to highlight a broader approach, such as redressing underlying issues related to gender equity and family-friendly policy usage, which individuals face in their quest for gaining economic independence and self-worth. As a result, the more inclusive phrase "work-life", as opposed to "work-family", has gained ubiquitous acceptance, paving the way for the widespread adoption of this terminology (Akanji et al, 2020a, b;Au et al, 2020).…”

“…Hence, WLB has become a dynamic phenomenon affecting an individual’s perception about work and non-work activities to assess compatibility between both, which can promote growth in accordance with their present life priorities. Most often, studies have confined the notion of WLB with the mere absence of conflict between work and family (Au et al. , 2020; Robertson et al.…”

Rethinking the Relationship between Women, Crime and Economic Factors: The Case-Study of Women Sentenced to Death for Drug Trafficking in Malaysia

“…Elsewhere, we see that the majority of the work focusing on precarious employment in Malaysia is concerned with the plight of migrant workers, especially those working within the palm oil industry or as domestic workers (Pye et al 2012;Kumar et al 2014;Au et al 2019;Miles et al 2019). With regards to the former, Malaysia's palm oil sector is heavily reliant upon roughly 1 million migrant workers, the majority of whom are from neighbouring Indonesia (Pye et al 2012, p. 330).…”