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Work-Life Balance for Women in Higher Education

Kymia Love Jackson (University of South Florida, USA)

Leadership in Turbulent Times

ISBN: 978-1-83753-495-1, eISBN: 978-1-83753-494-4

Publication date: 30 October 2023

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Abstract

Women who are the primary caretaker of the home, as a choice or as a necessity, have to negotiate an effective work-life balance and many times, the need to take care of their home results in lost opportunities for career development and advancement (Maki, 2015). For most, the opportunity to capitalize on the missed opportunities will occur after childbearing years (Maki, 2015). This study reconstructed the advancement to executive leadership of women who were employed at four-year, public universities using narrative inquiry and guided by the conceptual framework of social cognitive theory (Andrews, Squire, & Tamboukou, 2013; Bandura, 1989). In this study, six women in higher education were interviewed to discuss work-life balance as it pertains to being an executive leader of a four-year public institution. The participants of this study pinpointed family and work-life balance as important factors for their decision-making process. Balancing work and life can be challenging when you are a person in a leadership position and the degree of difficulty increases when children and family are included. Many women believe that they must choose between their careers and their family. Women postponing their careers for their spouses may not seem abnormal because there tends to be an expectation that male's advancement is prioritized over the woman's (Parker, 2015). As more women are taking on leadership roles, the idea and evolution of establishing and maintaining a strategy for work-life balance becomes a very integral topic and one that needs continuous exploration.

Keywords

Citation

Jackson, K.L. (2023), "Work-Life Balance for Women in Higher Education", Jean-Marie, G. and Tran, H. (Ed.) Leadership in Turbulent Times (Studies in Educational Administration), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 37-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-494-420231003

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023 Kymia Love Jackson. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited

To have balance, do you have to make a choice between work and life? Did you give the right amount of time toward work? Did you give the right amount of time toward life? The idea of obtaining work-life balance is a notion that many working individuals ponder (Brue, 2018; Feeney & Stritch, 2019; Mazerolle & Barrett, 2018; Wood, Oh, Park, & Kim, 2020). There may not be a specific formula for achieving work-life balance, but there could be ways to help support individuals as they embark on their quest for balance. When considering work-life balance, taking leave from work can be viewed as a disadvantage because of missed opportunities due to not being physically available. Being in the office could materialize into a benefit that only those that are present would be able to access. One may not only have access to opportunities, but the continuity of working could be the fuel for advancement in one's career. On the other hand, those that take time away from work may see more value in taking time away from the office and spending more time with their families. Having family obligations and caring for a family could be considered a success for some. There could also be individuals that fluctuate from one side of the work-life spectrum to the other depending on the day.

Having work-life balance is an objective that all may intend to conquer but achieving balance may seem to be easier for some. For women in the workplace in general and in higher education specifically, there is a noticeable lack of representation in leadership positions (Blount, 1996; Byerly, 2014; Hill, Miller, Benson, & Handley, 2016; Long, 2008; Maki, 2015; Woollen, 2016). Women are earning degree at the same rate or at a higher rate than men but are not advancing in leadership at the same rate as men (American Association of University Women, 2016; Byerly, 2014; Jackson, 2020; Ryan et al., 2016). For women, the experience of advancing to leadership positions may not be as linear or may take longer than men due to internal and external factors (American Association of University Women, 2016; Glass & Cook, 2016; Hoyt & Murphy, 2016; Jackson, 2020; Woollen, 2016). The internal and external factors that women face could be considered a hindrance or a facilitator of their promotion and advancement to leadership (Jackson, 2020). On one side, there are barriers that could slow down or halt advancement for women such as personal commitments and family responsibilities, stereotypes and bias, and lack of women role models (Brue, 2018; Cosimini, 2011; Evans, 2014; Hill et al., 2016; Long, 2008; Woollen, 2016). But on the other side, there are positive factors such as mentorship and leadership development, and lifelong learning that have helped support advancement for women (Agosto & Karanxha, 2011; Amey, 2006; Bonaparte, 2016; Brue, 2018; Madsen, 2012). But even after possibly encountering some of these internal and external factors, women have successfully obtained and maintained leadership positions (American Association of University Women, 2016; Maki, 2015; Woollen, 2016).

To uncover the notion of work-life balance for women in executive leadership positions, a study was conducted to explore women's journeys to their positions in higher education (Jackson, 2020). In this study, an anti-deficit approach was taken to focus on the facilitators that lead to the progression to executive leadership positions. Narrative inquiry was used to explore their journeys into executive leadership positions in higher education. As the journeys to executive leadership in higher education were recounted for six women, work-life balance was a topic that had a major impact on their journeys (Jackson, 2020). Oftentimes when speaking of work-life balance holistically, it has a negative connotation, but in this study, work-life balance can be seen as balance of self versus a balance or battle between family and work.

Historical Perspective of Women in Higher Education

Centuries ago, it was unfathomable for women to attend institutions of higher education and not normalized for women to have a job in higher education that consisted of work beyond assisting a male who held a faculty or leadership position (Blount, 1996; Cosimini, 2011; Parker, 2015). In the 1800s, there were not many opportunities for women to advance educationally and if women were to work, their jobs typically consisted of housekeeping, teaching, or nursing which were presumed to be feminine or jobs that women should take on prior to marriage and motherhood (Blount, 1996; Cosimini, 2011; Jackson, 2020). After marriage, the job of a woman was to take care of their home while her husband went to college and started his career (Blount, 1996; Cosimini, 2011; Parker, 2015).

It was not until the late 1830s that women colleges began to be established (Parker, 2015). With the establishment of women colleges and more women entering and graduating from college, women recognized the importance of having female representation in faculty and administrators in higher education. During the 1890s, as more women entered college, the need to have women in academic positions at coed institutions became necessary to support the women students (Nidiffer, 2002). The need to have a professional administrative representative for women evolved into the creation of the Dean of Women position (Harriman, 1933; Nidiffer, 2002; Parker, 2015). The role of Dean of Women was to improve the educational experience for women at coeducational institutions by protecting, guiding, and teaching women students (Nidiffer, 2002).

As men were deployed to World War II, the demand for women to join the workforce grew and women took on jobs that typically would be filled by men (Blount, 1996; Cosimini, 2011; Parker, 2015). When the war ended, men reentered the workforce and the new norm of women working in male dominated fields was quickly dissolved. Men resumed the jobs and careers they held prior to the war and with the help of the G.I. Bill, men enrolled in school which increased the male student population during this timeframe. As a result, several organizations formed, and legislative actions were established to advocate for women's rights (Cosimini, 2011). Although advocacies for women were formed, gender inequities in leadership positions still existed during this timeframe (Hill et al., 2016).

When men were deployed for the war, women were the sole caretakers and the only parent with an income in the household. At that time, there was likely no discussion about work-life balance. Once men returned from the war and resumed their careers, women were expected to go back to taking care of the home. Men were expected to have a career and make money for the household and a woman's job was taking care of their home and family.

But as things evolved during the war, so did the demographics of the workforce and education. While men were away at war, more women began taking on careers and jobs that were historically held by men and women's enrollment in colleges and universities began to rise (Parker, 2015). Women were trained and educated in the same manner as men and were just as qualified, if not more qualified, than men for many available positions. As the years went on, women continued gaining skills and knowledge and women began earning degrees at a higher rate than men (American Association of University Women, 2016; Byerly, 2014; Ryan et al., 2016).

Current Status of Women in Higher Education

Women have been earning degrees at a higher rate than men for several years, but the number of women in leadership positions in higher education are not reflective of the academic accomplishments of women (Byerly, 2014; Hill et al., 2016; Ryan et al., 2016; The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2021). The top 10 highest executive compensation packages for the chief executive of public institutions in the United States in 2019 consisted of nine men and one woman (Piper & O'Leary, 2022). For private institutions, the number one and number five spots in the rankings belong to women while men filled the gaps in between (Piper & O'Leary, 2022). During the 2018–2019 academic year, the Chronicle of Higher Education almanac reported that the degrees conferred by women were over 50% at every degree level (2021). Women lead the charge in degree earning in several fields of study including biological and biomedical, health professions, communications, legal professions, and education (2021). With women leading the way in degree attainment in various disciplines, it is unfathomable as to why more women do not hold more senior level positions. Various studies have searched to understand the barriers to promotion and advancement for women in higher education, but not many have looked fully into the facilitators of advancement and promotion (Cosimini, 2011; Hill et al., 2016; Jackson, 2020; Long, 2008; Winchester & Browning, 2015; Woollen, 2016).

In analyzing the literature, common barriers to advancement with women are childbearing and caregiving (Brue, 2018; Feeney & Stritch, 2019; Hill et al., 2016; Mazerolle & Barrett, 2018). Whether taking time off for your family is a choice or as a necessity, the time taken away could stall or negatively impact a woman's career trajectory (Maki, 2015). As stated by Hill et al. (2016), the act of balancing family responsibilities and work can be a challenge for women who are seeking leadership and for women who work while raising their children. Hill et al. (2016) also posits that “women are usually the primary (if not the only) parent caring for children and other family members during their peak years in the workforce” (p. 18). This is no different for women who are seeking or who have sought leadership positions within higher education. There are women who have made it into those leadership positions in higher education, but women are still underrepresented in academic leadership and as tenured or professor-level faculty (Hill et al., 2016). The barrier for professional advancement for women in higher education is not a question of competency but is contingent upon whether there is balance with work and life that would yield overall success (Byerly, 2014; Cosimini, 2011; Hill et al., 2016).

Work-Life Balance for Women in Executive Leadership in Higher Education

Over many decades, higher education leadership positions have been dominated by men (Hill et al., 2016; Parker, 2015; Piper & O'Leary, 2022). Many of the difficulties for advancement for women have been presented in the form of glass barriers that women must break through to succeed. The most salient glass barriers for women are glass ceiling, walls, and floors (Calizo, 2011; Jackson & O'Callaghan, 2009; Pasquerella & Clauss-Ehlers, 2017; Sabharwal, 2015). As women climb up the professional ladder, they must break through glass ceilings that in place to prevent upward mobility; glass walls are in place to hold a person in a particular position type; and glass floors tend to have cliffs that a person could fall from when in a work environment that lacks the resources that promote success or have in incline that causes an uphill battle that makes it difficult to tread the terrain (Evans, 2014; Jackson & O'Callaghan, 2009; Pasquerella & Clauss-Ehlers, 2017; Sabharwal, 2015). Unfortunately, glass barriers are not the only obstacle women must break through; whether qualified or not, men do not typically have to experience the hardships and hurdles of advancement that are placed in front of women (Jackson, 2020; Winchester & Browning, 2015). Because it seems as if women must first break some type of glass before entry, there is a perceived ease of entry into leadership positions for men. This ease of entry is illuminated when observing the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in higher education especially when women appear to be more educationally qualified for leadership positions than men (Hill et al., 2016; The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2021).

The careers of women can ebb and flow due to lapses or delays in their careers because of caregiving or other home-related obligations (Brue, 2018; Feeney & Stritch, 2019; Jackson, 2020). Whether the women take on the role as primary caretaker as a necessity or choice, the negotiation of work-life balance could result in not being able to capitalize on career development or advancement opportunities (Jackson, 2020). To spend more time at home, women will opt out of opportunities, take lesser paying jobs, or take part time positions (Byerly, 2014; Hill et al., 2016; Parker, 2015). When women opt out of or reduce their professional efforts, it can be perceived as lack of commitment or ambition (Byerly, 2014; Jackson, 2020). These lapses or slowdowns in their careers could put women at a disadvantage and result in lack of access to opportunities, giving men an advantage (Coleman, 2012; Hill et al., 2016; Morley, 2013; Parker, 2015). On the other hand, women could perceive spending more time at work as a disadvantage for their family. Spending more time at work could result in a feeling of guilt for not spending time with their spouse and/or children (Long, 2008).

Flexibility in work schedules, the availability of paid family leave, the cost of childcare, and the inability for organizations to place a value on family responsibilities could influence a person's decision of reducing hours in work, leaving a position, or returning to work after an absence (Byerly, 2014; Hill et al., 2016; Jackson, 2020; Parker, 2015). A woman who takes time off from their career to bond with their children and family will not be able to recuperate the lost time, thus would be at a disadvantage when compared to peers who started their career at the same time (Jackson, 2020). The opportunity cost of setting boundaries that prioritizes family obligations over work obligations could be the advancement that a male counterpart or someone without a lapse or gap in their career would receive (Jackson, 2020).

Methods

Though the number of women in leadership is not as plentiful as men, there are women who have progressed to become senior and executive-level leaders in higher education. To delve deeper into women in leadership in higher education, a study was conducted to look at women in executive leadership positions in the areas of finance, operations, and administration (FOA) at public institutions of higher education (Jackson, 2020). The research question that guided this study was: How do women describe their experiences of securing, transitioning into, and advancing within executive leadership positions in finance, operations, and administration in higher education? The study reconstructed the advancement to executive leadership of women who were employed at four-year, public universities using narrative inquiry and guided by the conceptual framework of social cognitive theory (Andrews et al., 2013; Bandura, 1989).

Data Collection

Multiple methods of data collection were used for this study to explore each woman's reconstructed experiences of the climb to executive leadership positions in higher education (Jackson, 2020). Data collection included a demographic questionnaire, document and content analysis, observations, interviews, and post-interview reflections. After the participants consented to participate in the study, the demographic questionnaire was provided to obtain background information that was reviewed prior to the face-to-face interview. Document and content analysis and observations of the participant's environment were also completed to gain as much insight on the participant as possible prior to the interview so the time spent with the participant would prioritize questions that further explored their journeys rather than demographic and background information. After each interview was completed, post interview reflections were done to capture thoughts and feelings of the data collection process (Johnson & Christensen, 2019; Lichtman, 2012). Multiple forms of data collection were used in a qualitative approach to organically gather information to understand their experiences of navigating to executive leadership positions in higher education and co-construct the stories with the participants (Jackson, 2020).

Participants

The women that participated in this study were in executive leadership positions at an institution of higher education in an area of finance, operations, and/or administration. There are studies that have reviewed leadership in terms of university presidents and academic leaders, but studies involving leadership from the perspective of those in FOA positions within a university is not as fruitful (Dyer & Dyer, 2017; Jackson, 2020; Woollen, 2016). The scarcity of research on women in executive leadership positions in FOA could reflect the muffled representation of women in those positions in higher education. Because of the saturation of men in executive leadership positions in higher education, this study was done to look at the women who have advanced their careers into those executive leadership positions in FOA at the university level (Jackson, 2020).

Serving in the capacity of FOA for a university usually entails working closely with the president to achieve the strategic goals of the university. The women in this study held position titles such as Assistant Vice President, Associate Vice President, Vice Chancellor, Director, and Officer in FOA with a length of service in their current positions that varied between 18 months to 18 years (Jackson, 2020). Table 1 provides demographic information of the participants.

Table 1.

Study Participant Demographic Information.
Participant Current Title Length of Service Current Position Marital Status Children
Alyson Associate Vice President 6 years Married/Domestic Partnership Yes
Dana Jones FOA Officer and Director 3 years Married/Domestic Partnership Yes
Doc Chief FOA 18 years Married/Domestic Partnership No
Irene Associate Vice President 5 years Married/Domestic Partnership Yes
May Assistant Vice President 18 months Married/Domestic Partnership Yes
Vivian Vice Chancellor 2.5 years Married/Domestic Partnership Yes

Data Analysis

Once the data was gathered and summarized, narrative and thematic analysis was used to understand the stories of the journeys of the participants (Andrews et al., 2013; Grbich, 2012; Josselson, 2011). Narrative analysis was used to break down the big story into smaller stories to “make sense of the parts of the story that created the whole” (Jackson, 2020, p. 72). For thematic analysis, open coding was used to identify themes of the journeys inductively and deductively. Thematic coding provided a flexible coding system that allowed themes to emerge organically during the analysis process.

The data analysis process started with first understanding the stories of each woman, then breaking the stories into smaller episodes (Andrews et al., 2013). By constructing, deconstructing, and restructuring each story, more details were probed and extracted from the stories (Grbich, 2012). To ensure validity of the data, data was collected from multiple sources and the participants member-checked their transcribed summaries to ensure that the data was representative of their shared stories to enhance trustworthiness and credibility of the data (Cosimini, 2011; Creswell & Creswell, 2017; Jackson, 2020).

Findings

Narrative and thematic analysis was done to uncover themes that emerged during the analysis process. Social cognitive theory was used to guide the analysis and theme creation (Bandura, 1989). Social cognitive theory explores the interdependence of the three factors: (1) environmental, (2) behavioral, and (3) personal (Bandura, 1989). These elements were used to allow themes to develop from the analysis of the participants' advancement in leadership. Notably, as each of the six participants in the study described their journeys to leadership, the topic of work-life balance arose at the intersection of family and career.

Family, Motherhood, and Work-Life Balance

Each of the women that participated in the study held executive leadership positions in higher education at the time of their interview. For this study, having an executive leadership position in higher education means that the participants “have roles that directly report to the university's President, Provost, Chancellor, Executive Vice President, or Senior Vice President” (Jackson, 2020). Not only did the participants hold an executive leadership position, but each of the participants also identified as being married/domestic partners and five of the six women have children. Being a mother and wife created unique stories that attributed to the progression in the participants' careers.

The women in the study were very passionate about their careers and were just as passionate about their families. Within their journeys, two of the women took breaks in their careers to care for their families while one woman cared for her family and supported her spouse in their progression in their career before starting her own. Alyson took a hiatus in her career and worked in her family's business. Similarly, during May's break in her career, she started her own business and spent her time volunteering. Even though there was a break in their careers, Alyson and May were still involved in the business world. Irene began her career later than many of her peers and she supported her spouse as they moved up the ranks. Irene was able to use what she gleaned from her spouse's career to understand the process of advancement in academia. The remaining three participants, Dana Jones, Doc, and Vivian did not indicate that they had any breaks in service. The pathways of the women in the study were different yet similar. Even though there was a break in service for two of the women and a delayed start for one, each of the women were working toward the professional career that they now have. Whether it was within their chosen career path or on a path that was created along the way, the women in this study worked continuously in some capacity throughout their careers.

The participants in this study not only climbed the leadership ladder to become executive leaders in higher education, but each of them also had a spouse that provided support to them along the way. The participants praised their families for their support during the advancement of their careers. Each woman told a story of their spouse when recounting their journeys. In reviewing the stories of these women, three of the women relocated for their current positions or for an opportunity that led them to their current position. Two women received reciprocal support from their spouse during their professional careers and they rose through the professional ranks together. Another participant provided undivided support to her spouse as they built their career. She was the caretaker for the family until her spouse secured his career plans, then her spouse supported her as she built her professional career. The women in this study were fortunate to have foundational support from their spouses. In the various situations where there was a delay, pause, or continuous career movement for the women in the study, the participants and their spouses were partners and were support systems for each other throughout the journey (Jackson, 2020).

Discussion of Work-Life Balance for Women in Higher Education

Work-life balance can be thought to be an enigma when contemplating how to balance your family and professional life, but it is an important aspect of the decision-making process. Finding the balance is complicated in any situation but can be very difficult when juggling obligations to an executive leadership job and your family (Feeney & Stritch, 2019; Mazerolle & Barrett, 2018). In thinking of work-life balance, many believe that a choice needs to be made to prioritize work over family or vice versa. Additionally, organizations may not put high emphasis on concerns of work-life balance which could cause angst for those that would like to delay, pause, or reduce their work time (Long, 2008; Parker, 2015). The notion that the women would feel guilt when prioritizing work or would be the caretaker for the family while the spouse advances their career is not uncommon (Byerly, 2014; Hill et al., 2016; Parker, 2015).

Two of the women in the study paused their careers to care for their families, but even in their time away from their trained profession, they still found time to work. During their hiatus, both decided to work, but it was done on their own time by working for their family or starting their own business. While they were taking a break, or off ramping their careers, they still used that time to enhance their professional skills and experiences (Byerly, 2014; Calizo, 2011; Sabharwal, 2015). Although there could be difficulty for those who off-ramp their careers to return, “the participants in this study who took a break, ‘off-ramped,’ or delayed their careers to care for their families did not have any difficulty returning to or entering into the workforce” (Byerly, 2014; Calizo, 2011; Jackson, 2020, pp. 126–127; Sabharwal, 2015). Delaying or pausing entry into the workforce does not have to be a conviction but could be the opportunity to negotiate terms that work for the priorities of families (Jackson, 2020; Maki, 2015). By negotiating on your own terms, you could also acquire skills and knowledge that would allow for a seamless transition whether returning to a traditional workforce or continuing to off-ramp and pave a different path (Jackson, 2020). It is achievable for women to aspire to hold leadership positions while also caring for their families. “Women are not abandoning their roles as caretakers of their families, but they have evolved into individuals who take care of their families while holding executive leadership positions” (Jackson, 2020).

Conclusion

The thought of trying to balance work and life can be a daunting task for some. In considering the challenge of balancing work and life as an executive leader, the difficulty level will increase with the inclusion of family (Jackson, 2020). The notion of work-life balance could imply that there is a need for an even distribution between work and life or, contrarily, it could mean that there is healthy ebb and flow between work and life so that the load of one does not overburden the other. For the women in this study, balance came from prioritizing both family and career in the way that was necessary for overall success in work and life. During the women's navigation of the labyrinth of work-life balance, it was found that the overarching desire for them was to be a successful wife, mother, and executive leader in higher education. Being successful will vary from person to person and day to day. In the same way that professionals aspire to work hard to advance in their careers, the participants of this study also wanted to work hard to advance their support toward their family obligations. The women studied were not only proud of their accomplishments within higher education, but also proud of their accomplishments as a caregiver to their families.

To have balance, do you have to make a choice between work and life? Did you give the right amount of time toward work? Did you give the right amount of time toward life? According to the women in this study, a choice does not have to be made between work and life. Work and life intermingle with each other. Women in leadership positions may not explicitly look for balance in work and life, but they are looking for satisfaction and success in both their family and professional lives. To “balance” the two, there should not be a line drawn between family and career; family and career should complement each other.

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