Role interference is defined as the stress one feels when one is forced to choose between competing roles - to satisfy the expectations of one role at the expense of another. It occurs because it is physically impossible for someone to be in two different places doing two different things at exactly the same time. People have to make choices. Work-family role interference can take two forms, depending on which role - work or life - is given precedence. Work interference with family and life occurs when employees give preference to their work role at the expense of time or energy for their family or themselves. Family to work interference, on the other hand, occurs when personal or family demands and responsibilities are met at the expense of work. Work interference with family is far more prevalent in Canada than is family interference with work. In 2001, one in 10 employed Canadians reported high levels of family to work interference, while almost one in three reported high work interference with family.
Six percent of the comments at the end of the survey related to role interference. These were divided into five groupings:
There were no differences among the groups of respondents with respect to all but one of the types of interference noted above. Women were more likely than men to express frustrations related to housework.
Work interferes with family
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I hate the notion that people with family responsibilities need more concessions from work than single people, and yet expect to and need to get paid the same. I hate needing concessions. I hate that I shortchange my partner and family because I'm depleted by working, yet here I am at work on a holiday, after a doctor's appointment. ”
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I find it difficult to balance family and work. I always wanted children and I love mine deeply. I wish I could spend more time with my boys. They're growing up so fast and I'm missing out on a lot of their changes. I have to work, though, to make ends meet. ”
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Most days it is a struggle to get through. I do not like bringing my problems home. I don't like getting mad at my wife or kids for things they do which are normal. I'm tired of being angry. My job creates this environment. I wish I could control my life more like the way I envision it. I wish I could have more time with my kids, doing things like other parents do. ”
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Children and family interfere with work and career
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My husband works in the same company and by filling out this survey, the light went on. He was filling out the section about time spent by him and by his spouse on work and household and childcare. He said, "I realized I'm not doing my share," words I never thought I'd hear. The majority of men really don't know how much their spouses do to keep children and household operating. Studies like this may make a difference. Due to this factor of not knowing, women have to make choices and sometimes they make the choice not to move up because they just can't do any more. ”
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If I'm not at work, I'm at home or in a grocery store. Often I'm interrupted with calls from home with something as minor as a squabble, which is very distracting. It's a small dilemma from my perception, but a much larger one from the child's perspective and demands my full attention, so I must be flexible enough to at any time be able to juggle personal and professional dilemmas at the same time on no notice. As well, I get phone calls from school and daycare centres that require an emergency number to contact me and use it for anything that comes up. If the kids' grades are low, it's my fault. If I'm late for work, it's my fault. If the house is dirty, it's partly my fault. Sometimes I snap, but I'm allowed. ”
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Work and family interfere with time for self
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I find the area of my life that is impacted the most by the pressures of work and family is my own free time. My family is my first priority, followed by my work responsibilities, which leaves no time for my own physical/spiritual/emotional well-being. I have no time for reading a book, getting some exercise, having a hobby, etc. It makes it difficult to stay healthy when you ignore this. Although I am still young now, I feel my future health is at risk because I largely ignore this. ”
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I have enough demands at home and work to work full-time at both, but try to balance between the two. I feel that I can never do either as well as I could if I gave up one or the other. Since I can't do that, I give up personal time to balance. I feel I have no extra time to deal with occasional situations that crop up and they, therefore, are like a crisis because of lack of time. ”
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I really enjoy my job and would love to further my career. As a mother of young children, there is a lot of conflict associated with working outside the home. With that in mind, I always feel that my personal needs are put on the back burner and that I have to be all things to my children and husband. The end result always seems to be a lot of guilt and conflict within myself. ”
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Housework interferes with time for self and family
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I find it very difficult, as I am always feeling so tired from my work. I get upset because my house is not as clean as I would like it to be, but I cannot physically do it all by myself. Family helps out a little, but my husband also works long hours and my children are very busy with school and personal life. I hope for the day when I can work a four-day week and have one day for housework and two days for family and personal, time. Now I feel I try to squeeze too much into two days and never feel completely rested. ”
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Working part-time and being female means I do all the following: laundry, meals, housework, childcare, shopping, and yard work. Yet I still have to go to work, do a good job, meet my own job demands. I'm still expected to be supportive of my spouse, whose excuse is "I work full-time." I feel like I'm forced to be super mom. ”
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The commute to and from work interferes with time for self and family
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My husband and I both make good incomes, but we still struggle week to week due to the cost of childcare and commuting expenses. Both parents commute approximately one hour to and from work, which adds time to the work day and the time we require childcare. Our whole lives revolve around going to work and caring for two small children. This leaves little time for anything else. ”
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Having to commute two hours a day to and from work is really tiring. Less family time; by the time I get home and have supper, it's time to go to bed, get up and start over again. ”
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