Teshager, K., Arefaine, W., Beyene, F., & Mebratu, M. (2019). Challenges of Ethiopian Working Mothers towards Childcare and Its Implications on Workplace Performance: The Case of Selected Higher Education Institutions African, Journal of Leadership and Development, 4(1), pp. 16–31.
The study examined the difficulties faced by working mothers in Ethiopia in regards to childcare and its effects on workplace productivity in a number of higher education institutions (HEIs). The study included 343 working mothers from nine universities, three focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. It used a mixed-methods design, which combines quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Childcare facilities are argued to be essential for mothers who work for pay in any government sector or at institutions of higher learning. Working mothers do not have access to childcare facilities both inside and outside of their university, according to the study’s findings. One way that employees can receive different types of child care assistance is through the support they can access through their place of employment. It was discovered that informal extended maternity leaves were common but that childcare incentives were insufficient. Working mothers at higher education institutions experience a variety of childcare challenges, which negatively impact their work performance.
The study also found that most working mothers said they handled all of their household duties and childcare on their own, while only a small number of mothers said they shared those responsibilities with their spouses. Working mothers are negatively impacted by these practises, which lower their productivity and cause them to arrive late for work. It affects working mothers’ opportunities to participate in leadership roles and put forth competitive effort to be recognised and promoted. Gender directors from all universities asserted that working mothers’ chances of rising to leadership positions, taking on additional responsibilities, and participating in research have all been hampered by their dual responsibilities. Ethiopian policies do encourage women to hold leadership positions, but these circumstances actually work against them. Women work hard and pursue higher education, but they ultimately lose the ability to put their knowledge and degrees to use.
According to the study, women who work in higher education institutions are better at managing their family size. On average, mothers went back to work after giving birth in less than 4 months. In other words, women took longer maternity leaves despite the fact that the legal leave period is only three months. The majority (75%) of university presidents who were interviewed stated that it is not possible to set extended maternity leaves within their policy framework because it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Public Service and Human Resources Development.
According to the paper, daycare facilities and other incentives are suggested for working mothers in order to improve the working environment and boost working mothers’ performance while promoting the growth of healthy children, and the institutional policy for working mothers who are nursing should include flexible working hours. The needs of the children, working mothers, service providers, and the required performance should all be taken into account when scheduling.