The mechanics of occupational stress and role expectations: An empirical study of women employees in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar

Abstract

Society has assigned women the responsibility of ensuring peaceful domesticity and skilful upbringing of the future generation. Today’s society has added on another responsibility to women: Contributing to family income, thereby shouldering dual expectations. In her Endeavour to do justice to both the public and private sphere she is stressed out to juggle both career and family. Two opposite roles, two opposite demands, and lots of expectations from family and workplace create role conflict for women. The growing expectations of health care institutions calls for enhanced work pressure and cut throat competition for success in the health care sectors becomes the new segments where employees stress is much higher. Anxiety and stress due to perverse demands from management creates occupational stress which affects the family life of working women. Further inability to fulfil familial duties adds on to their woes. The present study is a small sample survey where primary data has been collected through questionnaire from women, more specifically doctors and nurses working in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. The study seeks to explore how women employees in hospitals torn between work and familial responsibilities, are subjected to psychological, physical, emotional, and social harm due to undue social expectations..