ARTICLES

 

The experience of work-life interaction in the Northern Cape mining industry: An exploratory study

 

 

D Jacobs, K Mostert; J Pienaar

WorkWell: Research Unit for People, Policy and Performance, North-West University

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

The objective of this research was to investigate how Afrikaans and Setswana employees in the Northern Cape mining environment experience the interaction between their work and personal lives and to determine which major strategies employees use to deal with work-life interaction (WLI). A non-probability purposive voluntary sample of 25 mineworkers was taken in the Northern Cape Province. Male and female participants were stratified in terms of language (Afrikaans and Setswana) and interviews were conducted with them. Interview questions focused on the main interacting dimensions in the lives of mineworkers and major strategies that employees use to deal with WLI. Content analyses were used to analyse the data. Several preceding factors (like work pressure, heavy workload, stress, and family obligations) that led to definite consequences (e.g. lack of quality time for self and family, physical and emotional strains, and low levels of productivity), as well as coping strategies (e.g. prioritising, time management, communication, and planning) were explored during the interviews. Although there were similarities, it seemed that there were definite differences between gender and language groups regarding their experiences of WLI.

JEL: J28, 81

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

1 BADENHORST, J.C.C. & VAN SCHALKWYK, S.J. (1992) "Minimizing post traumatic stress in critical mining incidents". In R.P. Maiden (ed.) Employee Assistance Programs in South Africa, Haworth Press: New York.         [ Links ]

2 BOTHA, P. (2001) "Die kwalitatiewe onderhoud as data-insamelingstegniek: Sterk en swakpunte", Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences, 29: 13-19.         [ Links ]

3 BEUTELL, N.J. & GREENHAUS, J.H. (1983) "Integration of home and non-home roles: Women's conflict and coping behaviour", Journal of Applied Psychology, 68: 43-48.         [ Links ]

4 CALITZ, P.L. (2004) "The experience of women in the platinum mining industry", Unpublished master's dissertation. North-West University, Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

5 CHAMBER OF MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA (1989) "Mine safety division, mining survey", Johannesburg.         [ Links ]

6 CLAASEN, L.; SCHEPERS, J.M. & ROODT G. (2004) "Werkswaardes van akademici", South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 30(4): 82-92.         [ Links ]

7 DUXBURY, L. & HIGGINS, C. (2001) "Work-life balance in the new millennium: Where are we? Where do we need to go?" Retrieved on March 23, 2006 from the world wide web: http://www.cprn.org/en/doc.cfm?doc=52.         [ Links ]

8 GEURTS, S.A.E. & DEMEROUTI, E. (2003) "Work/non-work interface: A review of theories and findings". In M.J. Schabracq, J.A.M. Winnubst & C.L. Cooper (eds.) Handbook Work and Health Psychology, Wiley: Chichester.         [ Links ]

9 GEURTS, S.; RUTTE, C. & PEETERS, M. (1999) "Antecedents and consequences of work-home interference among medical residents", Social Science and Medicine, 48: 1135-1148.         [ Links ]

10 GIORGI, A. (1985) Phenomenology and Psychological Research, Duquesne University Press, Pittsburgh, PA.         [ Links ]

11 GREENHAUS, J.H. & BEUTELL, N.J. (1985) "Sources of conflict between work and family roles", Academy of Management Review, 10: 76-88.         [ Links ]

12 GREENHAUS, J.H.; COLLINS, K.M. & SHAW, J.D. (2003) "The relationship between work-family balance and quality of life", Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63: 510-531.         [ Links ]

13 GRZYWACZ, J.G. & MARKS, N.F. (2000) "Reconceptualizing the work-family interface: An ecological perspective on the correlates of positive and negative spillover between work and family", Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1): 11-26.         [ Links ]

14 HOUSTON, D.M. (2005) "The work-life balance in the 21st century", Long Range Planning, 38: 607-608.         [ Links ]

15 KARATEPE, O.M. & BADDAR, L. (2006) "An empirical study of the selected consequences of frontline employees' work-family conflict and family-work conflict", Tourism Management, 27: 1017-1028.         [ Links ]

16 KERLINGER, F.N. (1986) Foundations of Behavioral Research (3^rd ed.) Harcourt Brace College: Fort Worth, TX.         [ Links ]

17 KIRCHMEYER, C. (1992) "Perceptions of nonwork-to-work spillover: Challenging the common view of conflict-ridden domain relationships", Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 13: 231-249.         [ Links ]

18 KIRRANE, M. & BUCKLEY, F. (2004) "The influence of support relationships on work-family conflict", Equal Opportunities International, 23(1): 78-96.         [ Links ]

19 KOSSEK, E.E.; LAUTSCH, B.A. & EATON, S.C. (2006) "Telecommunicating, control, and boundary management: Correlates of policy use and practice, job control, and work- family effectiveness", Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68: 347-367.         [ Links ]

20 KOTZÉ, T (2005) "The nature and development of the construct 'quality of work life'", Acta Academica, 37(2): 96-122.         [ Links ]

21 LEWIS, S. & COOPER, C. (2005) Work-Life Integration: Case Studies of Organisational Change, Wiley: Chichester.         [ Links ]

22 MAGENI, G.F. & SLABBERT, A.D. (2005) "Meeting the challenge of the work-life balance in the South African workplace", South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 8(4): 393-401.         [ Links ]

23 MARAIS, C. & MOSTERT, K. (2007) "Work-home interaction of police officers in the North West Province: Examining socio-demographic differences", Acta Criminologica.         [ Links ]

24 MCGWIN, G. (JNR.); VALENT, F.; TAYLOR, A.J.; HOWARD, H.J.; DAVIS, G.G.; BRISSIE, R.M. & RUE ILL, L.W. (2002) "Epidemiology of fatal occupational injuries in Jefferson County, Alabama", Southern Medical Journal, 95(11): 1300-1312.         [ Links ]

25 MESMER-MAGNUS, J.R. & VISWESVARAN, C. (2005) "Convergence between measures of work-to-family and family-to-work conflict: A meta-analytic examination", Journal of Vocational Behavior, 67: 215-232.         [ Links ]

26 OLSEN-BUCHANAN, J.B. & BOSWELL, W.R. (2006) "Blurring boundaries: Correlates of integration and segmentation between work and non-work", Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68: 432-445.         [ Links ]

27 ROST, I. (2006) "Work wellness of employees in an earthmoving equipment industry", Unpublished doctoral thesis, North-West University, Potchefstroom campus.         [ Links ]

28 ROTHMANN, S.; STEYN, L.J. & MOSTERT, K. (2005) "Job stress, sense of coherence and work wellness in an electricity supply organization", South African Journal of Business Management, 36(1): 55-63.         [ Links ]

29 SINGER, R. (2002) "South African women gain ground below surface", USA Today, 1-2.         [ Links ]

30 SMIT, R. (2001) "Work-family spillover revisited: Is there hope for marital happiness in the dual earner family?", Koers, 66: 603-620.         [ Links ]

31 STONER, C.R.; ROBIN, J. & RUSSELL- CHAPIN, L. (2005) "On the edge: Perceptions and responses to life imbalance", Business Horizons, 48: 337-346.         [ Links ]

32 SUN, Z.Q.; ZHANG, Y.R. & YANG, C.G. (1997) "Expectancy of working life of mine workers in Hunan province", Public Health, 111: 81-83.         [ Links ]

33 VAN NIEKERK, L. (2002) "Don't kill the messenger," Hermeneutics and the assessment of qualitative research, Education as Change, 6(1): 32-42.         [ Links ]

34 WYNN, E.J. (2001) "Women in the mining industry", Paper delivered at the AusIMM Youth Congress, Brisbane: Australia.         [ Links ]

 

 

Author's Note
The material described in this article is based upon work supported by the National Research Foundation under reference number 20050801000025.