Finding work-life balance in midwifery.

Abstract

Context: Work-life balance has become an important contemporary issue. Individuals from all walks of life want and expect that their job will respect their spare time, and evidence from all industries suggests that employees who feel they have a good work-life balance are more likely to stay in their job. In contrast, when an organisation or job takes up so much of an employee's time or energy that there is little or none left for other pursuits, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and high turnover can ensue. Consequently, job advertisements placed by many employers - including health care organisations - now promise 'work-life balance'. However, the concept means different things to different people, and it has not previously been characterised in relation to midwifery. Background(s): We conducted a study with midwives from a range of practice models and environments around Australia in which we asked them to share what work-life balance meant to them, if they could maintain it (and if so, how), and what (if anything) disrupted it. The data were analysed into themes that together provide new information about the phenomenon itself, and offer insights into its achievement that will be valuable to other midwives, and to employers of midwives. Workshop focus: In this workshop, we will share the findings from our exploratory study, invite participants to conduct their own work-life balance evaluation using an audit tool developed from our data, and then guide them to create a 'first draft' work-life balance manifesto that reflects their priorities that they can continue to work on outside of the session.Copyright © 2024