Women who choose to go back to work after a career break

Abstract

This qualitative research delves into the lives and experiences of Maltese mothers who choose to go back to work after a career break. It focuses on one category of the three categories of women discussed in Catherine Hakim's (2000) Preference theory, namely the lifestyle choice of adaptive women. In view of this literature, this study explored if Maltese women who decide to go back after a career break experienced difficulties, what are these difficulties and how these difficulties were experienced by them and their families. Fieldwork comprised six in-depth interviews with working mothers who chose to go back to work when their youngest child was not more than four years of age. The main findings of this study indicate that the choice for Maltese women to resume work after a career break is affected by work regulations and the Maltese society, which is influenced by the Church and family traditions. Findings also shed doubt on whether work as a choice around family commitments is the real choice women want. Research data suggest that choosing to go back to work after a career break can tum into a disadvantage rather than an advantage because of the unequal treatment of women in society as they challenge the traditional breadwinner family role; yielding to difficulties of structures at work, conflicts and constraints in both family and work life as a result of their choice to work. This research shows that although Maltese women feel the need to work, they are being set back by inequalities. Finally the research shows that women can have a better future in career if they work together with men, organisations, the Church and the government in addressing issues of work-life balance.