Work-Life Balance & Career Advancement for Women in Policing: A Mixed Methods Study

This study examined how work-life conflict (WLC) contributes to the underrepresentation of women in police supervision and leadership. Surveys ( N = 698) were analyzed for correlations between police women’s personal factors and career achievement, while the challenges and strategies of promoted women ( N = 38) were explored via interviews. There were few correlations between the quantitative variables; though qualitative findings showed promoted women experience substantial WLC. Interviewees overcame barriers through sacrifice – both personal and professional – and most said they received little organizational support. Integrated findings highlight the need for organizations to support WLB to facilitate women’s career advancement, recruitment, and retention. Contrasting findings between the study strands show the importance of mixed methods research for studying complex social problems.