How Did Women in India Fare during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Study of Work-Life Balance

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted women globally, resulting in numerous work-life balance (WLB) challenges. The intersection of paid employment and familial obligations inside the household has compelled Indian women to assume many tasks. Married women encounter heightened stress due to the specific gender roles that society imposes upon them within a patriarchal sociocultural context; these gender roles were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, hindering Indian women in their management of domestic duties and reconciliation of personal and professional disputes. The pandemic’s fusion of professional and familial domains disrupted Indian women’s transition between home and work environments, leading to indistinct boundaries and a lack of balance. This article illustrates the effect of COVID-19 on the WLB of Indian women by utilising a descriptive research methodology and examining it through the frameworks of social role theory and border theory. To support the arguments, this article analyzes data from 305 women aged 25 to 60 who work in both the public and private sectors across three states in India. It underscores the importance of work and family support as well as the role of networks in enhancing women’s WLB during the lockdown. Additionally, this article highlights the necessity of establishing rules for maintaining WLB at both the organisational and societal levels since these rules link directly to women’s overall performance and well-being in these domains. The article further enhances the discourse on WLB by affirming that diverse support systems from both family and employers significantly connect to women’s WLB.