PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING ISSUES FACED BY WOMEN EXECUTIVES IN CHANDIGARH: AN ANALYSIS

 

Harpreet Kaur ¹

 

¹ Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

 

1. INTRODUCTION

Psychological health is not merely referred as absence of mental illnesses rather it is the most vital determinant of health. Health is incomplete without including mental health. According to World Health Organisation "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO (1946). In primitive times, mental health was only referred as absence of mental deformity however, recently mental health is broadly defined not just merely absence of mental disorder. Psychological health constitutes optimistic thought and behaviour for self and for others Mishra (2000) Psychological well-being plays an essential and significant role in all phases of life of a person. Psychological health and well-being are closely associated with how individual act, feel, react, behaves, believe, visualise, connect, and interact with other people in their day-to-day life (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion NCCDPHP). Because of mental health people recognize their capabilities to overcome anxieties and work efficiently (WHO). Psychological well-being depends upon various social, biological, economic, environmental indicators. Psychological well-being of an individual is equally important as it is directly consisted of cognitive and emotional wellbeing. Physiological wellbeing of human beings directly associated with psychological health conditions. An individual will be considered as mentally fit if he or she associates with people appropriately and solve the problems of life fruitfully. A person then enjoys overall wellbeing and overcome all circumstances and problems of life constructively. Such person will be called as mentally and physically fit. Physical health, happiness and wellbeing of people are also dependent upon their balanced psychological health conditions.  

In contemporary Indian society women’s health is an important issue and a crucial gender concern. In present era, women are not limited to their domestic arena however a great percentage of women at present are employed outside. They are performing key role at home as well as at their place of work. In contemporary era, women have improved their position in society and enjoying liberty and equity with men in all walks of life. Women are now gainfully employed in 21^st century. They are working at home as well as outside. It has been further noticed that the issues of women executives have not given much attention. Present study will focus on psychological well-being issues of women executives in Chandigarh. City beautiful Chandigarh is a very advanced and modernised city of India. Therefore, respondents that consists of women executives have been selected from Chandigarh. Women executives consists of those working women that are gainfully employed in public and private sector. Women executives faced the problem of glass ceiling barrier is an invisible barrier that restricts women to reach at top level positions of professional success Nandy (2014). Such kind of invisible barrier leads to bad mental health of women executives resulting in stress and depression.  

 

2. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

1)    To find out major psychological well-being related issues suffered by women executives.

2)    To explore various reasons for psychological health and well-being sufferings experienced by women executives.

 

3. SIGNIFICANCE/ RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

This research paper will highlight profound knowledge by obtaining data on various psychological health and well-being related issues suffered by women executives. Undoubtedly working ladies have to perform dual role at home and at workplace so they have to face additional issues of home along with job. So, it is becoming most relevant and essential to study the psychological well-being issues of women executives. Present study will administer an insightful experiences of psychological health conditions of women executives and various issues and reasons that leads to their poor psychological well-being. Therefore, this research is very relevant in exploring psychological well-being issues of women executives.

 

 

4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Present research paper comprises of following methods and techniques used in research:

·        Area of Study: The present study was conducted in U.T Chandigarh.

·        Sample of Study: Women executives from Chandigarh constitute the sample for study. Women executives were selected from both private and public sector organisations such as from banks, IT sector.

·        Sample Size: Sample size consists of 100 respondents (women executives) from Chandigarh working in public and private sector.

·        Sampling Method: Purposive sampling method was selected by the researcher for the present research study.

·        Technique of Data Collection: For data collection, the researcher has used questionnaire technique to gather data from the respondents to achieve most reliable information from the respondents for the present study. In addition, the researcher has used both primary and secondary sources for data collection.

·        Research Design: The present research was conducted by using exploratory research design.

 

5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of the present study will reveal psychological health and well-being related issues suffered by majority women executives and various reasons for their psychological health sufferings:

·        Discrimination and Biasness: Women executives experience discrimination and Biasness in the work area which hinder in the progress of female employees.

·        Unequal access to opportunity: Exploitation and lack of support from the workplace denied women equal access to opportunities affects their mood, sleep and daily functioning which are leading to poor mental health of women executives.

·        Glass Ceiling: Glass ceiling barrier refers to invisible obstacle for women that cease them to reach at the peak of success. Women are denied to promotion opportunities at managerial levels leading to stress and anger.

·        Role conflict: Majority of women executives are experiencing burden of dual role performance on women those results in experiencing of various psychological health issues.

·        Reduced work efficiency: Men exercise primary power, take all the important decisions of work, and dominates women at workplace. This ideology keeps women in psychological distress such as anger, mood swings, depression that leads to reduced work efficiency.

 

6. CONCLUSION

In the present study, the researcher collected the data from the respondents on the various issues faced by women executives affecting their psychological health conditions. Psychological stress has become an ineluctable fact among employed women. Consequently, women executives are showing symptoms of mental health illnesses. According to the results obtained of the present study, the researcher concluded that majority of the respondents are experiencing and suffering from psychological health related issues such as stress, anxiety, anger, mood swings and depression due to several reasons such as the existence of discrimination and biasness followed by unequal access to opportunities, glass ceiling barrier at workplace, role conflict, double burden of work experiencing difficulty in managing home and job etc. that creates stress and anxiety among women executives. Due to all these reasons, women executives are experiencing many psychological and physical health related problems which directly leads to negative impact on the psychological well-being of women executives that also reduced their level of work efficiency. Therefore, it is apparent from the results of the study that women executives despite of their higher literacy and great level of success in career are still facing adverse impacts on their psychological health and well-being. Kumar and Gulati (2018).

 

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

None. 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am highly grateful to all the respondents who helped me in writing my research paper by providing me with reliable information and data for my research work. My sincere thanks goes to them.

 

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