Work-family balance: a case analysis of coping strategies adopted by Nigerian and British working mothers

Purpose – Given the reality that working mothers experience difficulties in achieving work-family balance as a result of the social restrictions that arise from parenting combined with career goals, this article explores the various coping strategies that are employed by working mothers in the cities of London (UK) and Lagos (Nigeria).
Methodology – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 72 mothers who worked in banks in London (UK) and Lagos (Nigeria). Thematic analysis and investigator triangulation are used.
Findings – The findings reveal various coping strategies that are used by working mothers in the cities of Lagos and London. The article also unearths the efficiency and the shortcomings of the use of au pairs among British working mothers and the similarities and disparities of such use compared to the traditional use of housemaids in Nigeria.
Originality/value – This article contributes to existing work-family balance literature by exploring coping strategies of working mothers as a result of socio-cultural and institutional differences in the UK and Nigeria.

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Emerald in Gender in Management: an International Journal, available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/GM-01-2016-0010