Abstract
The study explored the effect of work- and family demands on the wellbeing of women in the South African transport and logistics industry. In South Africa, women were previously discriminated against on the bases of gender, and they were excluded from formal work. Since 1994, the inclusion of women in the workplace has taken priority. Due to new employment laws, various industries in the country have seen an increase in the employment of women. Due to the increase of women entering the employment space in South Africa, studies on work‒family demands have gained popularity amongst various scholars, especially as women fulfil a dual role.
In this study, 12 women from a large transport and logistics organisation in South Africa were sampled using non-probability purposive sampling. The selected sample included participants from various job categories, at job levels ranging from unskilled workers to senior-management level. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. The findings of the study indicate that work‒family demands have a negative impact on the wellbeing of employees in the transport and logistics industry. Working hours and shift work were identified as contributing factors to poor mental and physical wellbeing. The Covid-19 pandemic brought about remote work, which allowed flexibility in working hours in some job categories, with certain services rendered services online. This transition to working from home assisted those who wished to spend more time with their children, as commuting to and from the office was not necessary. The organisation under study has no work‒family programmes, the Employment Relations Department should look into such initiatives. This study makes theoretical and practical contributions to the transport industry and other industries that employ women.