Work-Family Conflict Among Formal and Informal Sector Working Mothers in Urban Ghana

Despite growing research on the work-family interface in Africa, existing studies tend to focus primarily on formal sector workers. There is, therefore, very little research on the interface of work and family among informal sector workers. This phenomenon has been criticised for not reflecting the average worker given that informal sector workers tend to dominate most African economies. Incorporating informal sector workers into the work-family arena, this study examines work-family conflict among married working mothers in both formal and informal sectors. Using a diverse sample of 1194 working mothers in urban Ghana, the study finds that those in the informal sector experienced greater levels of work-family conflict compared to their counterparts in the formal sector after controlling for age, education, working hours, monthly income, perceived role demands, number of children and age of youngest child. In line with recent calls by various scholars to investigate marginalised and underresearched groups in work-family research, this study sheds light on the work-family intersections of informal sector workers in an African context. The results of the study are discussed to advance practical and policy considerations for women in the informal sector and the implications for their work-family synergy.