Women at Work: Boosting Resilience Across Diverse Sectors

Abstract

In the Sri Lankan context, working individuals, particularly women and employees in high-pressure sectors, often face significant challenges in maintaining mental and emotional resilience. Factors such as high workplace stress, societal expectations, inadequate work-life balance, economic instability, and the pressure of traditional gender roles contribute to an increase in burnout, stress-related illnesses, and low job satisfaction. Despite the growing recognition of resilience as a key factor in promoting well-being and improving performance, many Sri Lankan organizations lack effective policies and practices to enhance resilience among employees. Furthermore, cultural barriers, limited access to mental health support, and a general lack of awareness about resilience-building strategies exacerbate these issues. As a result, employees may experience decreased productivity, job dissatisfaction, and higher turnover rates, which can negatively impact the overall performance and growth of organizations. There is a critical need for research to explore the factors affecting resilience in Sri Lankan workplaces and to develop strategies that can enhance the emotional well-being and coping abilities of employees in the face of adversity. The objectives of this research were to explore the level of resilience among working women across different sectors, to analyze sectoral variations in level of resilience, and to propose strategies to enhance resilience among working women attached to government schools, divisional secretariats, and hospitals. A total of 120 working women were chosen at random from Nintavur's government schools (40), divisional secretariat (40), and hospital (40). The measuring tool was modified questionnaire of the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale which consisted of 10 questions. Descriptive statistics were applied to the data. The study's findings revealed that the level of Resilience among working women at Nintavur's government schools, divisional secretariat, and hospital was moderate level.

Keywords: Resilience, Government Schools, Divisional Secretariat, Hospital