The experience of female faculty members about work and family responsibility

The increasing number of women as a faculty member having social roles, although indicating progress in social and scientific fields, has developed many challenges. This study has provided a phenomenological understanding of the status of women as a faculty member in place of their career and family roles. This phenomenological research is of qualitative type. The data was gathered by interviewing 13 female professors and faculty members of Universities of Tehran while looking out at their problems. The samples were selected based on purposive sampling. The Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was used to analyze data. The findings were classified into four main themes including "maternal responsibilities in the family", "job role and a role at university", “balance between job role and family role”, and “problem solving and difficulties of dual roles”. Semantic understanding shows that female faculty members face challenges in terms of number of job and family roles and applying some personal or family strategies as well as organizations benefit can easily create balance between the roles and responsibilities of the job and the family.