Hardly any research has been done on work-life interaction (WLI) in the mining industry in
South Africa. Mining is a high-risk profession and the custom of reducing the occurrence of
morbidity and inhumanity in these industries must be gainfully considered. Many of the
individuals who work in the mining industry are shift workers. Individuals who are working
shifts often appear to have little time for non-work related commitments. Their families,
personal health, socialising with friends, maintenance of their households and hobbies do not
receive the necessary attention, which cause an imbalance of work and life.
The general objective of this research was to study the experience of WLI of two cultural
groups (Afrikaans and Setswana-speaking individuals) in the mining industry and more
specifically, to determine certain antecedents, consequences and strategies used with regards
to WLI. A non-probability purposive voluntary sample of 25 mineworkers was taken from
the Northern Cape Province. Participants consisting of males and females were stratified in
terms of language (Afrikaans and Setswana). Data collection for this research consisted of a
pilot study, qualitative interviews and field notes, The data was transcribed verbatim and
checked by independent researchers. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.
It was found that Afrikaans males, Setswana males and Setswana females experienced
pressure and stress at work, where the Afrikaans females did not have that same experience.
Several antecedents (e.g., pressure at work, heavy workload, stress, and family obligations)
that led to definite consequences (e.g., lack of quality time for self and family, physical and
emotional strains, and low levels of productivity), as well as the strategies (e.g., prioritising,
time management, communication and planning) which the different language groups use to
cope with their work-life interaction were revealed during interviews. The results also
confirmed that there were some major differences between Afrikaans and Setswana-speaking
individuals in terms of their experiences of work-life interaction.
Recommendations were made for the organisation and for future research. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NWUBOLOKA1/oai:dspace.nwu.ac.za:10394/1456 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Jacobs, Dezré |
| Publisher | North-West University |
| Source Sets | North-West University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
Page generated in 0.009 seconds