Professional career of women in the context of fulfilling caregiving roles

Abstract

Combining professional work with caring responsibilities is a common phenomenon. In Poland, the role of women is perceived as those obliged to care for children or dependent persons and therefore they are definitely more burdened with such obligations than men. Hence, combining professional life and care tasks clearly limits women’s career opportunities more than men’s. The aim of this article is to show the perception of combining work and care responsibilities by working people, including the impact of caregiving roles on the professional careers of women and solutions favouring reconciliation of these two areas of activity. The study uses the desk research method, but also refers to selected results of own research relating to the combination of professional and family roles, especially motherhood by women pursuing careers in science, as well as presents the theoretical context for the undertaken issues, for which the widest frame is created by the theory of social role. It is important to emphasize the existence of a strong link between women’s absence from the labour market and weaknesses in systemic solutions supporting the fulfilment of caregiving responsibilities. This, together with the influence of cultural patterns attributing caring roles to women, significantly determines their professional careers. It is therefore important for employers (supported by the state) to meet the expectations of employees-caregivers and implement solutions which are particularly useful and attractive for them.