Kesejahteraan Sosial

01 FAMILY SUPPORT EMPOWERMENT AND WORKPLACE WELL-BEING 7 absence of such structural support, women are often left to manage the competing demands alone, leading to increased work-family conflict, a deterioration in mental and emotional well-being, and reduced satisfaction in both work and family life. 4.2.1 Ishikawa/Fishbone Diagram: Identifying Causes of Work- Family Conflict The challenges faced by working women in Malaysia in terms of work- family conflict are multidimensional and embedded in various structural, institutional, cultural andworkplacedomains.Whenanalysing the findings using the Ishikawa diagram (fishbone diagram), these challenges can be categorised into six main dimensions: Policy, Procedure (process), People, Environment, Technology and Measurement. Each of the seven issues highlighted below contributes to the impairment of employee well- being, ineffective coping and the exacerbation of work-family conflict. 4.2.1.1 Limited Duration of Maternity Leave In the policy category, Malaysia’s current policy of 90 days of maternity leave remains inconsistent with the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for six months of exclusive breastfeeding. This discrepancy poses a structural challenge for mothers trying to balance work commitments with family responsibilities, as an early return to work can disrupt the bond between mother and child and affect the health of both mother and child. The procedural rigidity of the existing framework, i.e., extending leave beyond 90 days often requires unpaid leave or financial sacrifice, forces many women to return to work before they have fully recovered physically and emotionally. This affects maternal well- being and increases vulnerability during the critical postpartum period. In terms of people dimension, a lack of awareness among employers and policy makers about the long-term health and developmental benefits of extended maternity leave contributes to inadequate institutional support. Collectively, these conditions lead to increased stress levels and limit mothers’ ability to effectively manage the dual demands of paid work and caregiving.