The antecedent factors of ambiguity role and workers’ welfare in Semarang City: role theory approach

Abstract

Indonesian women still live with negative stereotypes, which leads to limited employment opportunities for women. Women who work as laborers generally experience role conflict. Most company leaders do not understand the conditions of female workers. They demand female workers to always focus on work, which makes female workers not have a work-family balance, which means they are not experiencing a balance between family and work. This study examined the influence of dual roles and family commitment on role ambiguity and worker well-being. This research is explanatory. The sample was obtained using convenience sampling when the respondents, in this case, were female workers who attended the International Labor Day commemoration in Semarang City. The data collection technique used was a questionnaire and data analysis using SEM-PLS (Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square), the sample taken from 374 respondents from female workers in Semarang City. This study found that family role has a positive and significant effect on role ambiguity (β = 0.341; p < 0.001), family commitment has a significant negative impact on role ambiadverse= −0.131; p < 0.001), role ambiguity has a significant negative effect on female workers’ welfare (β= −adverse = 0.003), the role of the family has a significant adverse impact on the welfare of female workers (β= -0.175; p < 0.001), and family commitment has a significant positive effect on the welfare of women labor. Role ambiguity, characterized by uncertainty in job expectations, emerges as a critical concern. The findings show that role ambiguity significantly negatively affects workers’ welfare.

Impact statement

Women often get quite negative stereotypes. They should be in the domestic realm rather than in public. Limited employment for women, stereotypes, and even discrimination are common problems in Indonesia. This may be because the position of a woman is considered inferior to that of a man. These findings support the conclusion that dual-role conflict harms the well-being of female workers.

Keywords:

• Dual role conflict
• role ambiguity
• family commitment
• worker welfare

Reviewing Editor:

• Geng Yuqing, Shanghai Dianji University, China

Subjects:

• Asian Studies
• Statistics for Social Sciences
• Political Studies
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Gender Studies - Soc Sci

1. Background

Women and careers are evergreen and always attractive to discuss. Data shows the development of female CEOs in large corporations in America (Frye & Pham, 2018). It was also found that women also have superior advantages over men. They are more driven by intrinsic values, i.e. learning possibilities (Sortheix et al., 2013). Women usually communicate with their coworkers more than men (Anderson & Martin, 1995). Such communication often makes the atmosphere in the office better. In addition, women are influential in leadership (Conyon et al., 2015). (Frye & Pham, 2018) named it the ‘woman effect’, which means that the leadership style of female CEOs is closely related to corporate success. Moreover, women can make better decisions than men (Huang & Kisgen, 2013).

In Indonesia, women often obtain quite negative stereotypes. They are supposed to be in the domestic sphere rather than in public. The limited work for women, stereotypes, and even discrimination are common problems in Indonesia. This may be due to the fact that the position of a woman is considered lower than that of a man. If women work, it is not considered to pursue a career but to seek additional income for the family. Women also always lose at work, while men are considered more competent (Correll, 2004). Several studies explain that women tend to be silent when they are not appreciated (Wang et al., 2014), and they somehow show lack of confidence (Frye & Pham, 2018); (Zimmerman et al., 2016). These factors have made female workers often get discriminated against men, such as by the lower salaries. Moreover, in some cases, female workers are subjected to violence and abuse from male workers.

Leaders hold an essential key to helping employees build organizational commitment (Acar, 2012; De Araújo & Lopes, 2014; Özşahin et al., 2013; Steyrer et al., 2008). Lazarus in Tremolada et al. (2016) found that supportive supervisors can make the work domain less stressful for employees by discussing family-related issues with them and being sympathetic as well as flexible when problems or emergencies occur. Organizational commitment will affect the turnover intention, individual performance (De Araújo & Lopes, 2014), and organizational performance (Steyrer et al., 2008). Organizational support has a positive relationship with organizational commitment. In addition, there are several reasons why women enter the workforce, on of which is economic demands. Family commitment is the main key to a woman’s success in entering the world of work, for instance, the distance between home and work, her education, and the support from or role of her family in work activities. The complex interplay between work and family roles, alongside societal norms and cultural expectations, underscores the significance of investigating the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare in Semarang City. Role ambiguity can lead to stress, job dissatisfaction, and reduced well-being.

The conflict between dual roles and the resulting role ambiguity can affect a woman’s ability to fulfill her family commitments and well-being as a worker. Similarly, a strong family commitment might positively impact a woman’s welfare in the labor force, but conflicting role expectations can lead to stress and reduced well-being. Understanding these phenomena and their interactions can help organizations and policymakers create better environments for women in the workforce.

Understanding how dual role conflict and family commitment contribute to role ambiguity can offer insights into developing strategies that enhance workers’ welfare. Similar to those living urban areas, individuals in Semarang City often balance various roles, including work and family responsibilities. The intersection of these roles can lead to challenges such as role ambiguity, where individuals experience uncertainty about their job expectations. The well-being of workers, particularly women, in Semarang City is paramount for both individual satisfaction and the overall productivity and development of the city. Therefore, company leaders are expected to understand that women have multiple roles.

This research holds significant importance and urgency for several compelling reasons, namely gender equality and empowerment, workplace productivity, and well-being. Moreover, this research addresses the issues of economic development, social impact, policy and organizational practices, societal health, sustainable employment, and global competitiveness. Therefore, this research aimed to produce strategies and initiatives that create a more equitable, productive, and prosperous work environment in Semarang City by exploring the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare.

Most company leaders are not concerned with the conditions of female workers. They mostly want female workers to always focus on their work. It makes female workers experience role conflicts that lead to a work-family imbalance (Hill et al., 2001). They also have to choose between work and family. Role conflict occurs when work interferes with family activities (Frone et al., 1997). Thus, they experience role ambiguity, which will affect their performance. This study examined the effect of multiple roles and family commitment on role ambiguity and the workers’ welfare, especially female workers.

2. Literature review and Hypothesis

2.1. Role theory

Role is the behavior expected of a person’s status. (Merton, 1968) stated that several roles are attached to an individual’s single status. For instance, women have four concurrent statuses: a wife plays the domestic and marital roles, a mother plays the maternal and civic roles, a professor plays the teacher and colleague roles, researcher does the fieldwork and plays author roles. Thus, in each of these statuses, a number of roles must be carried out simultaneously Macionis in Nurussa’adah (2020).

The role played by an individual also varies depending on the culture and conditions of the society. In low-income countries, the part of the family is often more critical than social identity. In contrast, in high-income countries, the role of family tends to be considered less important for social identity. Therefore, a person will have more status and roles. Multiple levels and functions will lead to higher responsibilities, which can be physically and emotionally draining. As a result, positions related to 2 or more statuses may cause conflict, usually called role conflicts. One of many strategies to minimize conflict is to separate the parts of life so that we can play a role in one status at a time and place, according to Macionis (Nurussa’adah, 2020).

However, individuals can also experience role exits. (Wallace & Ebaugh, 1989) stated that role exit is a process by which people break away from critical social roles. The process begins when people doubt their competence to accomplish specific functions. As they envision alternative parts, they finally reach a tipping point when they decide to pursue a new life. Even though they continue to move, past roles can always affect their lives, Macionis in Nurussa’adah (2020)

Women whose roles are in public and domestic sectors simultaneously have dual functions. Therefore, the position of husband and wife can be changed to ‘household managers’ with a balanced division of roles. In other words, the husband can do domestic work anytime, and the wife can participate in the public sector according to their agreement and needs (Putri & Lestari, 2015).

The role of women in the gender concept include: (1) productive roles related to work that produces goods and services, both for consumption and trade; (2) reproductive roles related to the maintenance of human resources and household chores, such as raising children, cooking, washing clothes and household utensils, ironing, cleaning the house; and (3) the social role related to the role of participating in social activities, such as mutual cooperation (local term: gotong royong), which involves completing various jobs involving common interests (Sudarta, 2014).

The two types of organizational tension most highlighted in the literature, role conflict and role ambiguity can stem from organizational, personal, and interpersonal presence (Fichter & Cipolla, 2010).

2.2. Relationship among dual role conflict, family commitment, role ambiguity, and welfare of workers

A role can be defined as a part or parts played by the individual in every situation and the attitude or behavior to associate himself with the case. Moreover, roles are embodied in behavior according to David, Newstrom (Maharangitha, 2007). Dual or even multiple roles can be defined where a person has more than one position or circumstance to have more responsibilities, according to Indriyani (Darwis, 2022). Multiple role conflicts may arise since a person holds so many roles. Conflict is any interaction between two or more parties (Tampublolon in Pertiwi et al., 2020), and conflict, according to Davis and Newstrom (Maharangitha, 2007). Work obligations may interfere with domestic life due to the expectations from these two different roles. At work, a professional woman is expected to be aggressive, competitive, and able to carry out her commitments to work. Meanwhile, at the same time, women often should take care of their children and must love and take care of their husbands at home.

Multiple roles conflict hurts role ambiguity. The activities of female workers at work and in the family make them hold a dual role (Hanif & Naqvi, 2014). They will be confused by their parts. Role ambiguity occurs when the leader needs them to focus on work while their husbands ask them not to leave their children. They are confused about which role to choose because work and family are equally important.

High levels of conflict have been found to cause dissatisfaction and difficulty at work and in family domains (Frone et al., 1997), (Netemeyer et al., 1996), (States et al., 1996), absenteeism levels (Darcy & McCarthy, 2007) increased stress work (Thomas & Ganster, 1995).

It will have an impact on the performance of workers. Furthermore, decreased worker performance will lead to a decrease in worker welfare. Thus, it can be concluded that the higher the dual role conflict, the lower the welfare of workers.

• H1: Dual role conflict will increase the role ambiguity of female workers.

• H4: Dual role conflict will have an impact on the welfare of female workers

2.3. Family commitment

Women can be grouped into two roles, i.e. the role of tradition and the role of transition. Traditional or domestic roles include women, wives, and mothers who manage the household, for example, taking a good care of their husbands while serving all the family’s food and nutritional needs, educating children, and doing household chores to keep them clean and comfortable. Meanwhile, the transitional role of women is to be active in supporting the family economy following their abilities, education, and opportunities for the types of work available, according to Handewi P Suliem 1992 (Dwikurniarini, 2015). In addition, based on (Choudhury & Kwon, 2018), the distance from their residence to their place of work has a positive effect on the outpouring of working hours.

Workers who are committed to their families will reduce the burden on female workers. Female workers will tend to prefer their careers to their families. Usually, this has become a mutual agreement between the female workers and their husbands. This condition will reduce the ambiguity of the role of these female workers. Focus on the company will impact the performance of such workers (De Araújo & Lopes, 2014; Steyrer et al., 2008).

• H2: Family commitment will decrease role ambiguity of female workers

• H5: Family commitment will improve the welfare of female workers

2.4. Role ambiguity and workers’ welfare

Role ambiguity is a part of role theory (Rasit & Isa, 2014). According to Luthans (2010), role ambiguity occurs when individuals do not get clarity about the tasks of work or are more generally known as ‘don’t know what to do.’ Unclear job descriptions, incomplete orders from their supervisors, and lack of experience also contribute to role ambiguity. Meanwhile, role ambiguity arises when the expected role (role expectation) is not clearly understood, and a person is unsure of what they are doing. According to Kreitner and Kinicki (2010), ‘Role ambiguity is when others’ expectations are unknown. It occurs when a person does not know the expectations for their role. Yousef (2002) described role ambiguity as a situation where the individual does not have a clear direction regarding the expectations of his role in the organization. In addition, Lopopolo (2002) mentioned that role ambiguity arises when an employee feels that there is a lot of uncertainty in the aspects of the employee’s role or membership in the group. Sherwood et al. (1967) stated that role ambiguity can occur when individuals experience uncertainty about things related to their work, such as the scope of responsibilities, what is expected from them, and how to do various jobs. Ambiguity is often unwelcome and causes stress for many people, but it is often unavoidable. Role ambiguity is a gap between the amount of information a person gains and what they need to be able to carry out their role correctly. As stated, role ambiguity is the degree to which clear information is lacking regarding the expectations associated with a part, methods for fulfilling known role expectations, or the consequences of role performance. In other words, role ambiguity is the discrepancy between people’s information and the amount they need to perform their role adequately (Brief et al. in Srikanth and Jomon, 2013).

Employees/workers have diverse human traits, feelings, and needs. These physical and non-physical needs must be met to live a decent and humane life. This has caused the emergence of an approach based on the welfare of employees/workers in personnel management, i.e. employees/workers must be treated in such a way that it can establish good cooperation between the leaders and the employees/workers. When the relationship is well established, achieving the company’s goals is easy. As humans, employees/workers also have plans. Therefore, integrating the company’s goals and those of the employees/workers is essential. Building an integration between the company’s and the employees’/workers’ goals is necessary to determine each party’s needs.

A person can be considered to be in a role ambiguity if he shows certain characteristics, according to Nimran (Prayitno, 2017).

It is not clear what purpose of the role he is playing, it is not clear to whom he is responsible and who reports to him, there is not enough authority to carry out his responsibilities, does not fully understand what is expected from him, and the does not correctly understand the role of their work to achieve all goals. Some of these things will make employees unable to carry out their duties effectively. In addition, employees who cannot complete their assignments will have their performance and welfare affected.

• H3: Role ambiguity will bring an impact on the decline in the welfare of female workers

3. Research method

This methodology section outlines the research design, data collection, analysis techniques, and ethical considerations involved in studying the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare using a role theory approach. It provides a clear framework for understanding how the research was conducted and how the hypotheses were tested. Research Approach: This study employs a quantitative research approach to examine the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare. The theoretical framework serves as this research’s foundational framework. Role theory posits that individuals have multiple roles and that the clarity and expectations associated with these roles significantly impact behavior and well-being.

3.1. Respondents

3.1.1. Measurement

There are four constructs used in this study. They are dual role conflict, organizational commitment, role ambiguity, and labor welfare. Each item of the developed questions is measured on a scale of 5, of which a scale of 1 describes strongly disagree and a scale of 5 is strongly agree with the proposed question item.

Dual role conflicts can be defined as when a person has more than one position or more position or circumstances so that that person has more responsibility, according to Indriyani (Amruloh & Pamungkas, 2021). Three indicators of dual roles are time conflict, stain-based conflict, and behavior-based conflict.

Payaman in Majid & Handayani (2012) mentioned that higher educational background will make them feel the more worthy their time is and the higher their desire to work. On the other hand, a lower level of education will cause access to work to be very limited. Along with the times, women have more significant opportunities to receive higher education and work in the public sector. A study conducted by Ratina (2007) found that the level of schooling partially has a positive effect on the outpouring of working hours. Meanwhile, (Fadah & Yuswanto, 2004) explained that the farther the distance from the workers’ residence to the workplace will lead to more time wasted, decreasing time efficiency, and also the outpouring of working time will decrease.

Furthermore, the results of research by Putri and Lestari (2015) conducted on Javanese married couples showed that (1) husbands and wives share roles in three areas, such as decision-making, family financial management, and child care; (2) the process of implementing these roles is flexible; (3) husbands are more involved in decision-making, while wives focus more on financial management and child care. Efforts to maintain the harmony of the relationship as a couple are still prioritized in the implementation of these roles. The indicators of family commitment are the place of residence, education, and occupation.

Role ambiguity, according to Luthans (2010) occurs when an individual does not get clarity about their work tasks or, more generally, ‘doesn’t know what to do.’ Indicators of role ambiguity are expectations and interpersonal relationships. Welfare is a safe and prosperous condition and protected from various threats and difficulties felt by someone who has done a job in a place or company, according to Heidirahman and Husnan in Chandra (2018). Labor welfare is measured by security and prosperity indicators.

3.1.2. Analysis

This study was explanatory research. The samples were selected using convenience sampling when the female workers attended the International Labor Day commemoration in Semarang City and were willing to be interviewed. The sample was made up of 374 respondents, taken from female workers in Semarang City. The respondents must be married and children. Data were collected by means of questionnaire technique. Participants were approached during the International Labor Day event in Semarang City. Informed consent was obtained, and they were asked to complete the questionnaire, on-site or electronically, based on their preference. Moreover, the measurement scale used a Likert Scale. Meanwhile, data were analyzed using SEM-PLS (Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Square).

The study tested a series of hypotheses based on the role theory framework:

• H1: Dual Role Conflict → Role Ambiguity

• H2: Family Commitment → Role Ambiguity

• H3: Role Ambiguity: → Welfare of Female Workers

• H4: Dual Role Conflict: → Welfare of Female Workers

• H5: Family Commitment → Welfare of Female Workers

The results were interpreted to assess the strength and direction of relationships between variables, with statistical significance evaluated based on p-values and effect sizes.

4. Result and discussion

4.1. Measurement model

The first step in analyzing the data using SEM-PLS is to perform a ‘measurement model.’ The model examines the relationship between the constructs and their indicators (Hair et al., 2009). Testing of the measurement model is conducted to calculate the validity, reliability, and goodness of fit. The validity in this study was measured using factor loading, average variance extracted, and determinant validity. Conditions are considered to have good validity if: (1) the factor loading value is > 0.05 (hair 2010); (2) the value of AVE is > 0.05 (Bagozzi, 1991). Reliability was tested through composite reliability, which must be higher than 0.6 (hair 2010). Tables 1 and 2 illustrate that all the instruments built already have good validity and reliability. In addition, the goodness of fit measurement uses several measurement indicators, including Average Path Coefficient (APC = 0.204; p < 0.001), Average R-Square (ARS = 0.125; p = 0.004), Average Adjusted R-Square (AARS= 0.119; p = 0.005), and Average Block VIF (AFIF = 1.028), Average Full Collinearity VIF (AFVIF = 1.090). These results proved that the research model is fit with the data.

Table 1. Values of loading factor, average of variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability (CR).

Variables & indicators	Loading factor
Dual Role (AVE= 0.546; CR = 0.781)
Time Conflict	0.652
Stain Based Conflict	0.843
Behavior-Based Conflict	0.709
Family Commitment (AVE= 0.572; CR = 0.800)
Residence	0.776
Education	0.741
Occupation	0.752
Role Ambiguity (AVE= 0.604; CR = 0.753)
Hope	0.777
Interpersonal Relationship	0.777
Welfare of Female Workers (AVE= 0.630; CR = 0.773)
Security	0.794
Welfare/prosperity	0.794

Table 2. Discriminant validity.

	Family role	Family commitment	Role ambiguity	The welfare of female workers
Dual Roles	(0.739)	−0.061	0.341	−0.194
Family Commitment	−0.061	(0.756)	−0.067	0.078
Role Ambiguity	0.341	−0.067	(0.777)	−0.113
The welfare of female workers	−0.194	0.078	−0.113	(0.794)

4.1.1. Hypothesis testing

This study proposed 5 hypotheses. All of the hypotheses proposed were accepted. This study found that family role had a positive and significant effect on role ambiguity (β = 0.341; p < 0.001), family commitment had a significant adverse impact on role ambiguity (β= −0.131; p < 0.001), role ambiguity had a significant adverse effect on welfare of female workers (β= -0.140; p = 0.003), the role of family had a significant negative impact on the welfare of female workers (β= −0.175; p < 0.001), and family commitment had a significant positive effect on the welfare of female workers. Table 3 shows the results of hypothesis testing (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Hypothesis test SEM-PLS.

Table 3. Hypothesis testing.

	Effect	Description
H1: Dual Role Conflict→ Role Ambiguity	β = 0.341; p < 0.001	H1 was accepted
H2: Family Commitment → Role Ambiguity	β= −0.131; p < 0.001	H2 was accepted
H3: Role Ambiguity → Welfare of female workers	β= −0.140; p = 0.003	H3 was accepted
H4: Dual Role Conflict Welfare of female workers	β= −0.175; p < 0.001	H4 was accepted
H5: Family Commitment → Welfare of female workers	β = 0.233; p < 0.001	H5 was accepted

4.1.2. Interpretation of findings

Dual Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity (H1): The positive and significant effect (β = 0.341; p < 0.001) of double role conflict on role ambiguity supports the theoretical underpinning of role theory. It suggests that when individuals, especially female workers in Semarang City, experience conflicts between their work and family roles, they are more likely to perceive their job expectations as unclear or ambiguous. This finding underscores the practical challenges individuals face balancing multiple roles and highlights the relevance of role theory in understanding these dynamics. Family Commitment and Role Ambiguity (H2): The negative and significant effect (β= -0.131; p < 0.001) of family commitment on role ambiguity supports the idea that strong adherence to family roles can mitigate the perception of ambiguity in work-related functions. This aligns with role theory, which emphasizes that clear expectations are crucial for individuals to fulfill their roles effectively. It also suggests that individuals prioritizing their family roles may navigate their work roles more clearly and purposefully. Role Ambiguity and Welfare of Female Workers (H3): The negative effect (β= -0.140; p = 0.003) of role ambiguity on the welfare of female workers confirms the adverse consequences of unclear job expectations. This finding resonates with the Job Demands-Resources Model, indicating that role ambiguity is a job demand that can lead to stress and reduced well-being. It underscores the importance of addressing role ambiguity to promote female workers’ welfare and job satisfaction in Semarang City. Dual Role Conflict and Welfare of Female Workers (H4): The negative effect (β= -0.175; p < 0.001) of double role conflict on the welfare of female workers highlights the challenges posed by conflicting work and family responsibilities. This result aligns with the literature on the work-family interface, indicating that conflicts between roles can lead to stress and decreased overall well-being. It emphasizes the need for strategies and support systems that alleviate dual role conflict and enhance the welfare of female workers. Family Commitment and Welfare of Female Workers (H5): The positive effect (β = 0.233; p < 0.001) of family commitment on the welfare of female workers underscores the positive influence of solid family commitments. It aligns with the Conservation of Resources Theory, suggesting that resources gained from solid family ties contribute to individuals’ well-being in various domains, including work. This finding emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting family commitments to enhance female workers’ welfare.

This study found that dual role conflict can increase role ambiguity and reduce the welfare of female workers. It is also supported by the statement of (Farika Nikmah et al., 2021) that married women experience many conflicts in their jobs because other demands must also be considered, namely the mother and wife’s role. In line with research conducted by Ahmad et al. (2021), role conflicts, role ambiguity, and job stress are positively correlated. In addition, it concluded that there is a strong link between role conflict and role ambiguity. Safrizal et al. (2020) stated that work-family conflict can also impact family welfare by negatively impacting marriage, family, and life satisfaction. Women, basically or commonly known, nurture their children at home and care for their husbands. Working women will also act as income earners in the family. This dual role will confuse female workers about their main role. Furthermore, their multiple roles frequently create conflict within the family, particularly when the wife has a higher income than her husband. When women work, all their time will be devoted to work. This will result in a decrease in the welfare. Welfare is not only measured by increasing income; instead, welfare is also measured by a sense of security in the family. Problems regarding work-family conflicts seen in the company include the occurrence of complaints from employees at work and the number of requests from consumers, which causes the employees’ working hours to exceed the procurement often so that there is a lack of rest time for employees at work (Rehman & Waheed, 2012).

Family commitment will be able to reduce role ambiguity as well as increase family welfare. It is supported by the statement (Unguren & Arslan, 2021) that role ambiguity and role conflict negatively affect commitment, engagement, job satisfaction, and employee turnover. Female workers who have a total obligation to the family will have an impact on reducing role ambiguity. This is shown by their preference for family as an essential part of their lives. They work to increase family income.

Nevertheless, if they have to choose between family and work, they will prefer family. It is supported by Ramadoss and Rajadhyaksha (2012) that men reported significantly have more support than women in the areas of supervisor support, coworker support, and extended family support in managing work and family responsibilities. In line with (Campbell et al., 1994), occupational commitment was significantly lower for women with children than for women without. (Bielby, 1992) stated that married working women give precedence to the family in balancing work and family identities. It is also supported by Sutanto, (2000), who says when female workers are parents, either parent can choose the caretaker/nurturer role. This will also have an impact on increasing the family’s welfare. Employees/workers will commit to the company if they have obtained job satisfaction due to fulfilling all their expected goals—the high commitment which the employees/workers can positively affect the business of a company. In addition, the presence of responsibility will make the employees/workers actively support all company activities. Accordingly, this will lead to the employees/workers working more productively. In conclusion, welfare is a safe and prosperous condition protected from various threats and difficulties discerned by someone who has done a job in a place or a company. Likewise, there are multiple forms of this program, such as pension benefits, life insurance, loans, health services, and so on Heidirahman and Husnan in Chandra (2018).

Role ambiguity can decrease family welfare. As stated by Fauziah et al. (2022), the effect of women who play dual roles as housewives and workers can be explained as follows. Women or mothers who work can bring positive and negative impacts on their family life that can be felt by other family members. The positive impact includes the increased family income, the built sense of understanding between family members, and the improved status of the family. The negative impact includes social impact felt strongly by children and their mothers’ reduced affection and attention to their education because their parents have worked out of home and delegated their child’s nurture to other family members or others. Confusion of female workers in their role shall affect the decline in family welfare. Women who cannot determine which to choose between family and work will extremely affect their behavior. Furthermore, such changed behavior shall frequently cause conflict with the husband. This may disrupt the welfare of the family.

5. Conclusion and suggestion

Based on the results and discussion, it is concluded that the family role has a positive and significant effect on role ambiguity (β = 0.341; p < 0.001); empirical evidence supports the conclusion that dual role conflict contributes to increased role ambiguity among female workers in Semarang City. It aligns with established theories such as Role Theory, which suggests that conflicting role demands can lead to confusion and a lack of clarity in understanding job responsibilities. The observed positive relationship between dual role conflict and role ambiguity emphasizes women’s challenges as they navigate multiple roles in both work and family domains. Family commitment significantly affects role ambiguity (β= −0.131; p < 0.001); the findings substantiate the conclusion that a higher level of family commitment is associated with reduced role ambiguity among female workers. It aligns with Social Identity Theory, which posits that strong commitments to social roles provide a clear sense of identity and purpose. The negative relationship between family commitment and role ambiguity underscores the role of personal values and family dedication in providing clarity in work-related functions. While role ambiguity has a significant adverse effect on the welfare of female workers (β= −0.140; p = 0.003), empirical results confirm the conclusion that increased role ambiguity negatively impacts the welfare of female workers in Semarang City. This is consistent with theories like the Job Demands-Resources Model, which emphasizes that ambiguous roles act as job demands that can lead to stress and decreased well-being. The findings support the conclusion that dual role conflict is detrimental to the welfare of female workers. This aligns with research on the Work-Family Interface, which indicates that conflicts between work and family roles can increase stress and reduce overall well-being. The negative impact of dual role conflict on workers’ welfare emphasizes the need for strategies addressing the challenges associated with balancing multiple roles. The observed adverse effect of role ambiguity on workers’ welfare highlights the significance of clear role definitions in fostering job satisfaction and overall psychological and emotional well-being. In addition, the role of the family has a significant adverse effect on the welfare of female workers (β= −0.175; p < 0.001), and family commitment has a significant positive impact on the welfare of female workers. The conclusion drawn from the results is that a higher level of family commitment positively influences the welfare of female workers. This corresponds to theories like the Conservation of Resources Theory, which suggests that the resources gained from solid family bonds can contribute to individuals’ well-being in various domains, including work. The observed positive effect of family commitment on workers’ welfare underscores the interplay between personal values and overall job satisfaction. The role theory approach applied in this study provides valuable insights into the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare in Semarang City. The findings underscore the importance of role clarity, the impact of family commitments, and the challenges of dual role conflict. Addressing these factors can contribute to a more balanced and satisfied workforce, benefiting individuals and the city’s overall productivity and development. The role theory approach applied in this study provides valuable insights into the antecedent factors of role ambiguity and workers’ welfare in Semarang City. The findings underscore the importance of role clarity, the impact of family commitments, and the challenges of dual-role conflict. Addressing these factors can contribute to a more balanced and satisfied workforce, benefiting individuals and the city’s overall productivity and development.

It needs to address the study’s limitations, which was only conducted on female workers who attended the International Labor Day commemoration in Semarang City, and those who were willing to be interviewed. Therefore, based on the research on dual role conflict and role ambiguity, organizations in Semarang City should consider implementing workplace training and support programs. These initiatives can provide employees, especially female workers, with tools to effectively manage the challenges of juggling multiple roles. Offering time management, prioritization, and communication guidance helps alleviate role conflicts and reduce role ambiguity. Recognizing the negative impact of role ambiguity on workers’ welfare, companies should prioritize clear role definitions and effective communication. It may be achieved through regular performance evaluations, one-on-one meetings, and well-structured job descriptions. Clarity in expectations minimizes uncertainty and contributes to employees’ job satisfaction and well-being. Acknowledging the challenges that dual role conflict poses to workers’ welfare, organizations could explore flexible work arrangements. Options such as remote work, flexible hours, or job-sharing arrangements can help employees better balance work and family responsibilities, reducing the strain of dual role conflicts.

Given the positive impact of family commitment, role ambiguity, and workers’ welfare, companies can introduce family-friendly policies. These may include parental leave, childcare support, and family assistance programs. Such policies acknowledge the importance of family commitments and can enhance overall job satisfaction and well-being. Mentorship programs can be established to address the influence of family commitment on workers’ welfare. Experienced employees can serve as role models. They guide their junior workers on effectively managing and balancing work and family responsibilities. This fosters a supportive work environment and promotes the value of family commitments. Given the cultural nuances that influence the work-family balance preference, organizations can conduct diversity training that sensitizes employees to varying cultural norms. This awareness can encourage a more inclusive work atmosphere that respects different values and priorities. In light of the findings on the impact of role ambiguity on workers’ welfare, companies can offer EAPs (employee Assistance Programs) that provide counseling and support for employees dealing with stress and mental health challenges. EAPs contribute to improved well-being and job satisfaction. Building on the connection between family commitment and workers’ welfare, organizations can advocate for supportive policies at the government level. These could include affordable childcare options, flexible parental leave policies, and other measures that acknowledge the importance of family commitments in achieving work-life balance.

For further research, it is recommended to widen the scope of research, and it should be carried out at different times with different research subjects. In addition, it is suggested that other studies addressing this issue should be developed, mainly since some of the situations mentioned could be addressed in more detail, for instance, the indirect effect of role conflict and ambiguity on job satisfaction using other variables such as role stress. The relationship between controller profiles and their direct influence on the creation of role conflict and ambiguity can also be studied.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ari Pradhanawati

Ari Pradhanawati is an associate professor at the Faculty of Social and Political Science Diponegoro University. She was born in Semarang, May 1, 1961. Alumnus of Business Administration FISIP Diponegoro University (1985). She holds a Masters degree in Agribusiness (1990) and Doctor of Social Sciences (1996) from the Postgraduate Program at Padjadjaran University. She has been a FISIP Lecturer at Diponegoro University since 1987. She has been actively in teaching in several Masters Programs since 2000 and Doctoral Programs since 2003 at Diponegoro University. She is actively writes articles in several journals and newspapers. Her focus of the research are Political Education, Democracy, Elections, Regional Elections, Political Economy, Operational Research, The Role of Women Workers, Social Movements of Industrial Workers, and New Paradigms of the Education System. Obtained 6 IPRs/Intellectual Property Rights.

Ricky Santoso Muharam

Ricky Santoso Muharam, Born in Bekasi, September 27, 1986. Bachelor’s Degree Graduate at Yogyakarta State University majoring in Civic and Legal Education, Master Program at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Islamic Law Study Program, Concentration of Political and Government Studies in Islam. He is currently listed as a student in the Social Science Doctoral Program, Political Science Concentration at Diponegoro University, and is currently listed as a lecturer at the Ambarrukmo Tourism College Yogyakarta (STIPRAM).

Mustofa Agung Sardjono

Mustofa Agung Sardjono is a Professor of Social Forestry at Mulawarman University, Samarinda, Indonesia. He was born on February 1959 in Semarang Indonesia. He obtained Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and undergraduate degree from the Faculty of Forestry, Mulawarman University, Indonesia (1981 and 1982); Finished his Doctorate Program (Dr.) from Hamburg University, Germany (1990), and completed his professional engineer (Ir.) in IPB University, Indonesia (2020). In addition, he has been actively involved in teaching and research on forest sociology, and politics. He had experiences as a visiting scholar/professor as well as a guest examiner in different universities/institutes in Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Thailand, and USA.

Chusnu Syarifa Diah Kusuma

Chusnu Syarifa Diah Kusuma, was born in Salatiga on December 3, 1979 and is now lecturer at Yogyakarta State University. Earned bachelor (2007) and master (2012) of business administration from Diponegoro University. She is currently taking doctorate program in business administration Diponegoro University. For the last 8 years since she become lecturer, she has been interested in research and studies in business administration and communication.

Elia Ardyan

Elia Ardyan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics at Satya Wacana Christian University, a Master’s Program in Business Administration and a Program of Philosophy (PhD) in Marketing Management. Currently listed as a lecturer at Ciputra University Surabaya. He has written many articles in several national and international journals.