Specific work-life issues of single and childless female expatriates: An exploratory study in the Swiss context

Work-life balance has been identified as a key challenge in expatriation, which impacts both private and professional spheres. Especially for women, work and private life issues have been found to be particularly exacerbated abroad. Up until today, research on work-life interface in the expatriation context has focused on expatriates relocating with a family. However, single expatriates represent a non-negligible proportion of the expatriate population and their work-life experiences remain largely unexplored. This is especially relevant for female expatriates, since reports and past research showed that they were more often single than their male counterparts and had less often children. In the domestic context, recent studies on work-life interface reveal significant issues that single and childless individuals face in balancing both life spheres. The aim of this qualitative exploratory study is to examine the specific work-life experiences of single and childless female expatriates that are working and living in the French speaking part of Switzerland.