The Role of Emotional Resilience in Maintaining Work–Life Balance: A Phenomenological Study of Morticians Working in Nairobi City Mortuaries, Kenya

Mortuary attendants work within emotionally demanding environments characterized by continuous exposure to death, grief, trauma, and occupational stress, factors that may compromise psychological well-being and disrupt work–life balance. Despite the essential nature of their role within health systems, limited qualitative research in Kenya has explored how mortuary attendants develop and sustain emotional resilience while navigating these occupational demands. This study explored the role of emotional resilience in maintaining work–life balance among mortuary attendants in Nairobi City, Kenya. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed to examine participants lived experiences. Thirty-four mortuary attendants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that emotional resilience emerged as a dynamic and evolving process shaped by repeated exposure to death, emotional regulation, meaning-making, peer relationships, and adaptive professional identity. Participants described using personal coping mechanisms to manage emotional strain; however, resilience was strengthened or constrained by the availability of institutional support. Limited access to psychological services, inadequate workplace support structures, and persistent occupational pressures negatively influenced participants’ ability to maintain work–life balance. The findings suggest that emotional resilience alone is insufficient to sustain employee well-being in high-emotional-burden environments and that organizational contexts play a critical role in supporting adaptive functioning. This study provides practical insights for strengthening psychosocial support systems within mortuary institutions through counselling services, structured debriefing, resilience-building initiatives, and supportive workplace policies.

emotional resilience; work–life balance; mortuary attendants

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