Work-life Balance

Work-life Balance

1. 'the perceived sufficiency of the time available for work and social life'

   • (Gröpel & Kuhl, 2009)    

2. huge increase of research in this area of the last 10 years - why?

   • competitive globalised economy
   • no more jobs for life - job security
   • technology - continuous contact with work
   • change in workforce
     • more female workers
     • dual earner couples
     • single working parents
     • greater potential for conflict between personal and work life

3. impact of work life conflict

   • poor organisational outcomes
     • increased absenteeism, turnover, counterproductive behaviour
     • decline in job satisfaction, performance, commitment, citizenship behaviours
   • OH issues
     • musculoskeletal disorders
     • substance abuse
     • burnout

4. Gender

   • women
     • Ransome (2007)
     • working women do bulk of routine housework in dual earning couples?
     • caring for children and elderly parents - ageing population
   • men
     • breadwinners/providers
       • pressure to succeed in job - stress, burnout

5. theoretical explanations

   • conservation of resources
     • Hobfall (1979) Grandey & Cropanzano (1999)
     • people are drive to obtain and conserve valued resources
       • objects (house, money)
       • personal characteristics (self-esteem)
       • energies required to obtain additional resources (social support)
       • conditions (motherhood)?
     • work life conflict - individual's resources are threatened, depleted or perceived to be depleted
     • lost resources may be compensated for (replacing, reevaluating) or replenishing (family support, flexible work)
   • demand resources model
   • effort recovery model
     • exposure to challenging workload/demands takes effort- affecting body and mind
     • affects not permanently damaging if effort can be suspended - recovery
     • if recovery is hampered and effort continues = work life conflict
   • role conflict theory
   • demand control model

6. organisational responses

   • workplace flexibility
     • Hill et al (2010)
     • increasing employees ability to decide when, where and how to do their job
       • where - telecommuting, virtual office
       • when - flexitime, compressed work week
   • workplace support
     • supportive well trained leaders
     • Employee Assistance Programmes
     • counselling