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Work-Life BalanceWorking GroupNewsletterVolume 5, Spring 2014

Applying the science of psychology to work

Division ofOccupational Psychology


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Anna Allen [email protected]

Deirdre Anderson [email protected]

Alexandra Beauregard [email protected]

Rob Briner [email protected]

Uracha Chatrakul [email protected]

Jurate Cingiene [email protected]

Hannah Courtney Bennett [email protected]

Caroline Gatrell [email protected]

Roxane Gervais [email protected]

Christine Grant [email protected]

Marjolein Hoogebloom [email protected]

Fiona Jones [email protected]

Jurate Kairyte [email protected]

Gail Kinman [email protected]

Suzan Lewis [email protected]

Allison Lindsay [email protected]

Barbara Lond [email protected]

Clare Lyonette [email protected]

Gillian Marks [email protected]

Almuth McDowall [email protected]

Julianne Miles [email protected]

Mustafa Ozbilgin [email protected]

Nicky Payne [email protected]

Cristina Quiones Garca [email protected]

Laura Radcliffe [email protected]

Susie Phillips-Baker [email protected]

Julie Waumsley [email protected]

Stephen Wood [email protected]

Siobhan Wray [email protected]

DOP WLB Working Group Members


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Work-Life Balance Working Group Newsletter, Volume 5, Spring 2014 1

WELCOME to the Spring 2014edition of the Work-Life Balance

Working Groups newsletter. This isthe fifth edition of the newsletter: like itspredecessors, it is packed with interesting

and informative articles and news aboutwork-life balance issues. This edition covers awide range of topics, from the work-lifebalance expectations of Generation Y to

work-life conflict and the Arab Spring. Otherarticles report the activities of members ofthe Working Group. Once again, we had astrong presence in Januarys DOP confer-ence. We organised a well-attended and very

well received workshop on work-life balance

solutions and the need to develop creativeinterventions that address differencesin employment context and individualemployee needs. Several papers on thegeneral theme of work-life balance werepresented by Working Group members andothers. An outline of the workshop and thesepresentations are included in this newsletter.

Last month we were also delighted to beinvited to speak at the prestigious Healthand Well-being at Work event at the NEC inBirmingham. Although this event has beenrunning for several years, work-life balanceissues have not been prominently featured.

As the event attracts thousands of occupa-tional health and human resources profes-sionals, our message on the implications of apoor work-life balance and ways in which itcan be improved will have reached manyorganisations in the public and privatesector. An interesting comment from theaudience was How come at the plannedextension to the right to request flexible

working has not received more media

coverage?. This is a very good point! It isone of the core missions of our WorkingGroup to ensure that work-life balance is atopic for absolutely everyone, regardless offamily or caring responsibilities.

Several other events are planned in thesummer. Firstly, the DOP is sponsoring twosymposia at the European Academy of Occu-pational Health Psychologys conference inLondon in April. The Health and Well-being

Working Group has organised a symposium.The five papers included in the symposiumpresented by members of the Work-LifeBalance Working Group consider key factorsregarding diversity in employment contexts,

employees life circumstances, and theirboundary management preferences andstrategies. This symposium also explores thestrategies that are likely to lead to work/non-

work enhancement and enrichment as wellas conflict. The Working Group will also becontributing a symposium to the Work-Family Network conference in New York in

June. This session will comprise four papersthat explore the use of novel frameworks inthe work-family context.

Almuth spoke on work-life balance at thePsychology 4 Students event in 2013; a sell-out event organised by the British Psycho-logical Society, and was fascinated by howmuch the topic resonates with a younggeneration, who clearly have the issue at theforefront when making career and indeededucation decisions. She was also invited tospeak at the University of Surreys BusinessSchool for its Women in Business Series.This was attended by a wide audience ofalumni and employees and leaders fromnearby organisations. Feedback was enor-

Message from theCo-Chairs

Almuth McDowall & Gail Kinman

Almuth McDowall Gail Kinman


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mously positive and indicated a real appetitefor using psychology to assist individuals andorganisations in managing balance better.Gail was invited to the University of Edin-burghs Business School to speak on the

topic; both chairs very much appreciate theopportunity to spread the word about ourimportant topic. As we said in one of our firstmeetings, we will know that we have done agood job with the working group if work-lifebalance is integral to everything we do.

Well, that is our news we would like tohear about yours. This is your newsletter andit is a great opportunity for you to keep yourfellow researchers and practitioners

informed about your activities in the field of

work-life balance. Please get in touch withRoxane or Barbara if you would like to makea contribution. We also encourage you to letus know about any forthcoming presenta-tions, publications and press coverage in

relation to the topic. Together we can high-light the strong contribution made bypsychology in helping organisations andemployees manage the work-home interfacemore effectively, with clear benefits for all.

Dr. Almuth McDowall

Email: [email protected]

Professor Gail Kinman


2 Work-Life Balance Working Group Newsletter, Volume 5, Spring 2014

Almuth McDowall & Gail Kinman

THE DOP 2014 CONFERENCE LOCATION BRIGHTON


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WORK-LIFE BALANCE has manyfacets and this newsletter providesthe opportunity to illustrate these.

In this respect, this volume explores work-life balance among different generations.

Several papers illustrate how the generationsapproach work-life balance, from the Millen-nials in Finland to the differences in theunderstating of the concept between Gen Xand Gen Y. We hope that these varied inter-pretations of the term will resonate with yourgeneration and allow you to compare your

version of work-life balance with perhapscolleagues or friends.

Of course, work-life balance made

another good impression at the DOPs 2014conference, allowing us to present overviewsof these papers and of a workshop onmanaging work-life balance. Our global

perspective in this edition is very topical andpresents research from Lebanon, specificallylooking at work-life conflict and the ArabSpring. We hope you find this of interest, foras we know, more research is needed from

other countries to present the non-Westernperspective of psychology and of course of

work-life balance.Please remember, we would love to hear

from you so get in touch with us at the emailaddresses listed. The Working Group has atwitter feed and you can follow us there:@DOPworklife

Dr Roxane L. Gervais


Dr Barbara Lond


Message from theNewsletter Editors

Roxane L. Gervais & Barbara Lond

Roxane L. Gervais Barbara Lond


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THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES addressthe theme of this newsletter, which isexploring the differences (do any

exist?) of work-life balance among the fourgenerations that could be present withintodays workforce: the traditionalists, thoseborn within the period 1925 to 1945; BabyBoomers, those born between 1946 to 1960;

Generation X, those born between 1961 to1980, and Millennials, those born since 1981(Patterson, 2005). Within the literature,Millennials are known also as Generation Y(Birkman International, no date). In addi-tion, Generation Z, identified as those bornfrom the early 2000s onwards (Dowd-Higgins, 2013), is another group that willenter the workforce soon. As the years fordefining the various generations have not

been synchronised to date, the articles willdiffer by one or two years, when discussingthe groups.

The interest in how the generationsrespond to various work characteristics and

values have grown over the past few decades.One of the perceptions of the differencesbetween the generations can be encapsu-lated in the following hypothesisedapproaches to work and life of these groups(ValueOptions, no date):

Traditional Generation:

These are the rules.

Baby Boomer Generation:

Lets talk about the rules.

Generation X:

Break all the rules.

Generation Y:

Redefine the rules.

The changing structure of the populationand the various economic crises are two ofthe factors that have shifted who, in terms ofage, is in the current workforce. Individualsare required to work longer than they mighthave anticipated, and will be working withcolleagues across various age groups. Thesedifferent age groups are influenced very

much by cultural and social events, forexample, Baby Boomers and the manychanges at the end of the World War II, as

well as the Vietnam War; while the Millen-nials have benefitted from the advent of theinternet and the constant improvements intechnology. While work-life balance is valuedby workers in general, these articles willallow you to compare the differences andsimilarities between the generations in

respect of work-life balance.

ReferencesBirkman International (no date). How do generational

differences impact organisations and teams? Part 1.

Birkman International. Retrieved 3 November2011, from:http://www.birkman.com/news/BMI_GenerationsPart1.pdf

Dowd-Higgins, C. (2013). How to play together in themulti-generational sandbox at work. TheHuffington Post.com. Retrieved 26 May 2013, from:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caroline-dowdhiggins/how-to-play-together-in-t_b_2989568.html

Patterson, C. (2005). Generational diversity: Implicationsfor consultation and teamwork. Paper presented atthe Meeting of the Council of Directors of SchoolPsychology Programs on generational differences,January 2009, Deerfield Beach, Fla.

ValueOptions (no date). Workplace influence. Retrieved18 March 2014, from:http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/workplace.htm


Featured articles

Balancing work with life:Does generation matter?


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ORN BETWEEN 19781995 (Smola &Sutton, 2002), Millennials, or Genera-tion Y, represent a quarter of the

worlds population and will dominate theworkforce in the next decade (Erickson,

2008). Thus, Millennials have gainedinterest for research and scholars are keenon examining their expectations and prefer-ences concerning working life. There hasbeen some debate on whether the Millen-nials differ from other generations, namelyBaby Boomers (born between 19461964)and Generation X (19651977). The view isnot totally unanimous (e.g. Ciancola, 2008),even though Solnet and Hood (2008) found

considerable differences between Millen-nials and other generations.Nevertheless, there are certain features,

which have been discussed to be character-istic of Millennials in the work context,for example: Technology: they are familiar with

technology and are able to communicate(online) in several different ways (Smith,2010; Welsh & Brazina, 2010);

Meaningful work (Rawlins et al., 2008)and job content (De Hau & De Vos,2010);

Work-life balance (WLB; Cennamo &Gardner, 2008; Smith, 2010);

Social relationships: they enjoy socialconnection, cooperation, and working inteams (Cennamo & Gardner 2008;

Jamrog, 2002; Wong et al., 2008), andthey value a work community that isnurturing and supporting (Solnet &Hood, 2008).

In this article, I will briefly present the find-ings obtained in a study that examined

Millenials descriptions ofmotivation. The data

were collected using themethod of empathy-based stories (MEBS) in

2012. MEBS utilisesvarying backgroundstories, where usually onefactor varies between thestories (Eskola, 1991.)Thus, as a result, the informants providestories on the matter.

In this particular study, the informantswere given two stories: the first onedescribed a situation where a person comes

home from work feeling enthusiastic andmotivated; in the second one he felt demoti-vated and bored with his job. After both ofthe stories they were presented a question:

why does he feel like this? The idea of MEBSis that it does not limit individuals ownthinking, and referring to a third personmakes it easier to approach the question.Nevertheless, it is expected that they willreflect still on their own values, expectations,preferences and experiences (Eskola, 1991).

Altogether 252 Millennials answered thequestions. They were reached through Face-book using a snowball method. Even thoughMillennials have been examined to value

WLB (e.g. Smith, 2010), the results weresomewhat surprising. One of the mainthemes that arose from the data was WLB.The informants wrote a great deal about

WLB and their private life, and their impacton motivation. WLB was mentioned equallyboth in positive and negative stories. Thus, itseems that WLB can both increase, as well asdecrease, the level of motivation.

Featured article

Work-Life Balance:Descriptions from Finnish Millennial

Susanna Kultalahti

Susanna Kultalahti

B


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When writing about WLB, the Millennialstouched different aspects of it. In the posi-tive stories, where the person in the story wasdescribed as motivated, they mentioned thatthe person has sufficient challenges at work,

but he has also time to recover from the dayat work: he has had time to exercise; the

work does not drain him; he has had time forhis family and friends and that he does nothave to think about work in his free time. Inaddition, the informants wrote that every-thing has to be okay at home in order forhim to feel motivated: If things are fine athome and he is happy, it will also be easier togo to work in the mornings. There were

quite a few references to his family as welland his personal relationships. Even thoughthe background story did not say anythingabout him having children, some of theinformants had mentioned kids too, and thatthere is enough time to play with them.

These issues were sometimes related toflexible work arrangements concerning timeand place. The person in the story wasdescribed to be able to choose where and

when he worked, and that the workplaceencouraged and supported an investment inWLB. Thus, it seems that Millennials mightexpect that their employers promote WLBand make it possible for their employees tocombine a satisfying life in and off work.

When it comes to demotivation, theinformants discussed the same themes as inpositive stories. However, there were slightlymore emphasis on health issues, such asbeing physically in a bad condition becauseof not having enough time or energy to exer-cise. Additionally, there were mentions ofburnout, depression, and sick leave as well.

When it came to his private life, there wereseveral remarks on family. If the work wasdescribed as too stressing or consuming andthe person did not have time to play with hiskids or see them growing, or spend time withhis wife/girlfriend, that resulted in demoti-

vation at work. Interestingly, the participantssurprisingly mentioned quite a lot that theconditions at home had a serious effect onmotivation at work. This is both interesting

and challenging, as the employer or even theclosest supervisor has no effect on thepersonal relationships.

Nevertheless, most of these situationswere due to inflexible or too a demanding

job, or a supervisor who does not care aboutthe subordinates and their needs. As a matterof fact, the informants themselves offeredsome solutions. They mentioned that theperson should be taken as a whole; sinceones private life has an inevitable effect onhow the person feels as work. This might indi-cate that for Millennials, the work is not theonly thing that defines them. This might bedue to experiences in childhood and early

adulthood, when generational characteristicsare shaped, which then are represented in

values, expectations and perceptions (e.g.Kupperschmidt, 2000; Parry & Urwin, 2011).Millennials have witnessed shattering lifeevents, such as acts of terrorism, schoolshootings and natural disasters they havegrown up in a world, where life can endunexpectedly. Thus, they want to have moreto their lives than just work, and family,

friends, and hobbies are important (Macky etal., 2008; Welsh & Brazina, 2010). This mighthave a direct impact on valuing WLB morethan previous generations.

Inevitably, the preference of combiningwork and other aspects of life in a way thatsatisfies Millennials can be challenging inthe workplaces. The new normal might beflexible work arrangements and emphasis onsupervisory work. The Millennials are notafraid of their supervisor having a close rela-tionship with them (Jamrog, 2002). Instead,they want to be seen as a whole, and that they

would be provided enough flexibility inorder to balance their lives.

Millennials seem to work to live.However, the working life is used to BabyBoomers who live to work instead (Smola &Sutton, 2002). Thus, it might not be over-estimated that Generation Y is changing the

working life as we know it. At least they donot want to be taken for granted, as they

want to enjoy life outside of work as well -and we have to deal with that.


Susanna Kultalahti


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The AuthorSusanna Kultalahti, MSc.

PhD Student, Researcher,Department of Management,University of Vaasa,

P.O. Box 700,65101 Vaasa, FinlandEmail: [email protected]


Work-Life Balance: Descriptions from Finnish Millennial

Cennamo, L. & Gardner, D. (2008). Generationdifferences in work values, outcomes and person-organisation values fit. Journal of ManagerialPsychology, 23(8), 891906.

Ciancola, F. (2008). Should generation profilesinfluence rewards strategy?Employee Relations Law

Journal, 34(1), 5668.De Hau, S. & De Vos, A. (2010). Millenials career

perspective and psychological contract expecta-tions: Does the recession lead to loweredexpectations? Journal of Business Psychology, 25,293302.

Erickson, T. (2008). Plugged in: The Generation Y guideto thriving at work. Boston, MA: Harvard BusinessPress.

Eskola, J. (1991). Elytymismenetelmn kyttsosiaalitutkimuksessa. Working reports B:35. Finland:University of Tampere, Department of Sociology

and Social Psychology.Jamrog, J.J. (2002). The coming decade of theemployee. In William G. Stopper (Ed.), HumanResource Planning, 25(3), 511.

Kupperschmidt, B.R. (2000). Multigenerationemployees: Strategies for effective management,The Health Care Manager, 19(1), 6576.

Macky, K., Gardner, D. & Forsyth, S. (2008).Generational differences at work: Introductionand overview. Journal of Managerial Psychology,23(8), 857861.

Parry, E. & Urwin, P. (2011). Generational differencesin work values: A review of theory and evidence.International Journal of Management Reviews, 13,7996.

Rawlins, C., Indvik, J. & Johnson, P.R. (2008).Understanding the new generation: What the

Millenials cohort absolutely, positively must haveat work. Journal of Organizational Culture,Communication and Conflict, 12(2), 18.

Smith, K.T. (2010). Work-life balance perspectivesof marketing professionals in Generation Y.Services Marketing Quarterly, 31, 434447.

Smola, K.W. & Sutton, C.D. (2002). Generationaldifferences: Revisiting generational work valuesfor the new millennium.Journal of OrganizationalBehavior, 23, 363382.

Solnet, D. & Hood, A. (2008). Generation Y ashospitality employees: Framing a research agenda.

Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 5(4),5968.Welsh, M.J. & Brazina, P.R. (2010). Gen Y anatomy

lesson: Theyre not alien, just different.Pennsylvania CPA Journal, 81(3), 15.

Wong, M., Gardiner, E., Lang, W. & Coulon, L. (2008).Generational differences in personality andmotivation. Do they exist and what are theimplications for the workplace? Journal ofManagerial Psychology, 23(8), 878890.

References


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THE CHALLENGES across the devel-oped world for the Generation Y(Gen Y) those aged 18 to 30 have led

to a series of periodic research reports beingundertaken into the expectations and

behaviours of Gen Y at Ashridge BusinessSchool by Carina Paine Schofield, aResearch Fellow, and Sue Honor, inde-pendent research consultant.

The most recent of these was GreatExpectations Managing Generation Y,published in 2012 where 3000 managers andgraduates were interviewed. Subsequently,further reports and comments have beenpublished in the UK and internationally.

The research explores the background toGen Y who has grown up in an environmentunlike any before. They have been raised ina world of technology and have been moreeducated than any previous generation. Assuch they come to the workplace withdifferent wants and needs than their prede-cessors: different things motivate and drivetheir lives and their careers.

All of the research goes beyond mediahype, existing assumptions and stereotypesand looks at any differences between genera-tions in depth. It investigated: Is Gen Y actu-ally different? What has made them the waythey are? What do they want from work? AreGen Y living up to workplace demands?

What are the appropriate ways of workingand learning with this Generation?

So what do Gen Y really want from anemployer? Money is important, but it is notthe biggest motivator. Unlike the genera-tions before them, Gen Y work to live ratherthan live to work. Money and work are not

what it is all about. For Gen Y it is more

about the lifestyle agood work-life balance,flexible working, feeling

valued, and adding value these elements create

the strongest psycho-logical contract with anorganisation.

It is the demand forwork-life balance that isessential for this genera-tion. Not only does itallow them to pursue theactivities they enjoyoutside of the workplace,

it offers flexibility indefining who they arewithin their job. It is afactor in motivating thisage group to get the mostfrom them in helping toensure their strengths become a benefit tothe company. By providing that professionalsatisfaction and personal freedom it can helpan organisation to retain the best people.

This age group expects more from anemployer, and is more demanding thanprevious generations. And if they dont get

what they want, they will move on. Also theworld of work is changing; long gone is thelifetime career. Whereas older generations

worked first, then explored in retirement,Gen Y will be working longer and so want toexplore the world of work first. They aremore interested in spending their 20s exper-imenting and changing jobs often, buildinga portfolio career: 30 is the new 20.


Featured article

Gen Y research emphasiseswork-life balance

Carina Paine Schofield & Sue Honor

CarinaPaine Schofield

Sue Honor


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Gen Y welcomes the opportunity tochallenge outdated ways of working that areentrenched in the organisational culture.They love to be incentivised to work withemployers, to reshape job roles so that they

are more effective and bring that crucialwork-life balance. Organisations need toensure there are opportunities to voiceideas, plans and concerns. And, crucially,ensure the development of good listeningskills and feedback sharing between all agegroups. The strongest psychological contractcan be developed through an open doorculture, where Gen Y can feel empowered.Organisations can offer job swaps, away days

in different departments, experience-sharing events, multi-generational projectteams, and providing challenging work withscaffolding support.

Managers may bemoan at times theyoung upstarts, but these are the leaders andmanagers of tomorrow (or in some cases oftoday). They are the ones who will providethe strength of our businesses and organisa-tions to fund the large numbers of people

aged 65+ that shift into retirement, particu-larly in the coming decade.One comment in HR Magazinesuggested

that Gen Y are more likely to stay in a job ifthey feel supported and appreciated, arepart of a cohesive team, and have greaterflexibility over where and how much they

work. The writer maintained that businesshas now got to change to suit Gen Y, ratherthan Gen Y fit in with the needs of businessand industry.

Importance of work-life balance toGen YThe Ashridge research highlighted that

work-life balance is among the top five thingsGen Y want. Their needs were in sequence:1. Challenging/Interesting work;2. High salary;3. Career advancement;4. Job security;5. Good work-life balance.

They want to have plenty of time outsidework combined with rapid career progres-sion Gen Y wants to progress, but dont

want managers jobs (they see them as burntout, with excessive stress). Members of Gen Y

have different priorities. They do not live towork. Despite their high career expectationsand ambitions, graduates do not buy in to along-hours culture in the same way theirmanagers do.

What the research does not explore is theactual importance of work-life balance itselfto the question of health and well-being.

Working long, intensive hours is no good foranyone and can have a detrimental effect on

the workforce with absence through stress-related illness and other ailments or issuescaused by a lack of a balanced life.

What do the managers think?Work-life balance isnt a factor confinedhowever to Gen Y. Senior managers could beat a stage in their lives where they feel that

work is becoming too dominant. Althoughhighly committed to their jobs, they too want

more of a balance. Certainly these commentsarose in our interviews. Gen Y particularlynoticed that their managers were always onthe phone, day and night and HR Directorscommented on the high level of over-50ssuffering from stress.

Work-life balance scores highly in whatmanagers want for themselves at work, whichit may not have happened 15 to 20 years agoand which demonstrates a potential shift of

values in todays hectic 24x7 work environ-ment.

While Gen Y wants work-life balance, domanagers really know how much Gen Y

values this facet? We found Gen Y and their(typically Gen X) managers both value their

work-life balance, but managers underesti-mate its importance to Gen Y. Managersrated it as 10th most important in the lives oftheir Gen Y employees, while Gen Y them-selves put it in fifth place.


Gen Y research emphasises work-life balance


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To support these points, here are somekey statistics: 63 per cent of older managers take work

home at least once or twice a week,compared to 38 per cent of Gen Y.

A quarter of Gen Y never take workhome, compared to just six per cent oftheir managers.

19 per cent of Gen Y never switch on towork outside of the workplace, comparedto four per cent of their managers.

39 per cent of Gen Y do personalactivities at work at least once or twice a

week, compared to 25 per cent of theirmanagers.

Its not just Gen Y everyone wantswork-life balanceResearch found that the preference forstrong work-life balance applies around the

world, with it scoring highly across all gener-ations.

Work-life balance has become MOREimportant for workers of all ages. Gen Y doesnot want to end up as the burnt-out senior

managers they see today, and organisationleaders and HR executives are noticing thatthere needs to be a different work model.

Office location does not necessarilyretain the workforce. Technology is trans-forming every generation at work sooffering the scope to work remotely or fromhome, possibly allowing the ability to carefor family or friends or multi-task in other

ways. Physical location becomes anotherimportant work-life balance factor.

What are organisations doing? Many nowaccommodate telecommuting, some provideremote offices with hotel chains and WiFilocations and teleconference facilities fromsimple tools such as Skype to complex

internal networks for international business.When it comes down to it, ALL genera-

tions value work-life balance and in todaysworld it is MORE important than ever beforefor workers of all ages.

The AuthorsCarina Paine Schofield

Research Fellow,Ashridge Business School,

Ashridge,Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 1NS

Sue Honor

Ashridge Associate and IndependentResearch Consultant,

Ashridge Business School,Ashridge,Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 1NS


Carina Paine Schofield & Sue Honor


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ROM 30 JUNE 2014, the statutory rightto request flexible working will beextended to all employees in Britain.

The Coalition Government argues that thiswill enable a cultural change in the way menand women are viewed in the workplace.It places a statutory duty for employers toconsider all applications regardless of

whether or not they currently have caringresponsibilities. Although the right torequest is a light-touch approach, the exten-sion is a shift in public policy that goes some

way to challenge the outdated but persisting

assumption that work-life balance issues onlyapply to a certain group of people, that is,working parents (usually working mothers)and carers.

For the past 10 years, I have been advo-cating that research and policies need to gobeyond confining our understanding of

work-life balance experiences to workingparents, who represent one of many demo-graphic cohorts of the workforce. This is whypolicy changes such as the extension of theright to request is positive and exciting to meand why I am delighted to contribute a pieceto this issue on the theme of multi-genera-tional perceptions of work-life balance.

I conducted a qualitative study on youngadults in Britain, born between 1975 and1982. I explored how the young adultsconceptualised the notion of work-lifebalance at a point of transition in their lives,that is, just as they were about to leaveuniversity and enter full-time paid employ-ment. I conducted interviews and focusgroups with two groups of young women and

men: those who wereborn and brought up inBritain and those who

were born and broughtup in an Asian countryand were studying fortheir degree in Britain.Given the strong Anglo-

American origins of theconcept and mainstreamtheories of work-lifebalance, I wanted to understand howcultural norms shaped the way young adults

talked about work-life balance and the kindof work-life balance support (policy andpractice) they expected to receive once they

were in work.By focusing on a specific age group (the

participants were aged between 21 and 28 atthe time of the study), it can be argued thatI adopted a generational approach to thestudy. In the early stages of the research,I was buying into the Baby Boomer vs.Gen X/Gen Y rhetoric of generationaldifferences at work. The assumption under-pinning this popular, but largely uncriticalapproach is that Baby Boomers tend to bemore work-centric, whereas Gen X andGen Y are more dual-centric or family-centric (Families and Work Institute, 2004).

As I progressed in the research andembarked on the analysis of the youngadults accounts, I realised that despite itspopularity, this explanation was insufficientand simplistic.

In a critical review of generational differ-ences in work values (of which work-life


Featured article

Focusing on transitions inmulti-generational work-life balance

researchUracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya

F

Uracha ChatrakulNa Ayudhya


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balance tends to crop up as a key work valueamong Gen X and Gen Y), Parry andUrwin (2011, p.79) argued that while this isa popular practitioner idea the academicempirical evidence for generational differ-

ences in work values, is, at best, mixed. Twokey problems were identified. Firstly, thenotion of generations has a strong basis insociological theory, much of which haslargely been ignored by adopters of thegenerational difference approach. As aconstruct, it tends to be used interchange-ably with age and birth cohort, which arerelated but distinct to generation. Theeffects of age and birth cohort are subject to

change over time and experience, whereasgenerational effects are more stable. Inother words, it is more than being about

when a person was born. It represents aunique type of social location based on thedynamic interplay between being born in aparticular year and the socio-political eventsthat occur throughout the life course of thebirth cohort, particularly while the cohortcomes of age (McMullin et al., 2007,

pp.299300). Secondly, generational differ-ence studies tend to be cross-sectional indesign. This (implicitly) assumes that thereis homogeneity within generational group-ings and effectively ignores important socialdemographic differences, such as gender,ethnicity, and also cultural and nationalcontexts.

Therefore, instead of drawing on agenerational approach to make sense of mydata on young adults, I turned to a lifecourse approach. Life course researchstudies peoples individual lives (theirtrajectories and experiences) within a frame-

work of reference to structural contexts andsocial change, paying explicit attention tothe powerful connection between individuallives and the historical and socio-economiccontext in which lives unfold (Chatrakul Na

Ayudhya, Smithson & Lewis, 2014). Theapproach acknowledges the distinctionbetween generations and birth cohorts andthe young adults in my study belonged to aparticular birth cohort at the time of the

study. The concept of transitions is key in alife course approach and in particular, it wasthe transition from being university studentsto full-time workers in Britain that helped tocontextualise the participants talk of work-

life balance at that point in time.A key finding from the research revealed

that the notion of individual choicestrongly underpins young adults conceptu-alisation of work-life balance and expecta-tions of work-life balance support. While

young British and Asian adults largelyconsidered it to be as a matter of individualchoice, there were variations in their prefer-ences for how to prioritise their impending

employment and personal lives. Fouremerging patterns of work-life balanceorientation preferences were found:balancer, careerist, career-sacrificer, andintegrator (Chatrakul Na Ayudhya & Lewis,2011). This provides support for the argu-ment that the work-life balance perceptionsof young adults, who would belong to the so-called Gen Y generation, cannot be gener-alised and simplified as being either

work-centric or life-centric. Indeed, thepicture is a lot more complex given thediversity within this group of young adults.

Another key finding was that the notionof individual choice impacted on the youngadults expectations of employer and govern-ment work-life balance support, where themajority had a low sense of entitlement tosuch support. Although most participantsdemonstrated an awareness of the businesscase for employers to adopt work-lifebalance initiatives, the majority questionedtheir effectiveness. Interestingly, thereappeared to be a stronger sense of entitle-ment to individual choice, as indicated bytheir discussions of not wanting external

work-life balance support to be imposed onthem, for fear that employers would end updictating how they should manage their

work-life balance. In terms of governmentwork-life balance support, the participantsfelt disconnected to what the governmentcould do for them as young adults. Themajority were unaware of specific public


Uracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya


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policies related to work-life balance and thiswas the case for both the British and Asianyoung adults. Given that most of the existingorganisational and public policies on work-life balance were focused on working parents

at the time of the research, it becomes clearwhy this low sense of entitlement to externalsupport existed among the young adults.

My study acknowledges the transientnature of the young adults conceptualisa-tion of work-life balance. By using a lifecourse approach instead of a generationalapproach, I have been able to take intoaccount how past transitions have shapedthe way work-life balance was discussed by

the young adults and how anticipated futuretransitions were expected by the youngadults to change their needs and, therefore,expectations of employer and governmentsupport.

Studies that have looked for generationaldifferences in work values are useful in high-lighting the issue of diversity in work-lifebalance needs of workers of different agegroups. In part, they have enabled

researchers like me to conduct work-lifebalance studies with people who are not(yet) working parents. It is important,however, to recognise that in existing gener-ational difference studies, the diversity

within a generation group becomes lost inthe search for differences between agegroups. Instead of looking for generationaldifferences (or age-related differences),

which can be divisive, I believe it is moreuseful to look at the issue of multi-genera-tions in a broader way. As I have shown in mystudy, transitions, rather than age or birth

year, shape conceptualisations, perceptions,and expectations of work-life balance.

A processual approach such as a life courseapproach is better for studying variations in

work-life balance perceptions and for under-standing why existing policies work or fail ineliciting the intended change in socialnorms and in behaviours at the individual-,familial-, organisational- and societal-levels.

The AuthorDr Uracha Chatrakul Na Ayudhya

Senior Lecturer,Middlesex University Business School,London.


ReferencesChatrakul Na Ayudhya, U. & Lewis, S. (2011). From

Balancers to Integrators? Young professionalstalk about work and life in the UK. In S. Kaiser,M. Ringlstetter, M. Pina e Cunha & D.R. Eikhof(Eds.), Creating balance? International perspectives onthe work-life integration of professionals (pp.4764).Berlin: Springer Science.

Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, U., Smithson, J. & Lewis, S.(2014, in press). Focus group methodology in a

life course approach individual accounts withina peer cohort group. International Journal of SocialResearch Methodology.

Families and Work Institute (2004). Generation andgender in the workplace. New York: Families andWork Institute.

McMullin, J., Comeau, T. & Jovic, W. (2007).Generational affinities and discourses ofdifference: A case study of highly skilledinformation technology workers. British Journal ofSociology, 58(2), 297316.

Parry, E. & Urwin, P. (2011). Generational differences

in work values: A review of theory and evidence.International Journal of Management Reviews, 13,7996.


Focusing on transitions in multi-generational work-life balance research


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WORK-LIFE BALANCE is a term thatallows workers to define thoseaspects of work and of life to which

they give more importance. The term isconsistent, but with the changes in the demo-

graphics of the working population, due tolow to stagnant fertility rates, and an agingpopulation, different age groups withinorganisations may approach it differently.The organisational landscape could include

workers in their teenage years to those closeto retiring who are in their 60s. However,intense and continuous advances in tech-nology and their subsequent impact on theorganisation have shown that social differ-

ences remain among different groups ofworkers according to their age groups. Thispresent article explores the literature inrespect of work-life balance between twogroups of workers that have defined the

working landscape for the last 40 years, BabyBoomers (Boomers) and Generation X (GenX), and in addition presents initial findingsof work conditions between the groups.

Boomers have been described as startingthe workaholism trend as they saw this way of

working as necessary to advance to the nextlevel in their jobs (The National Oceano-graphic and Atmospheric Association Officeof Diversity, 2006). The generation to followthe Boomers, those classified as Gen X, havebeen influenced on the other hand, by finan-cial, familial and societal insecurity, due to thecorporate downsizing, stagnant job market,limited wage mobility of the 1970s and 1980s,as well as seeing their parents losing jobs dueto those workplace conditions (Tolbize,2008). Some of these factors may havecontributed to this generation being more

likely than Boomers todisconnect from thepsychological contract.Rousseau (1995) notedthat the psychological

contact constitutes theunderlying relationship

within organisations thatsupports the existence ofcommitment, loyalty andtrust. This relationship in turn allows for thedevelopment of smooth working arrange-ments in organisations. It could be hypo-thesised that the listed approaches to work byboth these groups could impact adversely on

their work-life balance.It has been suggested that Boomers havesacrificed personal life for work, whileGen X values work/life balance (Tolbize,2008). However, the research is not consis-tent as it has been mentioned as well thatboth Boomers and Gen X would struggle tobalance work with life (ValueOptions, nd).

Another study has shown that Boomers aremore likely to experience work-life conflictthan Gen Xers (in respect of work inter-fering with family (WIF) and family inter-fering with work (FIW)); the groups did notdiffer significantly on work-family synergy(the multiple role participation from workand family that benefits the individual, thefamily and quality of life; Beutell & Wittig-Berman, 2008). The study found also thatFIW increased for both groups across thetwo waves of the study, the five-year periodfrom 1997 to 2002; while both groupsincreased their work-family synergy scoresfrom 1997 when these were compared tothose in 2002.


Featured article

Baby Boomers, Generation X and theirwork-life balance: A review

Roxane l. Gervais

Roxane L. Gervais


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Boomers have been found also to haveless work-life balance than Gen Xers, whichmight be linked to the many conflicts intheir lives driven by their workaholic prac-tices and having to take care of ageing

parents (Regus, 2013).One study conducted by the researcher

of this present article did not find significantdifferences in respect of work-life balance

work-related factors for these two groups(N=632). These included assessing theirscores on the following variables: Work-family culture (Thompson et al.,

1999), which includes items, such as, inthis organisation, employees can easily

balance their work and family lives(t[453]=.36,p=.72).

Satisfaction with life (Diener et al., 1985),with items such as, in most ways, my life isclose to ideal (t[422]=.88,p=.38).

Health One item Compared to otherwomen of your age, how would you rateyour usual state of health? (t[411]=.14,p=.89).

Self-efficacy (Schwarzer & Jerusalem,

1995), with items including, I can remaincalm when facing difficulties because Ican rely on my coping abilities(t[458]=.42,p=.67).

Despite these inconsistencies, one of themore accepted factors that affects the work-life balance of both the Boomers and Gen Xis that they tend to constitute the sandwichgeneration, that is, those individuals who areresponsible for both child care and eldercare, and are, therefore, sandwichedbetween two generations. One Canadianstudy of employees (Duxbury & Higgins,2012) showed that of the 25,021 respon-dents: Most of the respondents (60 per cent)

had some aspect of multigenerationalcaring responsibilities.

Slightly more employed women (20 percent) than men (17 per cent) made upthe sandwich generation.

Women tended to take on more high-energy roles than men.

More than one-third of the respondents(40 per cent) reported high levels ofboth work and home overload. Similar numbers reported high levels

of work role overload (32 per cent)

and being overloaded at home (26per cent).

Employees overloaded by work, wereless likely to agree to a promotion, toattend training that is relevant totheir career, and more likely to cutcorners at work.

Those in the sandwich group were morelikely than those who were only takingcare of elders to turn down a promotion

and to be absent more often from work,regardless of gender due to theirchallenges with caregiving.

Most of the respondents (60 per cent)spent more than 45 hours per week inpaid employment.

Over 50 per cent of the employees tookwork home to complete in the eveningand on weekends.

Close to two-thirds (63 per cent) of

caregivers highlighted the emotionalconsequences of their dual roles, such asstress, anxiety and frustration. This rate

was higher for those in the sandwichgeneration (70 per cent) and lower forthose involved in elder care only (46 percent).

The caring role that has emerged for manyindividuals over the past few decades empha-sises the need to continue to include thenon-work aspect of work-life balance/conflict when conducting studies (Sturges &Guest, 2004). In the context of gaining amore robust understanding of the concernsof Boomers and Gen X, this element is essen-tial due to the increasing demands of theirtime as part of the sandwich generation.

Unfortunately, the literature is sparse inrespect of accessing the work-life balance/conflict of these two generations. There is agreater focus in respect of this issue forGeneration Y. However, as employees arerequired to work for longer periods thanbefore due to weak economies and the


Baby Boomers, Generation X and their work-life balance: A review


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increase in retirement age, it is important toencourage research for these two groups tounderstand those aspects of work that couldencourage and support workers within the

work environment.

The AuthorDr. Roxane L. Gervais

Occupational PsychologistEmail: [email protected]


Roxane l. Gervais

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)(2001). In the middle: A report on multi-culturalboomers coping with family and aging issues.

Washington, DC: AARP. Retrieved 18 March 2014,from:http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/in_the_middle.pdf

Beutell, N.J. & Wittig-Berman U. (2008). Work-familyconflict and work-family synergy for GenerationX, baby boomers, and matures. Generational

differences, predictors, and satisfaction outcomes.Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23(5), 507523.

Diener, E., Emmons, R., Larsen, J. & Griffin, S. (1985).The satisfaction with life scale.Journal of PersonalityAssessment, 49(1), 7175.

Duxbury, L. & Higgins, C. (2012). Balancing work, childcare and elder care: A view from the trenches.

Desjardins Insurance. Retrieved 18 March 2014,from:http://www.desjardinslifeinsurance.com/en/about-us/Documents/RapportDuxbury-ENG-Full-Web.pdf

Regus (2013). Boomers struggle to find their balance. Work-life balance improvement slows, but Generations X and

Y know how to get it right. Regus Plc. Retrieved18 March 2014, from:http://w110.bcn.cat/UsosDelTemps/Continguts/Documents/Lab-Temps/LabTemps-Estudis/Documents/Work_life_balance_final.pdf

Rousseau, D.M. (1995). Psychological contracts inorganizations: Understanding written and unwritten

agreements. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Schwarzer, R. & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalizedself-efficacy scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright &M. Johnston, Measures in health psychology: A usersportfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp.3537).Windsor, UK: NFER-NELSON.

Sturges, J. & Guest, D. (2004). Working to live or livingto work? Work/life balance early in the career.The Management Centre, Kings College London.Human Resource Management Journal, 14(4), 520.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric

Association Office of Diversity (2006). Tips toimprove the interaction among the generations:

Traditionalists, boomers, Xers and nexters. Retrieved18 March 2014, from:http://www.biz.colostate.edu/mti/tips/pages/InteractionAmongTheGenerations.aspx

Thompson, C.A., Beauvais, L.L. & Lyness, K.S. (1999).When work-family benefits are not enough: Theinfluence of work-family culture on benefitsutilization, organizational attachment, and work-family conflict.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 54,392415.

Tolbize, A. (2008). Generational differences in theworkplace. Research and Training, Center onCommunity Living, University of Minnesota.Retrieved 18 March 2014, from:http://rtc.umn.edu/docs/2_18_Gen_diff_workplace.pdf

ValueOptions (no date). Workplace influence. Retrieved18 March 2014, from:http://www.valueoptions.com/spotlight_YIW/workplace.htm

References


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LMOST TWO YEARS AGO, I began therigorous academic process of propo-

sing the study of Arab workingmothers experiences of gender equity intheir workplace in fulfilment of a PhD inIndustrial/Organizational psychology.Suffice it to say my committee was initiallyoverwhelmed by my ambition to collect theirexperiences and underwhelmed by myevidence to safeguard against the possiblerisks while maximising their benefits. Afterseveral proposal drafts, an international

move to the Middle East, numerous tele-phone calls and volumes worth of emailexchanges over a six-month period, theresearch proposal was finally granted.

I was elated. And pregnant.Expecting my second child and now

based in Beirut, Lebanon, I urgently neededto consider how to fuel my own researchrevolution. As a white Western non-Arabicspeaking female researcher, I needed totranscend the issues related to my identity inorder to select appropriate participants as

well as to carefully and ethically collect thesensitive data, the narratives that wouldanswer my research question, What is thegender equity experience of the Arab femaleprofessional in the Arab workplace?

As a qualitative researcher, Im trained toexercise epoche (Cairns Embree, Kersten &Zaner, 2010; Maracek, 2003) the act of brack-eting the influence of my own experiencesor worldview in order to convey theauthentic experience of the individual(s)under study. My research revolution

required the momentumof a snowball sampling

process to support thecredibility of my role as aqualified researcher.Flash forward to presentday: I feel fortunate tohave emerged from thatsnowball sample anddata collection process,entrusted with six information-rich narra-tives from Arab working mothers in Egypt,

Jordan and Lebanon.My research study was based on thetheoretical framework coined by workforcepsychologist, John Stacey Adams, known asequity theory. Equity theory is used toexplain how individuals compare the ratiosof their own inputs and outcomes asopposed to their peers, and when deter-mined unequal, how an individual may becompelled to correct the imbalance (Aidla,2013; Lambert, 2011; Lively, Steelman &Powell, 2010). My research study infused agender-based analysis of equity theory andan extensive literature review supported thisgendered examination of applied contexts(Bailyn, 2011; Ely & Meyerson, 2000).

My studys design was a collective casestudy analysis and was heavily dependent ondeveloping and maintaining an in-personelement to develop confidence and rapport

with each of my participants during our on-site in-person interviews. As a white Westernnon-Arabic speaking female (and now preg-nant) researcher, it would have been much


Work-Life Balance:A global perspective

Findings from LebanonWork-life conflict and the Arab Spring:A researchers view

Karin L. Soweid

Karin L. Soweid

A


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easier to defend how well the data could becaptured by telephone or Skype in ourtechnologically-saturated era. However,I remained committed to collecting theinitial narratives in person, thereby

enriching my ability to directly observe theparticipant and to build a sense of trust forthe sensitive subject matter involved in thestudy.

Another unique component to thecollective case study design is the time-bound aspect. With the conflict and uprisingcausing ripple effects throughout the MiddleEast region, it only seemed appropriate todefine the time-bound nature of the study in

accordance with what has been termed theArab Spring movement.

While meticulous attention to researchdesign is crucial to an appropriate, effectiveand ethical research study, what the data sayis a vital measure of the phenomenon underinvestigation and its ability to solve theresearch question. In answer to the researchquestion, What is the gender equity experi-ence of Arab working mothers in the Arab

workforce? my data revealed a thematicanalysis of four main themes and 10 patternsas follows in Table 1 below.

While the intention of my study was tounderstand the gender equity experiences of

working mothers in her workplace, my dataended up revealing much more informationabout her experience to resolve inequity inher household, allowing her to participate inthe workforce. I suggest that a limitation inmy research design was that I did not shadowobserve my participants in their work envi-ronments which may have enriched the find-ings about her workplace gender equityexperience.

My studys results supported the existingliterature indicating work-family conflictlargely exists due to the young preschoolages of working mothers children (Craig &Sawrikar, 2009). Those working mothers

with preschool and primary school agedchildren faced significant work-familyconflict and barriers to remaining in the

workplace even despite their efforts to hirelive-in help and to cast a wide net of family


Karin L. Soweid

Table 1: Thematic synthesis of themes and patterns.

Group Themes

Mariam Theme 1: Gender equity as it pertains to the household

Layla Pattern 1. Perceived equal division of household labour

Nour Pattern 2: Perceived unequal division of household labour

Noelle

Maha Theme 2: Gender equity as it pertains to the workplaceDima Pattern 1. Perceived equity

Pattern 2. Perceived inequity

Theme 3: Work-family interface: balance/conflict/tension

Pattern 1. Child care

Pattern 2. Availability of spouse

Pattern 3. Age of children

Theme 4: Social and societal norms

Pattern 1. Perceptions about religionPattern 2. Perceptions about culture

Pattern 3. Perceptions about gender


21/42

support around them. In some cases, theimbalance and inequity remained significanteven despite scaling back to part-time workor working a teachers schedule. Oneextreme case involved hiring a live-in nanny,

a housekeeper, a driver as well as relying onthe support of a sister, a mother-in-law andher own mother to embolden her work-home interface (ten Brummelhuis & Bakker,2012). Despite all measures of support inplace, analysis of this case still indicated highlevels of distress, a response characteristic ofexperiencing inequity in relationships(Sprecher, 1992).

The lengths the participants had to go to

organise their household needs indicated ahigh degree of complexity and imbalance.The findings started causing me distress, asmany of the same issues faced by working

mothers seemed relatively resolvable in aWestern context, while appearing wildlyinsurmountable for working mothers in aMiddle Eastern context.

I ultimately discovered through the rich

case study analysis offered by these six narra-tives that gender equity in the appliedcontexts of the household and the workplaceis influenced by an overwhelmingly diverseand dynamic set of social factors in theMiddle East region (as illustrated in Figure 1below), producing a powerful conflict for

working mothers. The absence of asupportive infrastructure for preschool andschool aged care options left a vacuum that

could only be filled by hiring domestic help,relying on available family members,reducing her work to part-time hours orresigning her job altogether.


Work-life conflict and the Arab Spring: A researchers view

Figure 1: Relationship between gender equity and the datas themes.


22/42

If the Arab Spring can offer any benefitto Arab working mothers throughout theMiddle East region, it would be spare thechildren and their families from furtherconflict from the senseless retaliatory

violence alienating individuals from oneanother, to the conflict that prevents

working mothers from participating to theirfull potential in the regions labour force.

This research study reveals the heavyreliance on live-in domestic workers to helpfamilies resolve the dilemma concerninghousehold division of labour and childcare,particularly in view of the predominant malebreadwinning model that keeps the spouse

working long hours and often travelingabroad. The reliance on domestic workers isa paradoxical reality at odds with the valueplaced on the family unit and their belovedchildren as a pillar of Middle Eastern society.It undermines a potentially mutually benefi-cial outcome to employ their own popula-tion as qualified caregivers of preschool andschool aged children for working families.Individual jobseekers benefit, the economy

benefits and the families benefit with thepeace of mind knowing their children arecared for by locals qualified to respond toemergencies, crisis and everyday life.

My research study indicates that the insti-tution of a care infrastructure for workingmothers in the Middle East region would betransformational if not revolutionary insupporting the needs of dual incomeearning families. Overcoming significant pay

gaps between men and women would alsoresolve the perception that women are notcapable of contributing financially to theirfamilies, reversing the stigma and economicabuse of the working mother (Usta,

Makarem & Habib, 2013). Revising mater-nity labour laws to meet a minimum stan-dard would allow a woman to rest and bond

with her child before returning to work.Flexible leave policies would allow men timeoff to support the needs of the householdfrom a personal rather than financialperspective, ensuring the integrity andquality of marital relationships that are alsoin conflict (Lavee & Katz, 2002). Providing

part-time working hours would allow breast-feeding mothers the ability to continue thatimportant relationship with their child as

well as the flexibility to address other priori-ties in parallel with their employment.

These recommendations are prescriptivein a complex environment of shifting priori-ties heavily influenced by the political platdu jour. If revolution is successful inreversing historical inequities in civil society,

then the Arab Spring offers working mothersa much needed platform for resolving theconflict they face.

The AuthorKarin Soweid

Doctoral Researcher,Harold Abel School of Social andBehavioral Sciences,Capella University.


Karin L. Soweid


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Aidla, A. (2013). Perceptions of negative inequity atwork and the behavior of individuals. GSTFBusiness Review (GBR), 2(3), 234239.

Bailyn, L. (2011). Redesigning work for gender equityand work-personal life integration. Community,

Work & Family, 14(1), 97112.Cairns, D., Embree, L., Kersten, F. & Zaner, R.M.

(2010). Nine fragments on psychologicalphenomenology. Journal of PhenomenologicalPsychology, 41(1), 127.

Craig, L. & Sawrikar, P. (2009). Work and family: Howdoes the (gender) balance change as childrengrow? Gender, Work, and Organization, 16(6),684709.

Ely, R.J. & Meyerson, D.E. (2000). Advancing genderequity in organizations: The challenge andimportance in maintaining a gender narrative.

Organization, 7(4), 589608.Lambert, L.S. (2011). Promised and delivered

inducements and contributions: An integratedview of psychological contract appraisal.Journal ofApplied Psychology, 96(4), 695712.

Lavee, Y. & Katz, R. (2002). Division of labor,perceived fairness, and marital quality: The effectof gender ideology.Journal of Marriage and Family,64(1), 2739.

Lively, K.J., Steelman, L.C. & Powell, B. (2010). Equity,emotion, and household division of laborresponse. Social Psychology Quarterly, 73(4),358379.

Marecek, J. (2003). Dancing through minefields:

Toward a qualitative stance in psychology. In P.M.Camic, J.E. Rhodes & L. Yardley (Eds.), Qualitativeresearch in psychology: Expanding perspectives in

methodology and design (pp.4969). Washington,DC: American Psychological Association.

Sprecher, S. (1992). How men and women expect tofeel and behave in response to inequity in closerelationships. Social Psychology Quarterly, 55(1),5769.

ten Brummelhuis, L.L. & Bakker, A.B. (2012).A resource perspective on the work-homeinterface: The work-home resources model.

American Psychologist, 67(7), 545556.Usta, J., Makarem, N.N. & Habib, R.R. (2013).

Economic abuse in Lebanon: Experiences andperceptions. Violence Against Women, 19(3),356375.


Work-life conflict and the Arab Spring: A researchers view

References

DOWNTOWN BEIRUT, LEBANON


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THE WLB WORKING GROUP is part-nering with eight universities and thecharity Working Families in running a

series of seven seminars on WLB in the reces-sion and beyond, funded by the ESRC

(see www.esrc-work-life-seminars.org).The first seminar on What is WLB in a

time of financial crisis and austerity? tookplace at Middlesex University on 17 January,hosted by Sue Lewis and Nicky Payne.

A number of the DOP group members wereamong the 50 delegates who includedresearchers, employers and a range of otherstakeholders.

Presentations included:

WLB policies, practices and discourseand public sector cuts.

Sue Lewis (co-authored with DeirdreAnderson, Clare Lyonette, Nicky Payneand Stephen Woods)

Is WLB really family-friendly?

Dalia Ben-Galim (IPPR) The place of gender equality in current

WLB debates.

Olga Salido, University of Madrid Working-time capabilities during

economic austerity across Europe.

Collette Fagan, University of ManchesterDiscussants were Stephen Williams from

ACAS and Laura Addati from the Interna-tional Labour Organization (ILO). Stephen

Williams discussed a new set of challengesfor employers and employees in the currentcontext. These are particularly associated

with changes in workplace WLB polices andnew government policies, especially exten-sions to the Right to Request flexibility

which will be available to all eligible

employees. Laura Addati discussed work lifebalance as a vital part of the ILOs decent

work agenda.A number of themes and debates

emerged in general discussions following the

presentations and in breakout groups. Theseincluded: The relationship between government

policy and workplace practices: what arethe implications for equality and social

justice? Individual versus collective or team

approaches to WLB: how can morecollective approaches be encouraged in

workplaces?

Issues relating to unpaid care: parental,grandparental and elder care andimpacts on paid work

What can we learn from the variety ofpolicies and practices across countries/

workplaces/different types of workersand work?

Implications of the presentations and discus-sions for practice included: Changes to the Right to Request

Flexibility (RTR) need to be communi-cated better by government andemployers. It is important to manage thescaremongering about RTR andflexibility generally among employersand to work on showing how flexibilitycan be managed to meet the needs ofemployees and employers.

There need not be a limit to flexibleworking if WLB is regarded as an issue ofcollective responsibility rather than anindividual issue. This requires organisa-tional change and increased team


New and Emerging Research

Work-Life Balance in the recession and beyond:An ESRC seminar series

Suzan Lewis


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working. Training is important formanaging flexibility at the team level.

More support is needed for unpaid care,including that provided by grandparents,for example, parental leave that can be

transferred to employed grandparents.Overall it was felt that it is difficult to extra-polate research and turn it into practicaloutput and that more effort is needed tomake these links and to learn from experi-ences of diverse workers in a range of work-place and national contexts. This will be oneof the aims of future seminars in the series.

Future seminars:

Seminar 2: 11 April 2014WLB, fairness and social justice in the

recession:

University of Manchester

Seminar 3: 10 July 2014

Employment relations and workplace

initiatives in the UK and elsewhere:

University of Warwick

Seminar 4: 16 October 2014Innovation in workplaces:

Venue tbc

Seminar 5: 9 January 2015

Caring and WLB in recession:

Reading University

Seminar 6: 23 April 2015

WLB, health and well-being in the recession:

The British Psychological Society London offices

Seminar 7: 17 July 2015

The future of WLB in recession and beyond:

University of Surrey.

See the website for more details. If you areinterested in attending any of the seminarsplease email [email protected]

The AuthorSuzan Lewis

Professor of Organizational Psychology,Middlesex University Business School.Email: [email protected]


Work-Life Balance in the recession and beyond: An ESRC seminar series


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THIS FEATURE highlights the expertise

of the members of the Work-LifeBalance Working Group as they are

called upon to provide expert advice tomedia queries, to present their research atseminars, and thereby allow the essentialdissemination of information on the topic of

work-life balance. Laura Radcliffewith co-author C. Cassell used qualitative diaries tocapture the daily experiences of dual-earnercouples managing their work and family

responsibilities and the decisions they madeto resolve daily conflicts. Two distinct typesof work-family decision-making wererevealed. The first of these is termed

Anchoring Decisions, referring to those biglife-changing decisions that have anenduring impact on our lives, such as

whether to return to work after having achild or whether to move to a new job. Thesecond type, referred to as Daily Decisions,

include those conflicts that occur on a dailybasis, such as the clash between attending awork meeting deemed highly important byyour boss and attending your childs schoolplay. The resolution of these two differenttypes of work-family decisions were found tobe differentially impacted by several cues:enabling and constraining cues, considera-tions of fairness and equity, and beliefs,

values and preferences. Enabling andconstraining cues, such as access to financesand support, were found to play an impor-tant part in the decision-making processinvolved in resolving both Anchoring andDaily work-family conflict decisions.

However, considerations of fairness andequity were found to be relevant only whenmaking Daily Decisions and beliefs, valuesand preferences were found to play a majorrole only when making Anchoring Decisions.This suggests that when deciding how toresolve daily work-life conflicts we pay little

attention to our own preferences and desires

and much more attention to the wants andneeds of others, whether it be our partner,our work colleagues or the grandparents

who are offering help with childcare.However, when it comes to making lifechanging decisions we then begin to paymuch greater attention to what we want, ourown values and what really matters to us.

A decision-making framework encapsulatingthese findings is reported, highlighting the

cues considered when making both types ofwork-family conflict decisions, and the rela-tionships between them. Lauras articleentitled Resolving couples workfamilyconflicts: The complexity of decision makingand the introduction of a new framework, ispublished in Human Relations and iscurrently available in electronic format at:http://hum.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/12/09/0018726713506022.abstract

Alexandra Beauregard has had a paperaccepted for publication in the British Journalof Management, entitled Fairness Perceptionsof Work-Life Balance Initiatives: Effects onCounterproductive Work Behaviour. She

was also interviewed for radio station Voiceof Russia on her telework research:http://voiceofrussia.com/uk/news/2014_02_05/Home-working-increases-produc-tivity-despite-fears-of-pyjama-culture-7384/.

Gail Kinmanwas interviewed by

The Guardianon the rise of mental illness amongacademics. Gail cited poor work-life balanceas a major reasons for this outcome, asacademics work long hours to be able torespond to the various demands that theyencounter, including high levels of internaland external scrutiny, a fast pace of changeand the change in how students are viewed,that is, as customers, with these customersentitled to having their queries responded to

within 24 hours.


Sharing knowledge and networking


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Work-Life Balance Working Groups Fact Sheets

The WLB Working Groups Fact Sheets weredeveloped for use in individual or organisa-tional practice/teaching activities. They arenot static documents, and if you think theyneed to be amended get in touch and getinvolved. They are intended to be live docu-ments, and will be updated as the evidencebase grows. If you have any ideas for addi-

tional fact sheets that could be targeted toother groups (e.g. journalists, HR profes-sionals) please let us know and discuss.Obtain these at:

http://dop.bps.org.uk/dop/psycholo-

gists/working-groups/work-life-balance-

working-group/factsheets/factsheets_home.

cfm

Promoting Work-Life Balance

Conference ReviewsManaging work-life balance:A workshop for practitionersGail Kinman, Almuth McDowall,

Christine Grant, Nicky Payne &

Siobhan Wray

Division of Occupational Psychologys Work-lifeBalance Working Group

This well-attended and well received work-shop had several aims: (a) to consider how

work-life balance (WLB) theory can be trans-lated into evidence-based practice; (b) tohighlight the benefits of utilising a solution-focused rather than a problem-focusedapproach to managing WLB; (c) to sharebest practice and frameworks for interven-tions across different types of job; and (d) toexplore how interventions might not neces-sarily work out as planned.

The team initially provided an update ofthe current status quo in the research litera-ture. While there is emerging evidence that

work can facilitate and enrich non-workinglife, most research continues to focus on

work-life conflict (WLC). Insight into thefactors that predict WLC and the wideranging outcomes for organisations,employees and their families is clearly vital.The audience agreed, however, that a moresolution-focused perspective had greater

potential to inform interventions to enhanceWLB rather than merely reduce WLC.

The outcomes of a review of the literatureon WLB interventions conducted by Broughand ODriscoll (2010) were discussed. The

impact of different types of interventionswere considered: (a) those that addressworking hours (such as flexible workinginitiatives); (b) action research (whereemployees consider ways to enhance theirown WLB); and (c) initiatives that aim tochange WLB culture. While the latter types ofinitiatives are undoubtedly the most effective,they are the most challenging to implement changing organisational culture is a long-term solution that needs to be underpinnedby creative and equitable WLB policies andpractices. For pragmatic reasons, therefore,most interventions tend to implement lessambitious initiatives that may have moretangible shorter-term benefits.

The audience was introduced to severalcase studies that focused on a wide range ofpractical initiatives that have the potential toenhance WLB in the short term. Volk-swagens initiative to limit access to emailsoutside working hours for non-managerialstaff (Brown, 2011) was used as a spring-board for discussion. Although the initiative


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was generally considered to have potential tochange WLB practices in the organisation,members of the audience commented thatemployees could easily circumvent it by

writing emails outside core working hours

and schedule them for delivery the followingday. It was further argued that the initiative islikely to lead to a back-log of emails at thestart of the day that require attention beforeother work was tackled. Nonetheless, it wassuggested that this practice may reduce

when the new email policy becomes thenorm. Strong feelings were expressed thatemployees should be able to complete their

work in their contracted time as long

working hours compromise well-being andperformance, but the need for some flexi-bility in order to respond to genuine emer-gencies was emphasised. Volkswagensinitiative was generally thought to be innova-tive, but was likely to reduce rather thanfacilitate flexible approaches to work, there-fore, the initiative may actually discourage

work models, which try and break themould.

A second case study also focused on theintroduction of an initiative to manage emailuse, but in a higher education context.

Whilst there was strong high level manage-ment support for this initiative, senior staff

were resistant and simply chose to opt out.These dynamics illustrated the fact that anintervention that works in one context maybe unsuccessful or even damaging inanother owing to employees expectations ofautonomy and flexibility. Nonetheless, it wasgenerally felt that employees need to beaware of how their personal email manage-ment preferences might impact on the WLBof their colleagues, who may have a differentstyle. For example, sending out an email at7.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning mightunburden the author, but could impinge onthe WLB of the recipient who might rumi-nate about the issue and impair their

weekend respite. Although the initiative inhigher education was resisted by someemployees, it was beneficial in that people

started talking openly about WLB issues.This could possibly trigger change via alter-native strategies that may be more congruent

with the organisational culture.Reflecting on the findings of the first two

case studies, the audience agreed that onesize fits all WLB solutions were likely to beineffective. A third case study focused on

work-life balance competencies andbehaviours, which are effective for self-management in particular organisationalcontexts. An example was provided of howthis approach could be used to provideinsight into effective WLB behaviours in aUK police force. This innovative, solution-

focused approach is likely to be fruitful forboth research and practice to inform thedevelopment a framework for what worksin particular contexts and WLB solutions canbe tailored accordingly. Other case studiesrelated to the introduction of remote

working in a large corporate bank and theintroduction of a pilot mindfulness-basedstress reduction programme for social

workers.

It is important to note that the interven-tions discussed in some of the case studiesdid not apply to employees at all levelsand/or were not championed by seniorleaders. The audience debated whether thisapproach can lead to positive outcomes.Solutions need support from seniormanagers, who should also participate in theintervention in order to demonstrate buyin and de-stigmatise the need to protectnon-working life, otherwise they are likely toderail, or not be as successful as one mightenvisage. The need to decide on what wouldconstitute success was also highlighted several outcomes might be useful that coulddemonstrate improvement to WLB and well-being over the short-term and the longerterm, as well as an impact on performanceindicators such as absenteeism and produc-tivity.

Finally, we asked delegates for their owntips for managing work-life balance! Here isa summary of their suggestions:


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WLB is now the number one healthconcern in the UK (GRiD, 2013). The needfor effective interventions is clear. The

strong interest from OP academics and prac-titioners in WLB issues was demonstrated bythe fact that the workshop was full to

capacity. The WLB working group will beconsidering options for future workshopsand other events to meet this demand.

Please get in touch to let us know the type oftraining or networking events that would bemost useful for your practice.


Conference Reviews

Emotion/self-focused Time focused

Get to know yourself and your needs Review diary continuously by priority

Practice mindfulness exercises Books slots for essential me time

Be clear about boundaries Stop work at a set time

Set clear and achievable goals Eat lunch properly outside if possible

Deal with e-technology Stay activeTurn your phone off or put it in a drawer Exercise

Have set times for dealing with email Be creative

Ban ICT devices from the bedroom

This article originally appeared in OP Matters, No. 21, March 2014, pp.1012.

References and further reading

Brown, E. (2011). Volkswagen turns email off forBlackBerry workers. Retrieved from:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/feeds/volkswagen-turns-off-email-for-blackberry-workers/4467 January 2014.

Brough, P. & ODriscoll, M. P. (2010). Organizationalinterventions for balancing work and homedemands: An overview. Work and Stress, 24(3),280297.

Grant, C.A., Wallace, L.M. & Spurgeon, P.C. (2013).An exploration of the psychological factorsaffecting remote e-workers job effectiveness, well-being and work-life balance. Employee Relations,35(5), 527546.

Hammer, L. , Kossek, E., Yragui, N. Bodner, T. &Hansen, G. (2009). Development and validationof a multi-dimensional scale of Family SupportiveSupervisor Behaviors (FSSB). Journal of

Management, 35, 837856.Kinman, G. & Jones, F. (2009). A life beyond work?

Job demands, work-life balance and well-being inUK academics. In D. Buckholdt & G. Miller(Eds.),Faculty stress. USA: Routledge.

Kinman, G., McDowall, A. & Uys, M. (2014, in press).The work/non-work interface: Building effectiveboundaries. InEnhancing resilience in social workers:An evidence-based practice approach. Basingstoke:Palgrave Macmillan.

Kossek, E.E. & Lautsch, B. (2008). CEO of Me: Creatinga life that works in the flexible job age. USA: WhartonSchool Publishing.

Kossek, E.E., Lewis, S. & Hammer, L. (2010). Work-life initiatives and organizational change:Overcoming mixed messages to move from themargin to the mainstream. Human Relations, 63,117.

Kossek, E.E., Ruderman, M., Braddy, P. & Hannum, K.(2012). Work/non-work boundary managementprofiles: A person-centered approach.Journal ofVocational Behavior, 81, 112128.

McDowall, A. & Lindsay, A. (2013). Work-Life Balance

in the Police: The development of a self-management competency framework. Journal ofBusiness and Psychology.

doi: 10.1007/s10869-013-9321-x


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Work-life balance research at theDOP Conference 2014Gail Kinman

This years conference included several highquality papers and posters on the general

theme of work-life balance. The topicsincluded the impact of organisationalchange on sleep and well-being (LauraNeale), the predictors of work-life conflict inacademic employees (Siobhan Wray & GailKinman), a conservation of resourcesapproach to Blackberry use (Sophie Ward &Gail Steptoe-Warren), work-life balance andrecovery strategies utilised by fire servicepersonnel (Nicky Payne & Gail Kinman), the

implications of emotional labour andempathy for the work/non-work interface(Gail Kinman & Sandra Leggetter), anddeveloping work-life balance competenciesin the police force (Almuth McDowall). Theauthors have kindly provided summaries oftheir papers which are provided below.

Tracking the impact of organisational change

upon sleep quality, psychological health and well-

being at work inferences for future work-life

balance research

Laura Neale (Northumbria University)

Prior research into organisational changehas demonstrated that it can have conse-quences upon occupational health, well-being and sleep quality. Organisationalchange usually occurs in order to improve anorganisations efficiency, therefore it isimportant to determine the impact of antici-pating organisational change upon occupa-tional well-being in order to ensureemployee productivity and well-being are

maintained both before and after thechange has occurred. A research project wascarried out in order to track the impact of alarge restructure within one organisationfrom the anticipation stage; before thechange had been fully implemented (part 1)to after it had been first put into place


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(part 2) to one month post change (part 3).Participants were all volunteers from oneorganisation, undergoing a large re-struc-ture, and were sent an e-survey to their emailaccount at three time points and were also

invited to complete a 14-day sleep diary inorder to further assess the effects of theorganisational change upon sleep quality.

The findings suggest that the level ofchange anticipated by employees during theanticipation stage is important as it appearsthat high levels of change anticipation areassociated with lower job satisfaction, higherdisengagement and higher negative levels ofanticipation of the next working day

throughout the change implementationprocess. Furthermore, it appears that thelevel of change anticipated by employees atthe anticipation of change stage is associated

with reduced sleep quality and higheranxiety/depression scores at the anticipa-tion of change stage and early after imple-mentation of change. These findingshighlight the importance of psychologicalanticipation of organisational change and

the early stages of change implementation inorder to avoid negative impacts uponemployees. Consequently it can be inferredthat strategies that improve work-life balanceby reducing the negative psychological antic-ipation of occupational events outside of

work and improve employee sleep qualityare potentially useful in reducing the overallnegative impact of occupational changeupon employee well-being. Thus the impor-tance of work-life balance as an issue foroccupational health is pertinent and thisresearch identifies the potential importanceof work-life balance intervention strategies

which require further investigation andconsideration with regard to organisationalchange.

Contact details:

Laura Neale: [email protected]

Monitoring the well-being of UK academic

employees using the Health and Safety Executive

(HSE) management standards framework

Siobhan Wray (Sheffield Hallam University) &Gail Kinman (University of Bedfordshire)

A body of research, both national and inter-national, suggests that levels of perceivedstress and work-life conflict in the highereducation (HE) sector are high. Studiesundertaken over the last decade highlight asignificant shift in the nature of academic

work, brought about by increased studentnumbers, reductions in the level and sourceof funding, increased pressure to undertakeand publish research, more rigorous

teaching and learning policies, increasedfocus on commercialisation and commercialactivity, and increased working hours(Kinman & Court, 2010). High levels of

work-life conflict have also been found previ-ously in the sector (Kinman & Jones, 2008;Kinman & Wray, 2012). This study comparesdata from two national surveys in 2008 and2012 to examine changes in the extent ofHSE hazards in academic staff, and the rela-

tionships between these and levels o