Search results
1 – 10 of over 18000Chantal Remery, Anneke van Doorne‐Huiskes and Joop Schippers
The article reports on research among Dutch employers concerning the arrangements they provide for employees to help them with the reconciliation of work and family life. The…
Abstract
The article reports on research among Dutch employers concerning the arrangements they provide for employees to help them with the reconciliation of work and family life. The research not only answers the question of to what extent different employers offer arrangements like childcare facilities, flexible working hours or leave schemes, but it also tries to explain employers’ policies. The explanatory analysis includes organisational characteristics and employers’ opinions with respect to costs and benefits of different arrangements. The empirical analysis is based on a survey among 871 organisations in the profit sector and the non‐profit sector. One major conclusion is that family‐friendly arrangements have become rather common among organisations; employers are aware of the fact that the reconciliation of work and care has become an issue for an increasing number of workers.
Details
Keywords
Su-Ying Pan and Yuquan Li
This study aims to focus on a relatively unexplored area: single employees’ non-work needs. With social information processing theory as the basis, the authors examine the process…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to focus on a relatively unexplored area: single employees’ non-work needs. With social information processing theory as the basis, the authors examine the process whereby a singles-friendly work culture leads to multiple desirable outcomes for single employees.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from 472 single employees working in the hospitality sector in China. A model with three mediating paths was tested using Mplus 7.2 software.
Findings
The authors found that organization-based self-esteem mediates the relationship between a singles-friendly work culture and emotional exhaustion; procedural justice mediates the relationship between a singles-friendly work culture and organizational commitment and hostility mediate the relationship between a singles-friendly work culture and helping behaviors directed toward coworkers.
Practical implications
The present study reminds hotel managers that establishing a singles-friendly work culture is a new strategy to retain and attract talented single employees.
Originality/value
Inspired by the work of Casper et al. (2007), the authors examined the importance of equal employment opportunities for single employees, who are the major workforce in the hotel industry but are often ignored in academic research.
Details
Keywords
Peng Wang, John J. Lawler, Kan Shi, Fred Walumbwa and Ming Piao
With higher female labor force participation and the greater prevalence of dual-career families, family responsibilities ever more overlap work responsibilities. Companies have…
Abstract
With higher female labor force participation and the greater prevalence of dual-career families, family responsibilities ever more overlap work responsibilities. Companies have begun to respond to the changing nature of the workforce by offering family-friendly policies that are intended to help employees manage family responsibilities while remaining productive workers. Examples of family-friendly policies include child and dependent care, flexible leave polices, and time off for family emergencies (Daley, 1998; Folsom & Botsch, 1993; Greenfield, 1997; Ezra & Deckman, 1996). Some benefits frequently offered by employers are not considered family-friendly policies because they are not primarily directed toward the management of family responsibilities. Examples of those benefits are educational assistance for the employee, mortgage assistance, holidays, and employee wellness programs.
At the end of this chapter, learners should be able to:
- Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
- Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
- Explain the…
Abstract
Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter, learners should be able to:
Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
Explain the importance of family-friendly policies.
Explore the financial implications of family-friendly policies.
Understand how to calculate leave payment.
Explain possible limitations of family-friendly policies.
Discuss the origin of family-friendly policies.
Explain the different types of family-friendly policies.
Explain the importance of family-friendly policies.
Explore the financial implications of family-friendly policies.
Understand how to calculate leave payment.
Explain possible limitations of family-friendly policies.
Details
Keywords
States that there is a need for a practical instrument to measure the present situation of work‐life balance. Describes the development process of the Family and Business Audit…
Abstract
States that there is a need for a practical instrument to measure the present situation of work‐life balance. Describes the development process of the Family and Business Audit within the Flemish context. Details the setting up and aims of the system before outlining its application in some detail and other existing instruments also emploiyed. Provides a number of short case studies to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Details
Keywords
Yangyang Fan, Erbolat Tulepbayev, Hyun Jung Lee and Xiaojun Lyu
Work from home has become as regular as the traditional commuting system after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies have discussed the influence of working at…
Abstract
Purpose
Work from home has become as regular as the traditional commuting system after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies have discussed the influence of working at home on the work–family interface. However, there is limited understanding of how diverse workforces manage their work–family issues with various family-friendly policies. This study aims to bridge this research gap by examining the collective influence of work conditions and family-friendly policies on work–family balance.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey experiment featuring two working conditions (work from home or commuting) × four family-friendly policies (household subsidy, family-friendly supervisor, financial profit, paid leave vs no policy) was approached based on 703 valid responses in China.
Findings
The results indicate that family-friendly policies are more effective under the work-from-home condition than the commuting condition, household subsidies and financial profits are considered more helpful for work–family balance under the work-from-home condition and employees’ policy preferences depend on personal identity and work conditions, which help them maintain work and family issues concurrently.
Originality/value
This study explores the joint impact of work conditions and family-friendly policies from a situational perspective. This study indicated that professional organizations need to perform delicacy management considering policy preferences. Moreover, changing working arrangements help employees facilitate their work–family balance.
Details
Keywords
Shalini Garg and Punam Agrawal
The objective of the study is to identify the themes of “family friendly practices” and to perform a literature review. The research aims to identify the emerging trends in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of the study is to identify the themes of “family friendly practices” and to perform a literature review. The research aims to identify the emerging trends in the area of “family friendly practices” by carrying out an exhaustive literature review.
Design/methodology/approach
The study synthesizes the literature between the years 2010 and 2019. First of all, 150 research articles were identified by keyword search, bibliography and citation search, out of which 57 research articles were selected on the basis of the most sound theoretical background and maximum literature contribution. The citation analysis method was performed on these studies in order to study the journals, authors by using Google Scholar, ResearchGate, the international database Science Citation Index and SCImago Journal Ranking.
Findings
The author citation count shows that the research topic is still getting recognition and the research in this area is increasing. The finding of the research is that the current research in family-friendly practices has focused mainly on seven topics: availability and usability of family-friendly policy, job satisfaction, organizational performance, supervisor or manager support, work–life conflict, employee turnover employee retention and women’s employment.
Originality/value
The study may provide valuable inputs to the HRD practitioners, managers, research scholars, to understand the recent trends in the field of family-friendly policy. As per the best knowledge of the author, this is the first study on family-friendly practices using citation analysis.
Details
Keywords
Varsha Yadav and Himani Sharma
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of perceived support from family-friendly policies and supervisors on job satisfaction of employees by incorporating work…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of perceived support from family-friendly policies and supervisors on job satisfaction of employees by incorporating work-family conflict as a mediator.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected from 369 employees working in different organizations from the service sector in India. Smart PLS software was used to perform partial least square structural equational modeling.
Findings
The result confirms that both family-friendly policies and supervisor support negatively influences the work-family conflict. Also, work-family conflict partially mediates between family-friendly policies and job satisfaction as well as between supervisor support and job satisfaction. Also, supervisor support directly influences the job satisfaction of the employees.
Research limitations/implications
Management needs to know the relevance of work-life policies and supervisor support to increase job satisfaction and reduce employees’ work-family conflict. Results will be useful for implementing family-friendly policies and designing training courses for the supervisors. This will make the workplace more family-friendly.
Originality/value
This study creates value for the employees in meeting their family obligations by reducing their work-family conflict. Organizations are benefited by attracting positive outcomes like satisfied employees, which will, in turn, lead to a more productive and happier workforce. Studies examining the influence of these policies and supervisory support on job satisfaction with work-family conflict as the mediating variable are difficult to find in the Indian context.
Details
Keywords
Janet Romaine and Amy B. Schmidt
The purpose of this study is to examine justice perceptions using potential employee conflict over provision of a work‐life benefit, and to link the findings to existing theory…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine justice perceptions using potential employee conflict over provision of a work‐life benefit, and to link the findings to existing theory and research in organizational justice.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 208 undergraduates at a liberal arts college responded to a version of the scenario. There were six versions, representing varied organizational conditions, with hypotheses based on both theory and previous empirical work.
Findings
Students were asked whether they preferred equity (contribution), equality or need as the allocation norm to be used in the scenario. Under all organizational conditions, equity is favored over the other two norms, but some differences emerge. Organizational conditions that are less empowering and more stressful lead to higher preference for equality and need than when organizations are seen as treating employees well. In contrast with some earlier findings, women are more likely than men to prefer equity as the basis for the decision; but women's choices differ significantly between the long hours and family‐friendly scenarios, with a pronounced shift to need as the allocation norm in the long hours condition.
Originality/value
Although some researchers have examined organizational justice norms in relation to work‐life benefits, little attention has been shown to the mechanisms involved in creating perceptions of unfairness relative to these benefits. The study demonstrates the importance of organizational context in determining when these benefits may be perceived as being fair, thereby averting the potential for conflict between employees.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to address the factors influencing the performance and productivity of Qatari citizens in organizational settings, with specific aims to maintain a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the factors influencing the performance and productivity of Qatari citizens in organizational settings, with specific aims to maintain a high-quality performance standard in Qatar's labor market.
Design/methodology/approach
The author applies job performance theory to explain the dynamics within organizational settings. Primary sources were utilized, and data was collected from a 2017 Qatari national survey using simple random sampling.
Findings
The results indicated associations between sociodemographic characteristics and work-related factors and job performance. As compared to their male counterparts, female employees reported lower job performance. Working in a private organization was associated with lower job performance as compared to working in the government sector. An older age (>50 years) and working in a family friendly organization was associated with higher job performance.
Research limitations/implications
The approach used in this study contributed to a richer understanding of employees' positions in the Qatar workforce; yet, there are several methodological limitations in cross-sectional survey design. Further contributions to this research gap could include a wider scope of geographical locations within the Arab Gulf states with diverse industries; employing a robust experimental investigation, thus creating causation between the intervention and research outcomes.
Originality/value
The originality of this article lies in the micro-level model that recommends state-directed interventions to create family-friendly organizational cultures to assist in the retention of high-performing employees.
Details