Suzan Lewis

Stephen Wood

Clare Lyonette

Deirdre Anderson

Nicola Payne

This book reflects the enormous interest in work-life balance and current pressing concerns about the impacts of austerity more broadly. It draws on contemporary research and practitioner experiences to explore how work-life balance and related workplace and social policy fare in turbulent economic times and the implications for employees, employers and wider societies. Authors consider workplace trends, practices and employment relations and the impacts on work, care and well-being of diverse workers. A guiding theme throughout the book is a triple agenda of supporting employee work-life balance, workplace effectiveness and social justice. The final chapters present case studies of innovative processes and organizational practices for addressing the triple agenda, note the important role of social policy context and discuss the challenge of extending debates on work-life balance to include a social justice dimension. This book will be of interest to academics and postgraduate students of organisational psychology, sociology, human resource management, management and business studies, law and social policy, as well as employers, managers, HR managers, trade unions, and policy makers.

Work-Life Balance in Times of Recession, Austerity and Beyond

Richenda Gambles

Rhona Rapoport

Many regard the ways in which paid work can be combined or ‘balanced’ with other parts of life as an individual concern and a small, rather self-indulgent problem in today’s world. Some feel that worrying about a lack of time or energy for family relationships or friendships is a luxury or secondary issue when compared with economic growth or development. In the business world and among many Governments around the world, the importance of paid work and the primacy of economic competitiveness, whatever the personal costs, is almost accepted wisdom. Profits and short term efficiency gains are often placed before social issues of care or human dignity. But what about the impact this has on men and women’s well being, or the long-term sustainability of people, families, society or even the economy? Drawing from interviews and group meetings in seven diverse countries – India, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, the UK and USA – this book explores the multiple difficulties in combining paid work with other parts of life and the frustrations people experience in diverse settings. There is a myth that ‘work-life balance’ can be achieved through quick fixes rather than challenging the place of paid work in people’s lives and the way work actually gets done. As well as exploring contemporary problems, this book attempts to seed hope and new ways of thinking about one of the key challenges of our time.

The Challenge of Our Time for Men, Women and Societies

The Myth of Work-Life Balance

Meeting the Needs of Employees, Organizations and Social Justice

Jeremy Lewis

In The Work-Family Challenge contributors from the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States explore the possibilities of challenging traditional employment structures to take account of contemporary work and family realities. They take a critical look at the notion of `family-friendly' employment, and explore ways in which the rapidly changing needs of both organizations and the workforce can be met. The volume argues that real progress requires moving the focus from specific policies and practices towards more systemic organizational change. It examines the contexts and opportunities - global, international, national, sociopolitical, legal and economic - for this change. The book concludes that positive solution

Rethinking Employment

The Work-Family Challenge

Julia Brannen

Ann Nilsen

Transitions to Parenthood in Europe analyzes and compares the biographies of mothers and fathers in seven European countries. Focusing on how working people negotiate the transition into parenthood—and the work-life balances it requires—the contributors provide an in-depth understanding of working parents' real lives within a diverse set of national, workplace, and family contexts. With rich insights into how institutional policy and practices affect individuals and families, it highlights pertinent and sometimes challenging issues regarding the sustainability of contemporary lifestyles as people try to create a healthy, supportive home.

Transitions to parenthood in Europe

Cary L. Cooper

Developments in IT and communication technology, coupled with the global 24 hour market, have led to boundaries between work and personal life becoming ever more blurred, while work/life policies and practice struggle to keep up. This book aims to challenge traditional thinking on work life balance, and to explore different ways of promoting change at many levels. It provides a historical overview of the topic, critiques contemporary approaches and offers creative ideas for integrating work and personal life in local, national and global contexts.

Case Studies of Organisational Change

Work-Life Integration

Suzan Lewis

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