Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T08:08:50.892Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Achieving work–life balance: Current theoretical and practice issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Steven AY Poelmans
Affiliation:
International Centre of Work and Family, IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain
Thomas Kalliath
Affiliation:
School of Management, Marketing and International Business, Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia
Paula Brough
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt QLD, Australia

Abstract

Professor Steven Poelmans is a leading international expert on the frontiers of work–family research contributing to theoretical and practice advancements. He is the Academic Director of the International Centre of Work and Family (ICWF) at IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, which has worked for more than a decade with numerous organisations in Spain, Latin-America, and various countries around the globe to create a family-responsible environment. In this conversation, Steven Poelmans responds to questions from Thomas Kalliath and Paula Brough (Guest Editors) on a range of theoretical and practice issues currently facing the field including measurement of work–life balance, work–life balance theory, engagement with industry, the role of organisational culture and strategic management in influencing work–life balance.

Type
International Expert Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbot, J, and De Cieri, H. (2008). Influences on the provision of work–life benefits: Management and employee perspectives. Journal of Management and Organization, 14(3):303322.Google Scholar
Allen, TD, Herst, DEL, Bruck, CS, and Sutton, M (2000) Consequences associated with work-to-family conflict: A review and agenda for future research. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5: 278308.Google Scholar
Arthur, MM (2003) Share price reactions to work–family initiatives: an institutional perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 46: 497506.Google Scholar
Bardoel, A, De Cieri, H, and Mayson, S (2008). Bridging the research-practice gap: Developing a measurement framework for work-life initiatives, Journal of Management and Organization, 14(3): 239258.Google Scholar
Chinchilla, MN and Torres, E (2006) Why Become a Family-Responsible Employer? Barcelona: IESE Publishing.Google Scholar
Clark, SC (2000) Work/family border theory: A new theory of work/family balance. Human Relations, 53: 747770.Google Scholar
Civian, JT, Richman, AL, Shannon, LL, Shulkin, S, and Brennan, RT (2008) Methods and limitations for using a multi-organisation database. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 139148.Google Scholar
Frone, MR (2003). Work-Family Balance. In Quick, JC and Tetrick, LE. (Eds.), Handbook of Occupational Health Psychology. Washington DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 143162.Google Scholar
Greenhaus, JH and Allen, TD (2006). Work-Family Balance: Exploration of a concept. Paper presented at the Families and Work Conference, Provo UT.Google Scholar
Greenhaus, JH, Collins, KM, and Shaw, JD (2003) The relation between work-family balance and quality of life. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63: 510531.Google Scholar
Grzywacz, JG, and Butler, AB (2005) The impact of job characteristics on work-to-family facilitation: Testing a theory and distinguishing a construct. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 10: 97109.Google Scholar
Grzywacz, JG, and Carlson, DS (2007) Conceptualizing work-family balance: Implications for practice and research. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9: 455471.Google Scholar
Grzywacz, JG, Carlson, DS, and Shulkin, S (2008) Schedule flexibility and stress: Linking formal flexible arrangements and perceived flexibility to employee health. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 199214.Google Scholar
Hatton, A (2005) The Case for Work-Life Balance: Closing the gap between policy and practice. Auckland: Hudson Highland Group, Inc.Google Scholar
Halpern, DF, and Murphy, SE (Eds) (2004) From Work–Family Balance to Work–Family Interaction: Changing the metaphor Mahwah NJ. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Hill, EJ, Grzywacz, JG, Allen, S, Blanchard, VL, Matz-Costa, C, Shulkin, S, and Pitt-Catsouphes, M (2008). Defining and conceptualizing workplace flexibility. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 149163.Google Scholar
Hill, EJ, Jacob, JI, Shannon, L, Brennan, RT, Blanchard, VL, and Martinengo, G (2008) Exploring the relationship of workplace flexibility, gender, and life stage to family-to-work conflict, and stress and burnout. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 165181.Google Scholar
Kalliath, T, and Brough, P (2008). Achieving Work–Family balance. Journal of Management and Organization, 14(2): 224226.Google Scholar
Kofidimos, JR (1993) Balancing Act. San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Konrad, AM and Mangel, R (2000) The impact of work-life programs on firm productivity. Strategic Management Journal, 21: 12251237.Google Scholar
Kossek, EE, and Ozeki, C (1998a). Bridging the Work–Family policy and productivity gap: A literature review. Community, Work & Family, 2: 732.Google Scholar
Kossek, EE and Ozeki, C (1998b) Work–Family conflict, policies, and the job–life satisfaction relationship: A review and directions for organisational behavior – human resources research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83: 139149.Google Scholar
Lambert, SJ (2000) Added benefits: The link between work-life benefits and organisational citizenship behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 43: 801815.Google Scholar
Lewis, S, and Cooper, C (2005) Work-Life Integration: Case studies of organisation change. Chichester UK: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Marks, SR, and MacDermid, SM (1996) Multiple roles and the self: A theory of role balance. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58: 417432.Google Scholar
Parkes, L, and Langford, P (2008) Work–life balance or work–life alignment? A test of the importance of work–life balance for employee engagement and intention to stay in organisations. Journal of Management and Organization, 14(2): 267284.Google Scholar
Perry-Smith, JE and Blum, TC (2000) Work–Family human resource bundles and perceived organisational performance. Academy of Management Journal, 43: 11071117.Google Scholar
Pitt-Catsouphes, M, and Matz-Costa, C (2008) The multi-generational workforce: Workplace flexibility and engagement. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 215229.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY (2001) Como armonizar trabajo y familia en el nuevo siglo. In: Paradigmas del Liderazgo. [How to harmonize work and family in the new century. In: Paradigms of Leadership]. Madrid: McGraw-Hill Interamericana, ch. 13, pp. 195211.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY (2003) Editorial. The multi-level ‘fit’ model of work and family. International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, Special Issue ‘Theoretical frameworks for cross-cultural research on work and family’, 3: 267274.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY (2005a). The decision process theory of work and family. In Kossek, EE and Lambert, SJ (Eds). Work and Life Integration: Organizational, Cultural, and Individual Perspectives. (pp. 263285). Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY (Ed.) (2005b). Work and Family: An International Research Perspective. Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY (2005c) Tiempo de Calidad. Calidad de Vida. [Quality Time. Quality of Life]. Madrid: McGraw-Hill Interamericana.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY, and Chenoy, R (2008) Investigating workplace flexibility using a multi-organizational database: A collaboration of academics and practitioners. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 133137.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY and Beham, B (forthcoming). The moment of truth: Conceptualizing managerial work-life policy allowance decisions. Journal of Occupational & Organizational Psychology.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY and Caligiuri, P (Eds) (2008) Harmonizing Work, Family and Personal Life. From Policy to Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY, Odle-Dusseau, HN, and Beham, B (forthcoming). Work-life balance: Individual and organisational strategies and practices. In: Cartwright, S and Cooper, CL (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Well Being. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY and Sahibzada, K (2004) A multilevel model for studying the context and impact of work/family policies and culture in organisations. Special Issue ‘Contemporary Debates in European Human Resource Management’, Human Resource Management Review, 14: 409431.Google Scholar
Poelmans, SAY and Stepanova, O (2008) How to become a family-responsible firm: Proposing a model for cultural change In: Poelmans, S and Caligiuri, P (Eds.). Harmonizing Work, Family and Personal Life. From Policy to Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ch. 9.Google Scholar
Raghuram, S, London, M, Larsen, HH (2001) Flexible employment practices in Europe: country versus culture. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12: 738753.Google Scholar
Rapoport, R, Bailyn, L, Fletcher, J, and Pruitt, B (2002) Beyond Work–Family Balance. Advancing Gender Equity and Workplace Performance. San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Richman, AL, Civian, JT, Shannon, LL, Hill, EJ, and Brennan, RT (2008) The relationship of perceived flexibility, supportive work-life policies, and use of formal arrangements and occasional (informal) flexibility to employee engagement and expected retention. Community, Work & Family, 11(2): 183197.Google Scholar
Voydanoff, P (2005) Toward a conceptualization of perceived Work–Family fit and balance: A demands and resources approach. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67: 822836.Google Scholar
Voydanoff, P (2007) Work, Family and Community: Exploring Interconnections. Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar