Both Sides of the Work/Family Equation: Research and Outreach with Families of Divorce, Single Parents, and Workers with Highly Demanding Jobs Sandra J. Bailey, Montana State University Cynthia J. Schmiege & Sue Traver, University of Idaho Anisa M. Zvonkovic & Cheryl J. Peters, Oregon State University

The Family-Work Equation

W-167 USDA AES Multi-state Research Project Families and work during times of transition Families and work during times of transition Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California, New Mexico Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California, New Mexico

Objectives: Give you a better understanding of work and family issues facing families today Give you a better understanding of work and family issues facing families today A new way of thinking about work and family A new way of thinking about work and family Practical ideas for supporting families as they manage the various aspects of their lives Practical ideas for supporting families as they manage the various aspects of their lives

Family Diversity Single parents Single parents Stepfamilies Stepfamilies Grandparents raising grandchildren Grandparents raising grandchildren Gay/lesbian headed families Gay/lesbian headed families Cultural/religious variations Cultural/religious variations

Workplace Variations Businesses operating late hours/24 hours Businesses operating late hours/24 hours Weekend and holiday shifts Weekend and holiday shifts Workers with multiple jobs Workers with multiple jobs Commuter marriages Commuter marriages Workers who travel Workers who travel Telecommuting Telecommuting

Weaving the Worlds of Family and Work

Weaving Work & Personal Life Learning to weave – socialization Learning to weave – socialization Changing the weave – life course development Changing the weave – life course development Weaving during times of strain and stress Weaving during times of strain and stress

Suggestions Based on Weaving: TIME TIME Reject tips to manage time Reject tips to manage time Reconsider how we think about time Reconsider how we think about time Reconsider how we think about work Reconsider how we think about work Question norms: Question norms: Of what we feel we must do Of what we feel we must do Workaholism Workaholism Intensive mothering Intensive mothering

Creating a Life Pattern Protecting our weaving during stress, daily hassles Protecting our weaving during stress, daily hassles Bring in reinforcements Bring in reinforcements Improvise Improvise Advance notice: weave in new threads Advance notice: weave in new threads Do not strive to be perfect Do not strive to be perfect

Work Side of the Work/Family Equation: Travel How can family facilitate life for the traveling worker? How can family facilitate life for the traveling worker? In applied work, what are typical struggles related to job demands? In applied work, what are typical struggles related to job demands? What are the surprising benefits to families from demanding jobs? What are the surprising benefits to families from demanding jobs?

Women and Frequent Job Travel Clear separation between work and family Clear separation between work and family When home, really home & domestic When home, really home & domestic When traveling, really not available for family When traveling, really not available for family Rhythm of travel Rhythm of travel Fostered women’s work identity Fostered women’s work identity Encouraged marital partner to accept women’s work identity Encouraged marital partner to accept women’s work identity Minimized struggles over family work Minimized struggles over family work

A Continuum of Family/Work Separation Flight attendants Flight attendants Very separated boundaries Very separated boundaries Traveled frequently Traveled frequently Short trips Short trips Very extensively involved in family except when on trips Very extensively involved in family except when on trips No work obligations at all unless traveling No work obligations at all unless traveling

A Continuum of Family/Work Separation Nonprofit Aid and Adoption Workers Nonprofit Aid and Adoption Workers Somewhat separated boundaries Somewhat separated boundaries Traveled infrequently Traveled infrequently Very long trips (one month or more) Very long trips (one month or more) Very extensively involved in family except when on trips Very extensively involved in family except when on trips Flexible work obligations when not traveling Flexible work obligations when not traveling

A Continuum of Family/Work Separation High Tech Computer Consultants High Tech Computer Consultants Struggle with boundaries Struggle with boundaries Traveled moderately Traveled moderately Medium length trips (1 week) Medium length trips (1 week) Similar to working women in general Similar to working women in general Many work obligations when not traveling Many work obligations when not traveling Work/family boundaries and gender boundaries were contested Work/family boundaries and gender boundaries were contested

Comparing Men & Women Who Travel for Work Women who travel do much preparation of the family for their trips Women who travel do much preparation of the family for their trips Men are extensively involved in household during women’s trips Men are extensively involved in household during women’s trips Men who travel experience their family helping them prepare for trips Men who travel experience their family helping them prepare for trips Women left at home have power when he is gone Women left at home have power when he is gone

Take Home Message About Travel Type of job matters Type of job matters Gender matters Gender matters Specific demands of job impact families in different ways: Specific demands of job impact families in different ways: Shift work Shift work telecommuting telecommuting

Family Side of the Equation: Divorced Parents Great deal of research on work and family Great deal of research on work and family Little focusing on divorced parents Little focusing on divorced parents Nonresidential parents living more than 50 miles from children Nonresidential parents living more than 50 miles from children Qualitative Qualitative Residential and nonresidential participating in Extension classes Residential and nonresidential participating in Extension classes Quantitative Quantitative

Workplace Flexibility Sharing workload Sharing workload Time flexibility Time flexibility Travel flexibility Travel flexibility Employee benefits Employee benefits

Workplace Understanding Loss of a job due to divorce Loss of a job due to divorce Performance reviews Performance reviews Emotional support Emotional support Well being and overall life satisfaction Well being and overall life satisfaction

Implications from Studying Divorced Parents Supervisor acknowledgement of family situation Supervisor acknowledgement of family situation Importance of social support in workplace Importance of social support in workplace Employer/employee education of work/family issues relating to divorce Employer/employee education of work/family issues relating to divorce Broadening family friendly policies to include diverse family structures Broadening family friendly policies to include diverse family structures

Single Parents: The Only Worker & Often the Only Parent Low income single parents (qualitative) Low income single parents (qualitative) Expectation of work, but system does not support workers Expectation of work, but system does not support workers Children with Special Needs Children with Special Needs Medical Issues Medical Issues Aftermath of Family Violence Aftermath of Family Violence Transportation problems Transportation problems

Beginning Dreams: Adolescence Designs for the Cloth “Planful Competence”: “Planful Competence”: Plan for family Plan for family The Warp threads Plan for work Plan for work Are there any Weft threads? Are there any Weft threads?

Crisis In the Dream Relationship crisis: Warp threads unravel Relationship crisis: Warp threads unravel Are there any supporting threads? family support, personal strengths Are the warp threads damaged? relationship issues, lack of resources

New Designs Work: Can the weft be used to create a new design? Work: Can the weft be used to create a new design? Change and development in the worker identity Change and development in the worker identity Belief that both sets of threads are necessary Belief that both sets of threads are necessary Recognition that the design has changed Recognition that the design has changed

Back to the Yarns Warp: families are diverse and the warp yarns may be of different materials and strengths Warp: families are diverse and the warp yarns may be of different materials and strengths Weft: work has been monofilament yarn, less flexible and diverse Weft: work has been monofilament yarn, less flexible and diverse Need to add color, diverse fibers to the yarn Need to add color, diverse fibers to the yarn

Weaving Work and Family There are many ways to weave a strong and beautiful piece of cloth There are many ways to weave a strong and beautiful piece of cloth Not everyone needs the same design Not everyone needs the same design New designs can be formed when we examine classic designs New designs can be formed when we examine classic designs Weaving dreams require both warp and weft yarns Weaving dreams require both warp and weft yarns