Integrating Work/Life into Strategic Organizational Practices Presentation to the President’s Commission on Women February 23, 2002 Dr. Jennifer Swanberg

Understanding The Relationship Between Work, Family, and Personal Life Considering work/life issues in the organizational effectiveness paradigm is new. Relationship between job performance and workplace factors.

Conceptual Model Employer Productivity Characteristics of Life off the Job Job & Workplace Characteristics Employee Characteristics Personal Well-Being Source: Bond, J.T., Galinsky, E., & Swanberg, J.E. (1998). The 1997 national study of the changing workforce. New York: Families and Work Institute

Employer Productivity Job Satisfaction Commitment to Employer’s Success Loyalty Job Performance Retention

Job Characteristics: Job Quality  Job autonomy  Learning opportunities  Meaningfulness of the job  Opportunities for advancement  Job security

Job Characteristics: Job Demands  Paid/unpaid hours at main job  Nights away from home on business  Required paid/unpaid overtime  Work day-time/non-day time schedules  Bring work home  Job pressures

Workplace Support:  Flexible work arrangements  Supervisor support  Supportiveness of workplace culture  Co-worker relations  Discrimination

Personal Well-being:  Job burnout  Job-to-home spillover

JOB SATISFACTION Explanatory Power of Different Job and Workplace Factors Explanatory Power

COMMITMENT TO HELPING COMPANY SUCCEED Explanatory Power of Different Job and Workplace Factors Explanatory Power

LOYALTY TO EMPLOYER Explanatory Power of Different Job and Workplace Factors Explanatory Power

Summary. The quality of workers’ jobs and the supportiveness of their workplaces are the most powerful predictors of productivity -- job satisfaction, commitment to company success, loyalty, and retention.

Predicting Job Performance Job & Workplace Characteristics Characteristics of Life off the Job Job Burnout Job-to-Home Spillover (Personal Well-Being) Home-to-Job Spillover ( Job Performance )

Job Performance Explanatory Power of Different Factors Job & Workplace Characteristics Characteristics of Life off the Job Job Burnout Job-to-Home Spillover (Personal Well-Being) Home-to-Job Spillover (Job Performance) 33% 29% 2%4% 6% 18%

Summary Employees with more difficult, more demanding jobs and less supportive workplaces……. experience higher levels of negative spillover from work into their lives off the job-jeopardizing their personal and family well-being. These effects set in motion a chain reaction...

When workers…. feel burned-out by their jobs when they have insufficient time and energy for themselves and their families when work puts then in a bad mood …...these feelings spill back into the workplace, limiting job performance.

To retain and recruit good employees and maximize productivity …… employers must create supportive workplace environments work with employees to keep job demands in check

Stages in the Development of Work Environments Supportive of Employees’ Work/Life Responsibilities Organizations evolve through four developmental stages Source: Galinsky, E., Friedman,D., & Hernandez, C. A., (1991) The Corporate Reference Guide to Work-Family Programs. New York: Families and Work Institute

Pre-Stage I Few policies Barely aware of work/life issues

Stage I: Developing a Programmatic Approach Several policies, but not packaged as an integrated response Seen mainly as a woman’s issue with a focus on child care “It’s not a business issue”

Stage II: Developing an Integrated Approach Multiple integrated responses Executive level commitment Centralized responsibility Perceived as a human resource issue Flexible work arrangements Attention to managers’/supervisors’ role

Stage III: Changing Organizational Culture Innovative policies and programs are only effective as the culture is supportive Focus on gender equity and career development Management change is institutionalized A life-cycle approach Active community focus