1. Julie Robison, Ph.D. Braceland Center for Mental Health and Aging
Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital
Hartford, CT

2. Balancing Work and Family
What works?

3. How is work impacted by family issues?
Work in general:
Work in long term care facilities:
Many CNAs hold multiple jobs to meet expenses which decreases flexibility, availability

4. How is family life impacted by work issues?
Family life in general:
Families of staff in long term care facilities:
Examples: Call out policy, impact on family/personal illness, child care
ditto weather emergency policy

5. Women in the Work Force All Women 1900 – 20% 1950 – 34% 1997 - 59%
Married Women
<6% % %
U.S. Bureau of the Census

6. Working Families Dual Earner Families: 54% of all families
65% of married couples with children <18
59% of families with children < 6
Married mothers with children who work:
72%, child <18
65%, child <6
59%, child <1
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1998

7. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

8. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

9. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

10. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

11. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

12. Moen, 2004. The New “Middle” Work Force

13. Culture Clash Employment Family life bureaucratic
requires ordered, fixed schedules
Family life
individual
requires flexible, changing schedules

14. Culture Clash
Unanticipated needs in family life don’t fit neatly into the available non-work time
- sick child
- infant and preschooler schedules
- care of sick or older relatives
- personal health needs

15. Culture Clash Working parents in particular struggle with:
- less time with children
- less time with spouses
- less leisure or personal time
- ensuring predictable, stable environments for children while parents work

16. Culture Clash
family and personal time is even less available for single parents who work

17. Benefits of Combining Work and Family
Higher self-esteem
Higher life-satisfaction
Positive impact on children, particularly girls, when mothers work
more $$$$

18. Benefits of Combining Work and Family
Feelings of:
personal success (at work, in family and balancing the combination)
personal mastery (control over one’s life)
generativity (contributions to co-workers and society)

19. Job Characteristics that Improve Personal Well-Being
absence of physical or psychological pressures
degree of challenge/self-direction
job security
control over one’s schedule
good relationships with co-workers
adequate income
To the extent that jobs can be designed to include these elements, employees will be happier

20. Accommodations at Work for Family
*primarily made by women when needed
sequential work: leaving work when children are born, returning when children are older
working part time
can severely reduce benefits
not possible for many families who need full time income

21. Accommodations at Work for Family (continued)
shift work: mothers or fathers work evening or night to cover child care
more commonly the mother who changes
selection of less involving occupation: job does not require extra hours, travel etc.

22. Accommodations in Family for Work
*primarily made by women
delaying children or having fewer children
postpones family demands until career is more settled (but doesn’t eliminate them)
purchasing products/services
eating out, buying prepared foods, housecleaning and childcare

23. Spillover
What about when either work or family life is particularly problematic?
Negative spillover: problems in one area create problems in the other

24. Examples of Negative Spillover
Impact of divorce, family illness on work
distraction
attendance
Impact of disciplinary problems at work (too many call outs) on family
sending sick children to school
personal health problem or injury worsens

25. Examples of Positive Spillover
Spillover can also be positive
Support at home can help with work problems
Work tasks can help with personal and practical issues at home

26. Women vs. Men
Women report higher rates of both positive and negative spillover than men do

27. Corporate Responses that Reduce Turnover
*Policies must be targeted to families’ needs
flexible work hours
part-time employment with pro-rated benefits
job sharing
family and medical leave
assistance with childcare: assistance in locating and screening providers, flexible spending accounts, linking with community providers for a discount, on-site childcare, resources and space for breastfeeding mothers

28. Corporate Responses that Reduce Turnover
*Policies must be targeted to families’ needs
Seminars on:
stress management
balancing work and family demands
family-related facility policies
Less successful, but may help in combination with family-friendly policies

29. Bottom Line
Companies must recognize that family needs will impinge on work time for employees at times.
Policies must be fair, but also supportive.
In a female-dominated profession like nursing home care, employees will be disproportionately responsible for dealing with unexpected family problems.

30. What facility policies relate to work/family issues
What facility policies relate to work/family issues? What changes could be made to help staff balance work and family needs? Where do these changes fit in your facility’s priorities?