Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the participation of women in companies with financial performance. However, this relationship does not arise directly. The authors argue that the participation of women in the company’s staff has a positive effect on the creation of work-life balance (WLB) practices, due to women have traditionally assumed family responsibilities, and subsequently these practices positively affect financial performance. WLB practices are a tool to balance employees’ professional and personal goals.Design/methodology/approachThis study aims to determine whether WLB practices mediate in the relationship between female participation in the workforce and financial performance on large companies listed in the Spanish Stock Exchange Index during the period from 2008 to 2013.FindingsThe main finding is that female participation in the workforce positively affects to the availability of WLB practices, but WLB practices are not a mediator to increase financial performance.Originality/valueThe study is a new contribution for academics and practitioners, since the WLB has a role of moderating variable; and the positive joint effect of female participation and WLB practices is tested over the company’s outcomes, instead of over the individual employee behaviour like in previous literature. In addition, this effect is studied in a country with economic recession where corporate WLB practices have increased in the last decade.
Highlights
According to the International Labor Organization report, the share of women in the labour force, which reaches rates close to 50 per cent, is still lower than the share of men, this follows an increasing trend that is slowed down by the additional responsibilities that this segment assumes
All the above give rise to situations in which family interferes with work (FIW), or when they assume more responsibilities in their work, can be possible that work interferes with family (WIF) (Allen and Finkelstein, 2014)
This literature on work-life balance (WLB) focusses on the improvement of skills or behaviours of employees as a way to enhance organisational results than those obtained before the implementation of WLB practices
Summary
According to the International Labor Organization report, the share of women in the labour force, which reaches rates close to 50 per cent, is still lower than the share of men (approximately 76 per cent), this follows an increasing trend that is slowed down by the additional responsibilities that this segment assumes. Many studies developed in this line of research confirm that WLB practices increase staff loyalty and commitment, job satisfaction and productivity, as well as a reduction of absenteeism, sick days, tardiness, turnover intentions, or stress at work, among others (Lobel, 1999; Dex and Scheibl, 2000; Glass and Finley, 2002; Carrasquer and Martín, 2005; Hughes and Bozionelos, 2007; Albert et al, 2010) This literature on WLB focusses on the improvement of skills or behaviours of employees as a way to enhance organisational results than those obtained before the implementation of WLB practices. Women are still with the highest burden of family and domestic responsibilities
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