Work-family Culture Research Articles

Antecedents and outcomes of implementing flexibility policies in organizations

This study examines the antecedents of employees' utilization of various flexibility work arrangements (FWA) on the one hand and job-related outcomes due to their implementation in organizations on the other hand. Data are provided by an original survey administered to employees working in private organizations (N = 480). Workers' uptake of the arrangements is enhanced by their family responsibilities, by FWA availability, by supervisors' support and by co-workers' FWA use. Regarding employee outcomes, FWA availability is related to two of the three outcomes studied. Moreover, a favourable work-family culture is related to our three outcomes, employee commitment, turnover intentions and work-to-family conflict.

The Relationship between Owner Characteristics, Company Size, and the Work–Family Culture and Policies of Women‐Owned Businesses

Women become business owners for a variety of reasons; however, the impact of motivations for ownership on the culture and policies of the business is unclear. Extending the small business, entrepreneurship, and work–family (WF) conflict literatures, we examined whether woman owners shape the culture and policies of the organization to be consistent with their personal motivations, challenges, and family status. Results show that being a full‐time manager, marital status, and motivation for becoming a business owner were related to the WF culture of the business. Business size and parental status predicted family‐friendly policies. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

When Satisfaction with Work-Family Balance Pays

This study examines the mechanism through which family supportive organizations (i.e. family supportive supervisor behaviors and work-family friendly culture) is negatively related to turnover inte...

Predictors of Occupational and Organizational Commitment in Information Technology: Exploring Gender Differences and Similarities

Despite growing demand, the information technology (IT) field suffers from a labor shortage compounded by the underrepresentation of women in the IT field. This study examined predictors of occupational and organizational commitment outcomes among IT professionals and explored gender differences and similarities in the relative importance of predictors. 1,229 IT professionals provided web-based survey data, which were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling and relative weight analysis. Satisfaction with growth opportunities, job security, job stress, and work–family culture generally were related to commitment outcomes as expected, accounting for the greatest variance in organizational commitment. Relative weights for men and women differed in the prediction of occupational commitment, where growth satisfaction and work–family culture were weighted more strongly by women and job stress was more strongly weighted by men. For organizational commitment, the relative weights among predictors were similar for men and women, except that men weighted job security more strongly than women. Findings suggest that garnering commitment to the IT field requires a gender-specific approach, highlighting growth and work–family support for women and addressing job stress for men. Increasing organizational commitment for both men and women calls for an emphasis on opportunities for growth and development. This is the first study to simultaneously examine predictors for organizational and occupational commitment among IT professionals and to assess the relative importance of predictors discussed in the extant literature. Results inform efforts to increase retention in the IT field and provide guidance for improving the representation of women in IT.

Across the continuum of satisfaction with work–family balance: Work hours, flexibility-fit, and work–family culture

This study investigated the association between hours worked per week and satisfaction with work–family balance, using data from a 2007–2008 survey of employees nested within organizations. We tested hypotheses informed by the resource drain and resources-and-demands perspectives using quantile regression. We found that the negative association between hours worked per week and satisfaction with work–family balance was significantly stronger at the 25th percentile, as compared to at the 75th percentile, of satisfaction with work–family balance. Further, there was some evidence that perceived flexibility-fit (i.e., the fit between worker needs and flexible work options available) and supportive work–family culture attenuated the relationship between hours worked and satisfaction with work–family balance. The results suggest that analyses focusing on the average relationship between long work hours (such as those using ordinary least squares regression) and satisfaction with work–family balance may underestimate the importance of long work hours for workers with lower satisfaction levels.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI MINAT SISWA KELAS IX SMP UNTUK MELANJUTKAN KE SMKN 2 SIMPANG EMPAT KOMPETENSI KEAHLIAN PERAWAT KESEHATAN KABUPATEN TANAH BUMBU

ABSTRACT This research aims at revealing: 1) the students’ interst in continuing their study in health nursing expertise competency among IX Grade of Junior High School; 2) the direct effect of work opportunity knowledge, family culture, self-understanding, and students’ economic background towards their interest in continuing their study in health nursing expertise competency; 3) the indirect effects of work opportunity knowledge and the students’ economic background toward their interest in continuing their study in health nursing expertise competency. The population of this research was IX Grade students of Junior High School who were officially registered in the second semester in the academic year of 2011/2012. The sample of the research was 248 students with proportional random sampling technique. The research data were collected by using questionnaires. The results of this research showed that (1) The students’ interest of IX Grade Junior High School to continue their study in health nursing expertise competency can be catagorized as high with average score of 59.02; (2) there were positive and significant direct effects of work opportunity knowledge, family culture, self-understanding, and economic background of the students toward their interest in continuing the study in health nursing expertise competency. (3) there were indirect effects of work opportunity knowledge and economic background among IX Grade students of Junior High School toward their interest in continuing their study in health nursing expertise competency. Keywords: continuing study, health nursing, students interest.

The measurement of work–family culture in Spain and some applications to other economies

This investigation adapts the scales assessing work–family culture to consider several characteristics found in Spanish organizations (e.g. extended schedules and a high value attributed to working long hours). Organizational phenomena not included in other scales are integrated into a modified instrument (e.g. managers efforts to inform about the available work–family benefits, being considered more efficient when working many hours). Suggestions on the measurement of these new features in other economies are provided. Two studies are conducted: one to develop the scale and another to validate it. The resulting instrument comprehends three components: managerial support, career consequences and supervisor support.

Work-family culture and job satisfaction: does gender and parenting status alter the relationship?

Previous studies on work-family culture have examined its relationship with different employee outcomes (e.g., work-family conflict, job satisfaction, commitment) but neglected one important question; namely, who are most likely to benefit from a supportive work-family culture in terms of positive employee outcomes? The aim of this study was to shed new light on the work-family culture–job satisfaction linkage by examining the moderator effects of gender and parenting status in this relationship. Specifically, we asked whether gender and parenting status would alter the association between work-family culture and job satisfaction. We hypothesized – on the basis of traditional gender roles – that women, and especially mothers, would benefit most from a family supportive organizational culture. We utilized three divergent samples gathered from male (N=768) and female (N=1364) employees in Finland: (1) a female-dominated sample from social and health care; (2) a male-dominated sample from paper industry; and (3) more gender-mixed sample from the ICT company. Work-family culture was described through its positive (work-family support) and negative facets (work-family barriers), whereas job satisfaction was operationalized via a facet-based scale. Hierarchical moderated regression analyses performed separately for the three different organizations revealed that the results for mothers and fathers under the condition of high work-family support differed in the paper mill and the information and communication technology (ICT) company. Thus, in addition to gender, the type of organization also moderated the relationship. Specifically, in the paper mill, mothers benefited more from high work-family support than fathers, whereas in the ICT company the reverse situation held: fathers benefited more than mothers. Thus, high work-family support was associated with higher job satisfaction among mothers in the paper mill and among fathers in the ICT company.

Family Status and Work Attitudes: An Investigation in a Professional Services Firm

To help employees better balance work and family responsibilities, organizations are increasingly offering a variety of work–family programmes. However, anecdotal reports suggest that employees without spouses or children perceive that they receive fewer organizational benefits and bear greater burdens than their married or parent counterparts. By providing a more ‘family‐friendly’ work environment, organizations may foster perceptions of inequity in people without families (single adults without dependent children, SAWDCs), possibly resulting in lower job satisfaction and other work‐related outcomes. Using a sample of 454 employees of a professional services firm, we examined attitudinal differences between individuals with and without families. Findings suggest that SAWDCs and non‐SAWDCS differed in terms of age, organizational level, use of flexible work arrangements and firm tenure. However, we found no differences in hours worked, job involvement, job satisfaction or organizational commitment. Interestingly, SAWDCs had more favourable perceptions of the organization's work–family culture than non‐SAWDCs, suggesting that those who do not utilize family‐friendly benefits view them more favourably than those who actually need or use the benefits. In addition to identifying directions for future research, we offer suggestions for organizations, including taking a more universal approach to benefits to the advantage of all employees.

Relationships between work-family culture and work attitudes at both the individual and the departmental level

There is a need to better understand the nature of work-family culture and its relationships with job-related outcomes. The main objective of this study was to investigate the associations between a supportive work-family culture and work attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction, work engagement, turnover intentions) at both the individual and work departmental level. Survey-based data were gathered from 52 Finnish work departments (1219 individuals) in the domains of health care, ICT, and the paper industry. Data were analysed via multilevel structural equation modelling. Work-family culture was assessed via managers’ supportiveness, organizational time demands, and the expected career consequences of taking up work-family-related benefits. The results showed, first, that employees in the same work department shared similar perceptions of the department's work-family culture and work attitudes; second, the perceptions of the work-family culture shared within the work department as well as employees’ individual perceptions of it were associated with work attitudes. Thus, the positive effects of a supportive work-family culture on work attitudes were established at both the individual and work departmental levels.

일-가족문화가 조직구성원의 태도와 이직의도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to research the relationships among work-family culture, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention of employees in banking industry. In response to employees` need for work-family balance, employers have instituted a number of programs, such as assistant with child care and elder care, flex time, job sharing, shorter work weeks, and telecommuting were adopted. These areas of study are so important in modern organizations because of their influence on organizational success and on the personal lives of employees. To accomplish this study, it was determined that the analysis derived from a hypothesis and literature reviews and data collected from 254 employees in bank industry. The results of empirical analysis showed as follows. First, Perceived work-family culture has a significant effect on job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention. Second, Job satisfaction and organizational commitment have a significant effect on turnover intention. Based on these findings, the implications and limitations of the study were presented including some directions for future studies.

Effects of work–family culture on employee well-being: Exploring moderator effects in a longitudinal sample

This present panel study had three aims: (1) to shed new light on the work–family culture (WFC)–well-being (work–family conflict, work engagement, job exhaustion) linkage by investigating lagged associations between the phenomena; (2) to consider the multidimensional nature of WFC by specifying whether its lagged effects on well-being would vary by its dimensions; and (3) to explore whether the positive aspects of WFC would prevent its negative ones from spilling over into employee well-being. The study was based on a 2-year longitudinal sample (N = 409) gathered among Finnish health care workers. The results showed that WFC was a bidimensional construct containing both negative (work–family barriers) and positive (work–family support) facets. Only its positive facets (work–family support) showed a lagged negative effect on the outcomes studied (work–family conflict). No signs of moderator effects were observed.

Health, Supervisory Support, and Workplace Culture in Relation to Work-Family Conflict and Synergy

This research examined health, supervisory support, and workplace culture as predictors of work interfering with family, family interfering with work, and work-family synergy. The analysis of data from 2,796 respondents from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce yielded significant relations among measures of mental health, self-rated health, supervisory support, and work-family culture with a focus on career concerns. Support was found for a measure of work-family synergy. Implications and directions for research are discussed.

HEALTH, SUPERVISORY SUPPORT, AND WORKPLACE CULTURE IN RELATION TO WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT AND SYNERGY1

This research examined health, supervisory support, and workplace culture as predictors of work interfering with family, family interfering with work, and work-family synergy. The analysis of data from 2,796 respondents from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce yielded significant relations among measures of mental health, self-rated health, supervisory support, and work-family culture with a focus on career concerns. Support was found for a measure of work-family synergy. Implications and directions for research are discussed.

Africa-Specific Factors Influencing the Decision to Adopt Work-Family Policies : Exploring the Field in Nigeria.

A few organizations in Nigeria have begun to show an interest in work-family policies; however, many others remain indifferent. This article seeks to identify environment-specific factors, not found in the Western literature, influencing organizational leaders in Nigeria to adopt work-family policies. This is important *because the family is a key cultural value in Africa threatened by current work intensification, and accelerating change requires an understanding of the variables affecting the change. Qualitative data on nine organizations in four economic sectors are examined to identify likely antecedents of and obstacles to work-family policies. A variable relevant to Nigeria but not found in existing Western literature is the link with a foreign or international partner with a work-family culture. This factor is powerful if it is coupled with a personal impulse from the chief executive and management team, failing which complaints of valued employees may move management to action – a proposition to be tested in further quantitative studies. On the other hand, the case studies support previous findings that organizational culture expressed in management practices and assumptions often constitutes a major obstacle to the adoption and take up of work-family policies.Keywords: work-family policies; Nigeria; culture

Equipping managers to assist employees in addressing work-family conflict: Applying the research literature toward innovative practice.

Although there is a great deal of research documenting that work-family conflict is a problem, the literature offers much less in the way of practical managerial guidance. Equipped with the well-documented premise that support from the immediate supervisor or manager is associated with diminished work-family conflict, the authors aimed to bridge the science–practice gap by articulating (a) the effective ways in which a manager can demonstrate support and (b) what can be done to equip and encourage managers to be supportive. The authors' review draws on leader-member exchange theory and empirical research as well as the emerging work on idiosyncratic deals to derive five recommendations for managerial practice. Recommendations address managerial training, empowerment, and motivation, in addition to the type of context (i.e., supportive work-family culture) and tools (i.e., work-life job analysis) expected to be most useful to a manager's efforts to address employees' work-family conflict.

Cultura trabalho-família e compromisso organizacional numa empresa de serviços

It is analyzed the relationship between work-family culture with the organizational commitment of employees, controlling sociodemographical variables. 219 technical workers and professionals, between 19 and 64 years old, from a financial services company located in the region of Maule (Chile) , responded three instruments of measurement. There was a significant relationship between work-family culture variables and organizational commitment, where the culture appears strongly associated to the commitment (r = 0,483, p = 0.05). While most executive support from the company is perceived by workers, the greater the commitment to them with company, particularly with its normative (r =0,417, p< 0,000) and affective commitment (r = 0,347, p < 0,000).

An Examination of Factors Related to Work‐to‐family Conflict among Employed Men and Women in Japan

The aims of this study of Japanese married employees were: 1) to examine the relationship between work-related factors and work-to-family conflict (WFC); 2) to examine the relationship between WFC and fatigue and depression; and 3) to explore the role of family togetherness in a path between WFC and health. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among employees belonging to a labor union federation of the chemical industry. All analyses were conducted by subgroup according to gender and parental status. Data was collected from 12 companies located in the Tokyo metropolitan area from September to October 2005. The data of 961 married employees were analyzed. The main findings by regression analyses were: 1) high job demands, low job control, and unsupportive work-family culture were associated with high level of WFC; 2) WFC was positively associated with fatigue and depression regardless of gender and parental status; and 3) maintaining family togetherness was slightly, yet significantly associated with fatigue in the father group. WFC was unfavorably related to fatigue and depression in both genders regardless of parental status, and plays a role linking unfavorable work situations and health. As possible work-related factors of WFC, the data indicate not only individual workplace variables but also an organizational support. Additionally, maintaining family togetherness appears to benefit fathers by preventing fatigue. Strategies for reduction of WFC are therefore necessary to promote health among married workers of both genders.

Women and family-friendly policies in the Korean government

This paper discusses the desires and realities of women and family-friendly policies in the Korean government. The implementation of policies for gender equality during the past two decades has increased the ratio of women in the civil service. As the number of women in the government has increased, family-friendly policies have been provided for civil servants to balance work and personal life. Family-friendly policies are expected to positively affect the civil servants and government performance. However, the family-friendly policies are not effectively implemented because they are not properly bundled, and civil servants are reluctant to take advantage of these policies under male-centered organizational practices. To aid civil servants in balancing the role requirements of work and family, government organizations should create family-friendly work environments by not only instituting various proper family-friendly programs but also by promoting a supportive culture. Several efforts for establishing such a supportive culture are suggested. Points for practitioners To aid civil servants in balancing the role requirements of work and family, government organizations should create family-friendly work environments by instituting various family-friendly programs and by promoting supportive work—family culture. Only providing family-friendly programs without promoting cultural change is insufficient. Several efforts are essential to establish a supportive work—family culture. First of all, the organizational leaders should be aware of the positive effects of family-friendly programs on employees' attitude and behavior and organizational performance. They need to make civil servants believe that their careers will not be negatively affected by using family-friendly benefits through providing them with counseling and education on family-friendly programs and work—life balance. They should also make every effort to reduce the male-centered organizational practices and to support the work—family concerns of the civil servants.

Occupational and Industry Sex Segregation and the Work–Family Interface

This study examines how gender interacts with the extent of occupational and industry sex segregation to affect family-to-work conflict, work-to-family conflict, coworker support, and supportive work-family culture. Using a theoretical framework that highlights the negative ramifications of working in a sex-atypical occupation or industry, we hypothesized that men and women would be impacted differently by the percentage of women in an occupation or industry. The data (N = 2,810) are from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (a US sample). Findings suggest that gender interacts with the percentage of women in an industry in significantly predicting coworker support and supportive work–family culture. Gender also interacts with the percentage of women in an occupation in significantly predicting family-to-work conflict.