Research Output
Work-life policy: does it do exactly what it says on the tin?
  Policies which help employees balance their work and non-work priorities have become increasingly popular among UK employers in recent years. Along with a legislative imperative for family leave-related policies, employers are being encouraged to introduce work-life policies and make them more inclusive in order to enhance their business performance. This paper looks at how four financial services organisations have approached the work-life balance agenda and examines the fit between the organisational intentions for work-life policy and actual outcomes for both organisations and employees. Culture played a large part in determining the experience of policies but so did resources. What managers were being asked to achieve in the business was often incompatible with formal work-life policies. Despite the rhetoric, work-life balance was still viewed as a tool for, and was used by female parents, limiting its potential to achieve the promoted business benefits.

  • Type:

    Article

  • Date:

    01 January 2003

  • Publication Status:

    Published

  • Publisher

    Emerald

  • DOI:

    10.1108/09649420310462307

  • ISSN:

    0964-9425

  • Library of Congress:

    HD28 Management. Industrial Management

Citation

Wise, S., & Bond, S. (2003). Work-life policy: does it do exactly what it says on the tin?. Women In Management Review, 18, 20-31. https://doi.org/10.1108/09649420310462307

Authors

Keywords

Family-friendly organizations; work-life balance; organizational culture; working hours; employment law; labour policy;

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