Wk 71 Balancing Work/Life. Strategies for Women & Men To explore work/life balance Coping strategies parent use to manage multiple roles What organizations are doing to help parents A supportive family culture.

Wk 72 Work/family or work life Balance. Can you have it all? Or do you have to make choices/ Is Your Life Out of Balance Assign % according to the importance of these areas in your life (=100%) Work (or school) _% Family (rel) __% Leisure __% Community __% Religion (spiritual) __%

Wk 73 Assign % according to the amt of time & energy u devote..(=100%) Work (school) __% Family (rel)__% Leisure __% Community __% Religion (spiritual) __% Compare the 2 columns (this slide & before). Is there a discrepancy bet values & behaviour. If yes, how comfortable are u with the imbalance? Is it temporary? What can u do to improve? Source: Smith, Women at Work p 165

Wk 74 Types of Work/Family Conflict Time based conflict. Eg. Parents who have to clock in early, can’t take their kids to the school? Part-time students have to miss last hr of the class..Pressure from one role cause someone to be preoccupied with that role, although physically present in another role. Strain-based conflict. Anxiety by the demands of work or family role interude or “spill over” into the other role, making it difficult to fulfill the responsibilities of that role. Eg…if a child is sick, u as parent may not concentrate fully on your job..

Wk 75 Behaviour based conflict Behaviours expected or appropriate in the family role (emotional sensitivity) viewed as inappropriate/dyfunctional when used at work. Women directors are expected to be authoritative, decisive at work but at home, these behaviours may be dyfunctional. What are factors associated with work/family conflict? Demographics Attitudinal Workplace characteristics

Wk 76 Gender & Life Cycle Men & Women experience work/family conflict at different life cycle: young children, traditional attitudes toward parenting, large families, inflexible work schedules, unsupportive superiors 3 Stages: families with preschool children, families with grade school children, families with adolescents. Men w/f conflict decreases as their families went tru 3 stages; women’s w/f conflict did not decrease until the 3 rd stage.

Wk 77 Individual coping Understand the situation: why the stress 1. modifying the situation 2. changing the meaning of stress 3. managing the symptoms of stress Organizational (A Family- Friendly). Varieties of policies & programs 1. Time based. 2. information based. 3. money based & 4. Direct services.

Wk 78 Are there barriers in implementing organization family-friendly programs? Ingrained cultural values & assumptions on work & non work domains eg.. Structural difficulties Lack of support from managers Perception family issues are women issues Striking equity among all employees Lack of evaluation data on work/life programs

Wk 79 References Dayle, Women at work LPPKN, Special Focus, Finding a Balance between Career & Family Demands (New Straits Times, Malaysia) Maimunah et.al, High Flyer Women Academicians…Women in Management Review Report on Women in Higher Education (Webclass)