1. 1 WWW.VU.EDU.AU A Framework for Work- Life Balance Practices in the Tourism Industry Margaret Deery Leo Jago

2. 2 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Background Increasing concern at the impact of long working hours on families, personal health and productivity Evidence of a lack of work- life balance in Australia – 65 million days of untaken leave in Australia

3. 3 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Study’s Aims To examine the issues, as found in the literature, surrounding work-life balance: In general Within the tourism industry To provide a framework for further research into work-life balance issues in the tourism industry

4. 4 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Definitions Work-Life Balance “…work-life balance is the relationship between the institutional and cultural times and spaces of work and non-work in societies where income is predominantly generated and distributed through labour markets” Felstead, Jewson, Phizacklea and Walters (2002: 56) Quality of Work Life “……satisfying an employee’s needs via the resources, activities and outcomes that arise from involvement in the workplace” Armstrong, Riemenschneider, Allen and Reid (2007:143)

5. 5 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Literature Three key areas: pressure and intensification of work quality of home and community life attitudes and values of people – –Generation X versus older workers

6. 6 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Antecedents to Work- Life Conflict Long working hours; long working hours culture Time pressures Lack of flexibility Financial pressure Employer practices Supervisor practices Lack of communication to staff

7. 7 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Antecedents to Work- Life Conflict (contd) Demographic details Increased work demands Stressful work; job stressors such as: job insecurity role clarity job autonomy time pressures leadership relations Exhaustion from work and too tired to enjoy homelife; marital satisfaction via job exhaustion

8. 8 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Antecedents to Work- Life Conflict (contd) Psychographics especially personality New technology

9. 9 WWW.VU.EDU.AU The Tourism Industry Long and unsocial hours Low pay and often low status of some tourism jobs Higher than average skill shortages, labour turnover and hard-to-fill vacancies.

10. 10 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Work-life Balance in the Tourism Industry. Presenteeism (Cooper, 1998: 314) ‘an overwhelming need to put in more hours or, at the very least, appear to be working very long hours’ Cullen and McLaughlin (2006) suggest that this culture is promoted in the tourism industry Women employees in the tourism industry (Doherty, 2004: 448) ‘a male model of a career based on commitment in the form of long hours persists’ Disadvantaged by the long and lack of flexibility in hours

11. 11 WWW.VU.EDU.AU A Proposed Model of Work-Family Issues for Hotel Managers (Mulvaney et al, 2006) Moderators Individual DifferencesFamily Factors -Demographic characteristics- Supportive spouse - Personality- Age and number of children - Locus of control- Willingness to relocate Processes - conflict - facilitation Outcomes Organisational Level - absenteeism - turnover - organizational commitment - performance Individual Level - job satisfaction - mental and physical health - alcohol abuse Family Level - marital relations - relationships with children - child outcomes - family opportunities and satisfaction Reactions/responses from the Organisation - Sabbatical leave- Job sharing - on-site child care- less emphasis on ‘face time’ Industry Context - long and irregular hours - face time and ‘Pay your dues’ belief system - Norm of relocation

12. 12 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Strategies to Address Work–Life Balance Issues Improved management practices Rostering Job sharing Leave (parental, study, etc) Job sharing Childcare benefits Buying time/ controlling time Flexible working times Working at home

13. 13 WWW.VU.EDU.AU Individual Differences - Demographic characteristics o especially age and gender - Personality o especially positive and negative affectivity o stress susceptibility - Locus of control Processes - conflict - facilitation Outcomes Organisational Level - absenteeism - turnover - performance - quality of work life Individual Level - job satisfaction - mental and physical health - alcohol abuse - organizational commitment - quality of life Family Level - marital relations - relationships with children - child outcomes - family opportunities and satisfaction - quality of family life Reactions/responses from the Organisation - recognition of WLB difficulties- job sharing - on-site child care- less emphasis on presenteeism - flexible rosters- recognition of Generation X and Y preferences -availability of ‘well-being’ resources such as gym memberships etc Industry Context - long and irregular hours - presenteeism and acceptance of long hours - impact of a turnover culture - acceptance of substance abuse Family Factors - Age and number of children - Aging parents - Spouse’s working arrangements - Distance from work A Framework to Examine Work-Life Balance in the Tourism Industry