The Power of Perceptions: How perceptions affect
work-life integration
Authored by Catie Maillard, Danielle Hartman, and
Jennifer Fraone at the Boston College Center for Work & Family
According
to the 2008
Rosabeth Moss Kanter Award finalists, negative perceptions may decrease job
satisfaction and utilization of work-family policies, and increase conflict
between work life and home life. Fortunately, perceptions can be changed, and
there are steps employers can take to help employees achieve work-life
integration.
Perceptions of Career Consequences
In
Sonya Premeaux's (2007) study, she found that employees may be less likely to
use corporate work-life offerings if they perceive career consequences to
follow. Simply having formal work-life policies is not enough if manager or
workplace culture does not support work-life and career integration. According
to Wang (2007), "family-friendly work programs produce higher levels of
organizational commitment and reduced level of work withdrawal when employees
perceive their supervisors as inspiring, challenging, and individually
considerate."
Perceptions of Workload
It
is not only number of hours worked, but an employee's perception of workload
that appears to affect work-life conflict (Iles, 2007). By helping employees
manage workload through "establishing supportive rather than stressful work
performance norms," Cullen (2007) believes that employers may see both socially
and economically desirable outcomes: higher performance norms, work-life
integration, and safety.
Perceptions of Work-Life Conflict
According
to Spector (2007), different cultures may have different attitudes about the
role of work, which can affect the dynamic between the work and family spheres.
In individualistic societies, such as that in the United States, "excessive
efforts spent in work pursuits are seen as being devoted to the self and
neglecting the family." However, in collectivistic societies such as in Asian
and Latin American countries, putting extra time into work is supported by the
family, as it is seen as a way to ensure financial stability.
Implications for Practice
Although employees have their own
perceptions about career consequences, workload, and work-life conflict;
organizations can influence these perceptions in a positive way by:
Educating managers about the positive aspects of work-life
integration such as improving financial
performance, productivity, and employee satisfaction
Creating a workplace culture of flexibility by attention to work accomplished instead of hours
worked, empowering teams to develop flexible work schedules, and communicating
success stories
Helping employees manage their own workloads and stress through the elimination of low value work, giving
employees choice over work and schedule, and supporting and encouraging
vacations
Developing cultural competency by understanding the culture of the country of operation
Resources
Cullen, J.C.
& Hammer, L.B. (2007). Developing and testing a theoretical model linking
work-family conflict to employee safety. Journal of Occupational Health
Psychology, 12, 266-278. culj235@Lni.wa.gov
Ilies, R.,
Schwind, M., Wagner, D. T., Johnson, M., DeRue, D.S., & Ilgen, D.R. (2007).
When can employees have a family life? The effects of daily workload and affect
on work-family conflict and social behaviors at home. Journal of Applied
Psychology, 92, 1368-1379. ilies@msu.edu
Premeaux, S.F.,
Adkins, C. L., & Mossholder, K.W. (2007). Balancing work and family: A
field study of multi-dimensional, multi-role work-family conflict. Journal of Organizational
Behavior, 28, 705-727. sonya.permeaux@nicholls.edu
Spector, P.E.,
Allen, T.D., Poelmans, S.A., Lapierre, L.M., Cooper, C.L., O'Driscoll, M., et
al. (2007). Cross-national differences in relationships of work demands, job
satisfaction, and turnover intentions with work-family conflict. Personnel
Psychology, 60, 805-835. spector@shell.cas.usf.edu
Wang, P. &
Walumbwa, F.O (2007). Family-friendly programs, organizational commitment, and
work withdrawal: The moderating role of transformational leadership. Personnel
Psychology, 60, 397-427. wangp@muohio.edu
