What causes differences in experience of employees with formal Work-Life Balance arrangements in an organizational context: A qualitative study
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2020-01-22
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en
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Abstract
The nature of work, careers and work lives has changed in the twenty-first century, which has consequences for the structure and shape of the life of employees. The diverse workforce faces the difficulty of finding a balance between work and life. Most research in this field focuses only on the experience and benefits for organizations with WLB arrangements (Beauregard & Henry, 2009). Therefore, the purpose of this research was to contribute to the literature about WLB in organizations by examining whether there are differences in experience of employees with formal WLB arrangements and what causes differences in experience of employees with formal WLB arrangements. Theory-oriented research is performed in a qualitative way. The results from this study show that formal WLB arrangements are not always perceived as supportive by all employees. The reasons for differences in the experience of employees with formal WLB arrangements are the way in which employees act in accordance with the expectations of their organization and the preferences of employees in life, influenced by life events and life domains. There seems to be a tension between the expectations of organizations and the possibility for employees to use the WLB arrangements for the right purpose. WLB arrangements in organizations are still in their infancy and the design of an organization and the preferences in lives of employees influence differences in experience of employees with formal Work-Life Balance arrangements.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen