IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ehu/cuader/49127.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why a strong work-life balance system is needed?

Author

Listed:
  • Pasamar, Susana

Abstract

[EN] Purpose. This paper describes the concept of “strength of the work-life balance system” as a new and more advanced form of involvement in work-life issues, which lead to a stronger relationship with positive outcomes such as performance, commitment or satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach. From a theoretical point of view, and following Bowen and Ostroff (2004; 2016)’s framework of strength, all the features of a strong work-life balance system are described. We define the characteristics that allow the work-life balance system to create strong situations in which clear messages are sent to employees about what appropriate behavior is. Findings. Offering specific practices or specific types of support is not enough; a strong work-life balance system must also be in place. The strength of the system, which refers to the process, allows the firm to convey a consistent message about the content of the practices. Employees’ motivation, attitudes and behaviors towards work-life balance are highly dependent on how they interpret the signals from employers about the work-life balance system designed but also implemented. Practical implications. Future research and practitioners should pay more attention not only to design work life practices, but also to the implementation process in order not to fail in gaining all the positive outcomes related to work life balance, for employers and employees. Originality/value. This paper is the first step in the exploration of the importance of the implementation process of a work-life balance system, for a better contribution to organization positive outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Pasamar, Susana, 2020. "Why a strong work-life balance system is needed?," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).
    • Handle: RePEc:ehu:cuader:49127
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://addi.ehu.es/handle/10810/49127
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Budd, John W. & Mumford, Karen A., 2005. "Family-Friendly Work Practices in Britain: Availability and Perceived Accessibility," IZA Discussion Papers 1662, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Nick Bloom & Tobias Kretschmer & John Van Reenen, 2011. "Are family-friendly workplace practices a valuable firm resource?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 343-367, April.
    3. Beauregard, T. Alexandra & Henry, Lesley C., 2009. "Making the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 25224, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Alison M. Konrad & Robert Mangel, 2000. "The impact of work‐life programs on firm productivity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(12), pages 1225-1237, December.
    5. repec:eme:ijmpps:v:34:y:2013:i:1:p:961-974 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Susana Pasamar & Ramón Valle Cabrera, 2013. "Work-life balance under challenging financial and economic conditions," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(8), pages 961-974, November.
    7. Darcy, Colette & McCarthy, Alma & Hill, Jimmy & Grady, Geraldine, 2012. "Work–life balance: One size fits all? An exploratory analysis of the differential effects of career stage," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 111-120.
    8. Jeff Hyman & Chris Baldry & Dora Scholarios & Dirk Bunzel, 2003. "Work–Life Imbalance in Call Centres and Software Development," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 41(2), pages 215-239, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Monteiro, Natália P. & Straume, Odd Rune & Valente, Marieta, 2021. "When does remote electronic access (not) boost productivity? Longitudinal evidence from Portugal," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    2. Xiaoxi Chang & Yu Zhou & Chenxi Wang & Carmen de Pablos Heredero, 2017. "How do work-family balance practices affect work-family conflict? The differential roles of work stress," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Adame-Sánchez, Consolación & González-Cruz, Tomás F. & Martínez-Fuentes, Clara, 2016. "Do firms implement work–life balance policies to benefit their workers or themselves?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5519-5523.
    4. Maria-Lavinia FLOREA & Anca BORZA, 2017. "Practical Aspects Of Work-Life Balance: Segmentation-Integration Organizational Policies In Services Companies In Romania," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 11(1), pages 928-942, November.
    5. Natália P. Monteiro & Odd Rune Straume & Marieta Valente, 2019. "Does Remote Work Improve or Impair Firm Labour Productivity? Longitudinal Evidence from Portugal," CESifo Working Paper Series 7991, CESifo.
    6. Beckmann, Michael & Hegedüs, Istvan, 2011. "Trust-based working time and organizational performance: evidence from German establishment-level panel data," Working papers 2011/13, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    7. Beckmann, Michael, 2016. "Self-managed working time and firm performance: Microeconometric evidence," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145623, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    8. Ali Fakih, 2014. "Availability of Family-Friendly Work Practices and Implicit Wage Costs: New Evidence from Canada," CIRANO Working Papers 2014s-33, CIRANO.
    9. Beckmann, Michael, 2016. "Self-managed working time and firm performance: Microeconometric evidence," Working papers 2016/01, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
    10. Hideo Noda, 2020. "Work–Life Balance and Life Satisfaction in OECD Countries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1325-1348, April.
    11. Hope, Ole-Kristian & Li, Congcong & Lin, An-Ping & Rabier, MaryJane, 2021. "Happy analysts," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    12. José Aurelio Medina-Garrido & José María Biedma-Ferrer & Jaime Sánchez-Ortiz, 2020. "I Can’t Go to Work Tomorrow! Work-Family Policies, Well-Being and Absenteeism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Samuel Jayaraman & Hesil Jerda George & Mariadoss Siluvaimuthu & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2023. "Quality of Work Life as a Precursor to Work–Life Balance: Collegiality and Job Security as Moderators and Job Satisfaction as a Mediator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    14. Godart, Olivier N. & Görg, Holger & Hanley, Aoife, 2014. "Trust-based work-time and product improvements: Evidence from firm level data," Kiel Working Papers 1913, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Gerst, Benedikt & Grund, Christian, 2020. "Gender-Specific Duration of Parental Leave and Current Earnings," IZA Discussion Papers 13216, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Natália P. Monteiro & Odd Rune Straume & Marieta Valente, 2019. "Does remote work improve or impair firm labour productivity? Longitudinal evidence from," NIPE Working Papers 14/2019, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    17. Consolación Adame-Sánchez & Eva-María Caplliure & María-José Miquel-Romero, 2018. "Paving the way for coopetition: drivers for work–life balance policy implementation," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 519-533, March.
    18. Süß, Stefan & Sayah, Shiva, 2013. "Balance between work and life: A qualitative study of German contract workers," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 250-262.
    19. Salomé Goñi-Legaz & Andrea Ollo-López, 2015. "Factors that Determine the Use of Flexible Work Arrangement Practices in Spain," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 463-476, September.
    20. Fan, Ying, 2023. "Collaborative integration, workplace flexibility and scholarly productivity: Evidence from the COVID-19 outbreak," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-15.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ehu:cuader:49127. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alcira Macías Redondo (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ieahues.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.