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Perceptions of work-family balance: how effective are family-friendly policies?

Author

Listed:
  • Janeen Baxter

    (Jenny Chesters)

  • University of Queensland

    (Jenny Chesters)

Abstract

The increase in the proportion of mothers with young children returning to paid employment has generated considerable interest in how women juggle the demands of the workplace with the demands of family. Making workplaces more family-friendly has potential benefits for both employees and employers, but research findings are mixed about the take-up rate of such benefits and the outcomes for improving work-family balance. In this paper, we analyse data collected from 1688 women employed in the service sector in Queensland. We examine whether women’s perceptions of work-family balance are affected by access to and use of a range of family-friendly work entitlements including part-time employment, subsidized child care, various types of leave, control over rosters and variations in weekly employment hours. Our findings indicate that negative perceptions of work-family balance are linked to long work hours, having to work extra hours and unpredictable work hours. This suggests that what women need most is control over the length and scheduling of their working hours.

Suggested Citation

  • Janeen Baxter & University of Queensland, 2011. "Perceptions of work-family balance: how effective are family-friendly policies?," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 14(2), pages 139-151.
    • Handle: RePEc:ozl:journl:v:14:y:2011:i:2:p:139-151
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jenny Chesters & Janeen Baxter, 2009. "Paid and Unpaid Work in Australian Households: Trends in the Gender Division of Labour, 1986-2005," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 12(1), pages 89-107.
    2. Strazdins, L. & Shipley, M. & Broom, D.H., 2007. "What Does Family-Friendly Really Mean? Wellbeing, Time, and the Quality of Parents' Job," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 33(2), pages 202-225.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Hanel, 2012. "The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Labour Market Outcomes," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2012n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. Barbara Hanel, 2013. "The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave Rights on Labour Market Outcomes," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 89(286), pages 339-366, September.
    3. Jose Aurelio Medina-Garrido & Jose Maria Biedma-Ferrer & Antonio Rafael Ramos-Rodriguez, 2023. "Moderating effects of gender and family responsibilities on the relations between work-family policies and job performance," Papers 2401.13681, arXiv.org.
    4. Jose Maria Biedma Ferrer & Jose Aurelio Medina Garrido, 2023. "Impact of family-friendly HRM policies in organizational performance," Papers 2311.14358, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2023.
    5. Takao Kato & Naomi Kodama, 2018. "The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Econometric Evidence from Japan," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 99-127, March.
    6. Lina Vyas & Francis Cheung & Hang-Yue Ngo & Kee-Lee Chou, 2022. "Family-Friendly Policies: Extrapolating A Pathway towards Better Work Attitudes and Work Behaviors in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Jose Aurelio Medina-Garrido & Jose Maria Biedma-Ferrer & Antonio Rafael Ramos-Rodriguez, 2023. "Relationship between work-family balance, employee well-being and job performance," Papers 2401.13683, arXiv.org.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Safety; Time allocation; Work behaviour;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J29 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Other

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