Balancing Work and Family : No Matter Where You are

Parents around the globe are facing the common challenges of balancing family and work. And the need has never been more urgent for organizations to recognize how having a family impacts an employee’s creativity, productivity and performance. Here is a useful guide to help leaders implement country-sensitive work-family policies and create family-responsible environments in which employees can carry out their work and still be fully engaged with their families. In nine chapters, Balancing Work and Family: Reviews and addresses the unique cultural, social, political and economic climates in the United States, Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa; Provides practical recommendations based on solid international research; Presents theory as well as vivid accounts of employee experiences from different geographical regions and cultural backgrounds; Shares examples and business cases illustrating best practices from companies in these regions. The book’s perspective is truly global, with chapters written by international authors. It brings together a diverse team including an academic expert who has conducted rigorous studies on work family conflict, a lawyer who addresses the legal environment in some countries and a practitioner with hands-on experience with real employers and employees. Each chapter presents an overview of the factors in a specific region impacting work-family integration, the main challenges to individuals and organizations, solutions companies have implemented and many examples of the processes companies use to foster family-responsible cultures. The authors make a strong case that it is the job organizational leaders – not HR professionals – to direct change in this important area. With this book, you have a roadmap to creating more effective organizations, societies, economies and – most importantly – stronger families. This volume guides organizational leaders in implementing country-sensitive work-family policies and create family-responsible environments, in which employees can carry out their work and still be fully engaged with their families. It reviews the unique cultural, social, political and economic climates in the United States, Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. This work also provides recommendations as well as accounts of employee experiences from different geographical regions and cultural backgrounds, and shares examples and business cases illustrating best practices from companies in these regions. The editors gather a team, including experts who have studied work-family conflict, a lawyer who addresses the legal environment in some countries and a practitioner with hands-on experience with real employers and employees. Each chapter presents an overview of the factors in a specific region impacting work-family integration, the main challenges to individuals and organizations, solutions companies have implemented and many examples of the processes companies use to foster family-responsible cultures. The editors maintain throughout that it is the job organizational leaders - not human resource professionals - to direct change in this important area Work-family balance : a global challenge / Nuria Chinchilla, Mireia Las Heras, and Elizabeth Torres A conceptual framework for understanding work-family conflict and policy implementation across countries / Aline D. Masuda and Laurel McNall Family-responsible businesses in the U.S. : why how and with what results / Mireia Las Heras and Fred Van Deusen Work and family : a view from Latin America / Patricia Debeljuh Work-life balance in Europe : a shared concern / Beatriz Martin, Consuelo Leon, Aline D. Masuda, and Nuria Chinchilla Work-family conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa / Chantal Epie, Muriithi J. Caesar Mwangi, and AlIne D. Masuda Implementing family-friendly practices in Australia : national, industry and organizational insights / Jaliet Bourke, Susan MacKenzie, and Juliet Andrews Work-family policies and practices : the case of four Asian countries / Maria Victoria Q. Caparas The work-family relationships in China : cultural tradition, socioeconomic changes and policy implications / Nini Yang. Parents around the globe are facing the common challenges of balancing family and work. This title helps leaders of various organizations implement country-sensitive work-family policies and create family-responsible environments in which employees can carry out their work and still be fully engaged with their families. The balance between work and family life is the single most commonly mentioned issue among senior executives worldwide. Using case studies, this collaborative text provides a framework for analyzing immediate and long-term balance