Work and Family--Allies or Enemies? : What Happens When Business Professionals Confront Life Choices

We've come a long way since the classic book The Organization Man first introduced the "ideal" 2-person career--a full-time male breadwinner and a stay-at-home wife. What typified the '50s good life is in stark contrast to contemporary reality: 63% of all married women with children under six years old are in the workforce and 40% of all workers are part of a dual-earner couple. Work and Family--Allies or Enemies? offers a fresh new lens for viewing the real struggles that business professionals face in their daily battle to find ways of "getting a life" and "having it all." Based on a pioneering study that surveyed more than 800 business professionals, this volume will help readers understand and deal with the effects of gender, professional culture, and social expectations, on the evolving roles of men and women in crafting an integrated life. A rich, inspiring, and at times disturbing look at how work and family affect the lives of men and women trying to manage the complexities of modern living, the authors argue that it is critical to learn how to manage the boundaries between work and family, to handle ambiguity, to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and to build networks of support at work and in the community. Work and Family--Allies or Enemies? offers a prescription for success that requires that all parties--individuals, employers, and society--clarify what is important, recognize and support the whole person, and continually experiment with new ways to achieve meaningful goals Work And Family - Allies Or Enemies? Offers A Fresh New Lens For Viewing The Real Struggles That Business Professionals Face In Their Daily Battle To Find Ways Of Getting A Life And Having It All. Based On A Pioneering Study That Surveyed More Than 800 Business Professionals, This Volume Will Help Readers Understand And Deal With The Effects Of Gender, Professional Culture, And Social Expectations On The Evolving Roles Of Men And Women In Crafting An Integrated Life. A Rich, Inspiring, And At Times Disturbing Look At How Work And Family Affect The Lives Of Men And Women Trying To Manage The Complexities Of Modern Living, The Book Argues That It Is Critical To Learn How To Manage The Boundaries Between Work And Family, To Handle Ambiguity, To Manage Multiple Tasks Simultaneously, And To Build Networks Of Support At Work And In The Community. Work And Family - Allies Or Enemies? Offers A Practical Prescription For Success That Requires All Parties - Individuals, Employers, And Society - To Clarify What Is Important, Recognize And Support The Whole Person, And Continually Experiment With New Ways To Achieve Meaningful Goals.--jacket. 1. The Changing Dynamics Of Work And Family -- 2. Choosing Work Or Family ... Or Both? -- 3. How Family Affects Career Success -- 4. Having A Life -- 5. Children: Unseen Stakeholders At Work -- 6. Support From Our Partner -- 7. Support From Our Employer -- 8. What Have We Learned? -- 9. What Can Be Done? -- App. 1. Design And Methodology Of Our Study -- App. 2. Personal Life Beyond The Family. Stewart D. Friedman, Jeffrey H. Greenhaus. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A look at how work and family affect the lives of men and women trying to manage the complexities of modern living, the book argues that it is critical to learn how to manage the boundaries between work and family, to handle ambiguity, to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and to build networks of support at work and in the community. This book offers practical prescription for success that requires all parties-individuals, employers, and society-to clarify what is important, recognize and support the whole person, and continually experiment with new ways to achieve meaningful goals Offers a lens for viewing the real struggles that business professionals - particularly women - face in their daily battle to find ways of 'getting a life' and 'having it all' based on a pioneering study that surveyed more than 800 business professionals Work and family, the dominant life roles for most employed women and men in contemporary society, can either help or hurt each other.