Uptake of organisational work–life balance opportunities: the context of support

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between structural and cultural dimensions affecting managerial decision-making about work–life balance (WLB) opportunities. Through a top-down study of two contrasting Irish organisations, we identify how each of five dimensions of work–life culture: ‘managerial and organisational support’, ‘organisational time expectations’, ‘career consequences’, ‘gendered perception of policy use’ and ‘co-worker support’ are mediated through managers to affect availability and uptake of WLB opportunities and creating gaps between policy and practice. This study demonstrates how marked distinctions between the personal opportunities managers may wish to offer and the discretion available to them arise. Secondly, the concept of organisational work–life culture is advanced by elaborating the ‘context of support’, namely interdependencies between organisational culture and structure that affect the uptake of WLB opportunities. Implications for researchers and practitioners are also discussed.

Keywords:

• HR policies
• managerial support
• organisational culture
• structural arrangements
• work–life balance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [Award #5R24 HD042849] to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin.