Relinking Life and Work: Toward a Better Future Book

Many companies have begun embracing innovative policies and programs to address the issue of integrating work and family life. Nevertheless, a large gap has often existed between the promise of such policies and programs and their implementation. Clearly, we need to look at this question from a deeper perspective-namely, the assumptions underlying how work is done in organizations, including work cultures and structures. By taking a systemic perspective on the issue of how people balance their work and family lives, companies can actually boost their bottom line. It's evident that work-family issues make it difficult for many companies-even those with model work-family policies and generous benefits-to retain certain groups of desirable employees. To be effective, companies' interest in work and family issues must be related to the bottom line in addition to broader goals. Only in this way can every individual-female or male-pursue her or his talents fully; can tomorrow's generation of children be well cared for by fathers as well as mothers; and can women and men contribute to their families and communities as well as to their work. This volume is meant to stimulate employees and organizations to think differently and creatively about work structures and practices. It also provides a framework for embracing change that benefits both companies and employees. Finally, it suggests a highly productive methodology for achieving those goals.Read More