The Work-Family Interface

Students and researchers in family studies, family policy and the sociology of the family.The Origins of Contemporary Work-Family Dilemmas When Work Separated from Family: The Household Economy Transitions to the Industrial Economy When Family and Work Were Defined as Separate Spheres: The Husband/Breadwinner-Wife/Homemaker Economy Where We Are Now: Most Every Adult Should Work Outside the Home Summary Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project The Diversity of Work, Family, and Work-Family Arrangements Diverse Values and Preferences Diverse Employment Diverse Families Summary Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project Individual and Family Frontiers: Personal Responses to Strained Schedules Dominant Culture Metaphors of Connecting Work and Family Work-Family Conflict, Spillover, and Segmentation How Individuals and Families Respond to Work-Family Conflict Summary Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project Employer Frontiers: Organizational Intransigence and Promising Practices The Dual Agenda: Establishing Positive Outcomes for Families and Employers Availability and Use of Employer Provided Family-Responsive Policies and Practices The Process of Organizational Change: Moving From Awareness to Action Rethinking the Scheduling of Work Flexible Work in Multinational Organizations Summary Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project Global Perspectives on the Work-Family Interface: International Comparative Analysis and Transnational Relationships International Comparative Analysis of Work and Family Relationships Intersections of Culture and Policy: National Approaches to Support Care Work Three Societal Level Approaches to Reconciling Work-Family Strains Family Well-Being in International Comparative Perspective Transnational Concerns Summary Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project The Work-Family Interface as a National Priority What Governments Can Do Making the Case and Understanding Resistance Conclusion Useful Concepts Issues to Ponder Mini Project Further Exploration Bibliography About the Author