Balancing Work/Life. Strategies for Women & Men

1. Balancing Work/Life.Strategies for Women & Men To explore work/life balance Coping strategies parent use to manage multiple roles What organizations are doing to help parents A supportive family culture. Wk 7 08

2. Work/family or work life Balance. Can you have it all? Or do you have to make choices/ • Is Your Life Out of Balance • Assign % according to the importance of these areas in your life (=100%) • Work (or school) _% • Family (rel) __% • Leisure __% • Community __% • Religion (spiritual) __% Wk 7 08

3. Assign % according to the amt of time & energy u devote..(=100%) • Work (school) __% • Family (rel)__% • Leisure __% • Community __% • Religion (spiritual) __% Compare the 2 columns (this slide & before). Is there a discrepancy bet values & behaviour. If yes, how comfortable are u with the imbalance? Is it temporary? What can u do to improve? Source: Smith, Women at Work p 165 Wk 7 08

4. Costs of Balancing Act “Double day” of paid & unpaid work –particularly demanding for women Role conflict: psychological effects of being faced with sets of incompatible expectations or demands. Role overload: the difficulties of meeting these expectations. The secretary being asked to work overtime on short notice & must find child care. May experience both conflict (feeling guilty & torn bet 2 obligations) & overload (calling baby sitters while typing the overdue report) Incompatible mother & worker roles..may lead to guilt, anxiety & depression Wk 7 08

5. While women & men experience role conflicts, women are more likely than men to adjust their jobs around their family responsibilities (Mennino& Brayfiled, 02): flexi schedules, work part time, turn down opportunities for promotion or OT, use their own sick days to care others. Adjust family lives around their paid work by having less children, cutting back on hsework, hiring live in child care help Mutual strategies bet couples: sharing childcare & hsework, hiring domestic helper Wk 7 08

6. Balancing Act Choices (trade-offs) is influenced more by sociocultural aspects of gender than by own attitudes & beliefs. In 900 men & women national survey, individual attitudes ahd little effect. Thus, more traditionally oriented people did not make different choices than more egalitarian people. However, both women & men in male dominated occupations made more trade offs that put family needs second to work needs. E.g. they were more likely to take on extra work & to miss a family event. Suggests that “male-typed occupations, regardless held by women or men, are less accomodating to job-family balance” (Mennino & Brayfield, 02) Wk 7 08

7. Types of Work/Family Conflict • Time based conflict. Eg. Parents who have to clock in early, can’t take their kids to the school? Part-time students have to miss last hr of the class..Pressure from one role cause someone to be preoccupied with that role, although physically present in another role. • Strain-based conflict. Anxiety by the demands of work or family role interude or “spill over” into the other role, making it difficult to fulfill the responsibilities of that role. Eg…if a child is sick, u as parent may not concentrate fully on your job.. Wk 7 08

8. Behaviour based conflict • Behaviours expected or appropriate in the family role (emotional sensitivity) viewed as inappropriate/dyfunctional when used at work. Women directors are expected to be authoritative, decisive at work but at home, these behaviours may be dyfunctional. • What are factors associated with work/family conflict? • Demographics • Attitudinal • Workplace characteristics Wk 7 08

9. Gender & Life Cycle Men & Women experience work/family conflict at different life cycle: young children, traditional attitudes toward parenting, large families, inflexible work schedules, unsupportive superiors 3 Stages: families with preschool children, families with grade school children, families with adolescents. Men w/f conflict decreases as their families went tru 3 stages; women’s w/f conflict did not decrease until the 3rd stage. Wk 7 08

10. Benefits of the Balancing Act: Effects on Women & Men. Studies showed involvement as a spouse, parent, partner & worker is beneficial for both gender. The value of the balancing act is reflected in better mental health, physical health, and relationship quality (Barnett & Hyde, 01). Why? Paid work generally is a source of increased self-esteem, > social involvement, & an independent identity (Steil,97). When women make paid work part of their lives, they gain > than just $ Success in one domain may help people keep a sense of perspective about the other domains (Crosby, 91) Wk 7 08

11. In a study of > 200 mgrs, both gender believed their roles as parents & active community members had > positive than negative effects on their work performance (Kirchmeyer, 93). Women who juggle home & work develop good cooperative strategies such as choosing the most rewarding aspects of each job & delegating the others. Having a paid job can provide a handy excuse for a woman avoiding things she didn’t care to do (Baruch et al, 83) Employment also increases women’s power in the family, provides family with greater income, benefiting everyone & reduces the pressure on husbands (Barnett & Hyde,01). Men who get involved with childcare are often surprised to find how deeply rewarding this can be & say they would never give it up (Deutsch, 99). However, multiple roles may be beneficial up to a point, afer which overload & psychological stress may prevail. Role quality is important too. Wk 7 08

12. Effects on Children Do they suffer when both parents outside the home? Despite claims that working mothers (but never working fathers) contribute to juvenile delinquency, behavior problems & poor adjustment in children, research doesn’t confirm the popular wisdom. A meta-analysis of 59 studies showed that children cared for by their mothers did not differ developmentally in any important way from cared for by other adult care takers (Erel, Obermen & Yirmiya, 01). In general, children in day care do not suffer from disruption of their bond with their mothers: they may experience increased intellectual growth & development, esp if they are from low income homes that cannot provide an enriched environment & they are at least as socially skilled as other children (Scarr,98) Wk 7 08

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14. Are there barriers in implementing organization family-friendly programs? Ingrained cultural values & assumptions on work & non work domains eg.. Structural difficulties Lack of support from managers Perception family issues are women issues A disturbance in the status quo-cld change the privileged position at home for men Striking equity among all employees –gender mainstreaming is a difficult process Lack of evaluation data on work/life programs Wk 7 08

15. Individual Understand the situation: why the stress? 1. modifying the situation 2. changing the meaning of stress 3. managing the symptoms of stress Organizational (A Family-Friendly). Varieties of policies & programs 1. Time based. 2. Information based. 3. Money based & 4. Direct services. Wk 7 08

16. Making a Difference: Toward a Better Future for Women (Women & Gender by Mary Crawford & Rhoda Unger) Revisit the book’s themes: Gender > just sex Language & naming – sources of power Women were not all alike Psychological research can foster social change How they relate to making a difference for women? Wk 7 08

17. Transforming Gender A system of power relations affecting individuals, relationships & society. Changes can be fostered at each of these levels. Transforming Ourselves Women internalising some of the sexist messages in their own culture. Some Feel shame about their bodies, their sexuality, or aging. Some doubt their abilities/do not feel entitled to equal treatment @ work or home Many feel guilty of not being perfect mothers; blamed themselves for being raped, sexually harassed. Wk 7 08

18. Self-hatred fostered by exposure to media images, gender socialization in childhood & adolescence. Being in lower status & power in everyday interaction & relationships. How to change these beliefs & attitudes at individual women’s level? The 70s 2nd-wave feminists developed consciousness raising (C-R) groups. Informal meetings, talked about their lives as women. Saw the problems were not just individual deficiencies but related to society’s devaluation of women. CR encouraged social action – opening shelters for battered women & protesting against sexist advert. Progress in 70s & 80s. Many groups became more individually focused & disappeared Wk 7 08

19. Yet many organizations for social change incorporated the values & norms of CR groups. CR groups a model for feminist therapy why? Offered women to share experiences without being treated as patients who needed expert psychiatric help Assumed that the environment influences significantly in women’s problems & difficulties. CR groups may not exist in Western culture but are still practiced in developing cultures. Feminist counseling & therapy (relatively few)empower women who want to make changes in their lives, valuable for women who have a history of physical & sexual abuse, eating disorders & depression Wk 7 08

20. Many women develop political & personal values compatible with feminism or feminist values after personal experience in sexual harassment as an example. Education-leads to feminist consciousness & activism. Women studies programs are growing. The courses often provide powerful consciousness-raising which leading to decrease in passive acceptance of sexism, an increase in commitment to feminism & plans for social activism (Bargad & Hyde, 91). What positive influence do women’s studies courses bring? Wk 7 08

21. Transforming Interpersonal RelationsGender inequity-reproduced in daily interactions with others. How women are being devalued is product of gender-roles and expectations states theories. Being women, you are expected to behave communally. Being communal, women are seen as ineffective leaders since agentic behavior is seen as effective.Stereotyping exerts control over people in several ways:1. Describe how people in a certain group supposed to behave: women are emotional, Asian Americans are academically motivated, old people always talk of the past..2. Prescriptive & descriptive – tell members of stereotyped groups how they should behave. If they don’t conform, they may be penalized. A woman not showing much emotion –may be judged as cold, unfeminine & controlling. Wk 7 08

22. “Doing gender” can be stopped when people treat others as individuals. Become aware of how we respond to members of a category. Generally, people with power engage in stereotyping of people with less power. A worker must pay attention to the moods & demands of his/her boss not the other way around why? Knowing how power affects stereotyping is a strategy for change. When awareness of sexism is raised, small acts of resistance can follow. Support working groups fighting sexism, poverty, abuse etc. “Doing gender” can be disrupted when refuse to cooperate or stay silence in the face of sexism Wk 7 08

23. Humor can be an effective tool. When PM Margaret Thatcher received the backhanded compliment from a member of the opposing political party, “May I congratulate you for being the only man on your team?” she responded, “That’s one more you have got on yours.” Transforming Society Transforming gender at the social structural level is linked with the individual & interactional transformations- When people are empowered as individuals, they can speak out against injustice, begin to change the institutions, laws customs, norms that harm girls & women. The effect-speaking out leads to increased feeling of self-efficacy & self empowerment. Wk 7 08

24. How to maintain gender equality at work & home? Transforming Language How many women made themselves heard? One being Mary Edwards Walker- feminist 1st wave, s physician was denied a commission as army physician despite the pressing need for doctors during the Civil War. Her Congressional Medal of Honor Award was later revoked but restored after her granddaughter spoke up for her. Mary Edward Walker used the power of language to change opinions & attitudes. After the war, lectured widely on equal rights for women. In defiance of social norms, she didn’t change her name or promise to obey her husband when she married Wk 7 08

25. Celebrating Diversity Women are not all alike. Working class women and older women face different forms of sexism than other groups: college or younger women. How to make women’s movement & feminist psychology more inclusive? Women of color wanted to see feminist theory & research should go beyond analysing the position of white women relating to white men, but white women to women of color, white women to men of color A diversity change occurs when white women are integrating with women of color to fight sexism after many decades of critiques against white feminist movement but not easy. Wk 7 08

26. The importance of women-of-color perspectives quoted by one Asian-American 3rd wave feminist, Jee Yeun Lee: Women of color do not struggle in feminist movement simply to add cultural diversity, or the viewpoints of different kinds of women…but to challenge the fundamental premises of feminism, such as the definition of “women” and call for recognition of the constructed racial nature of all experiences of gender..Sisterhood may be global, but who is in that sisterhood? A challenge to young feminist’s activism today. Coming together & working together are by no means natural & easy (Lee, 95). The issues of women in other cultures are more visible as feminism becomes more global. Wk 7 08

27. Psychology & Social Change • Women earn the majority as psychologist, lead well established professional organizations, published many books & journals, & participate in every aspect of psychological research, education & practices. A good example of change: At U of Connecticut, Women’s Studies.Regular lunch talk for faculty & graduate students. Invited a married couple who brought along 4 year son old & I month infant. The man started to talk about research, while mom took the children outside to play. Is this sexist? Wk 7 08

28. Then halfway, mom came back to conclude the presentation & dad took the children out. Afterwards, another male professor arranged for the older child to join a playgroup with his own 4 year old daughter. A lunchtime psychology program became an example of collaborative research, shared parenting, & the balancing act” of multiple roles for both women & men. Wk 7 08

29. Finding a BALANCE between career & family demands Background: Civil Servants juggling the demands of family & work were to get a helping hand from the National Population & Family Development Board (LPPKN) (Sharmini, NST. April 10, 2007. LPPKN to begin a series of courses to educate civil servants on finding a family-work demand balance in April 07. The board recognized work-family balance is one of the hardest tasks for many employees Wk 7 08

30. 70% of families in 2007 consist of nuclear families – only parents & their children. This institution lacks a strong support system available in extended families. “Some 47% of women in Malaysia are in the workforce – a large number of families are dual income. With long working hours & bigger commitments at work, many find their families suffering as a result. Less time is spent with children & spouses & this contributes to a greater stress level.” (LPPKN Acting Deputy Director General, Dr AnjliDoshi-Gandhi) Wk 7 08

31. A community reach out proactive approach Courses held at workplace during working hours, called Parenting@Work. Designed for those trying to manage their multiple roles a parent, spouse & employee. Ist course-employees of the Malaysian Administrative Modernization & Management Planning Unit in the PM’s Department. Wk 7 08

32. 1 day course in time management, balancing the demands of career & family, being parents, employees & spouses. Employing interactive mode using role play, discussions, games & case studies. Focusing on 5 core areas; knowing yourself: personality & strengths & how they influence your behavior “one body-multiple hats,” –how to prioritize & manage your multiple roles Fathering & mothering Creative parenting: guiding you on a variety of fun activities with your children Stress management Wk 7 08

33. Targeted at working couples esp those with young & teenage children. Planned for 168 sessions in 07 across the board at government depts and statutory bodies. Course developers. Experts- LPPKN (Anjli), Academia, Family Consultant, author, Psychiatrist, Developmental Psychologist.. LPPKN from family planning towards families & issues affecting them. Current core services: family development, reproductive health & infertility treatment. www.lppkn.gov.my Wk 7 08

34. Sharon L. Allen, Chairman of Deloit Corporation, Michigan talked about talents & how to maintain & foster human talents in today’s business environment. Adopted a mass career customization at Deloit Recognizes that career ladders are not necessarily linear and vertical. Employees are allowed to choose their career movement or ladder flexibly enough to fit in their work & family demands but the constant is they need to work hard. They can work anywhere, any structure, or groups as long as they find work-family balance are positive and foster career achievements. Visit <masscareercustomization> Wk 7 08

35. References • Crawford, Mary & Rhoda Unger (2004). Women & Gender. A Feminist Psychology. 4th ed, NY: McGraw Hill (ISBN 0-07-282107-8) • Dayle, Women at work • LPPKN, Special Focus, Finding a Balance between Career & Family Demands (New Straits Times, Malaysia) • Maimunah et.al, High Flyer Women Academicians…Women in Management Review • Report on Women in Higher Education (Webclass) • http://www.ilo.org/Global/Themes/Equality_and _discrimination/GenderEquality/lang--en/index.htm Wk 7 08