2010 University of Queensland Public lecture, Senior women seminar series

1. (my) Working life in universityA personal account of academic work in the larger context of work/life in Australia in 2010 2010 University of Queensland Public lecture, Senior women seminar series Barbara Pocock, Centre for Work + Life, University of South Australia

2. What I will talk about • Our context at work • What work does to us • Some things I have learned…. • 14 lessons

3. We all work in a context that shapes our possibilities

4. Work is part of the happiness story • Secret of happiness… • Someone to love • Something to look forward to • Something good to DO – a good ‘occupation’

5. How is work affecting us? • AWALI survey • Annually around 2800 working Australians • Randomised survey which is reasonably representative • Focusing on: • Working hours • Work hours preferences – who wants to work less or more? • Quality of work (security, intensity, control) • Management and supervision • Consequences of poor work-life interaction

6. How do we measure work-life outcomes? • How often does work interfere: • with activities outside work? • with enough time with family or friends? • with community connections • How frequently do we feel rushed and press for time? • How satisfied are we with our work-life balance?

7. Four years of AWALI

8. Who is negatively affected and how many? • Work negatively impacts on personal, family and community life for the majority of workers • For ¼ of workers this is often or ‘almost always’ the case • The same groups of workers continue to have the worse work-life outcomes

9. Women are more at risk of work-life strain

10. Combining work & care continues to be challenging

11. Managers & professionals have poor work-life outcomes

12. Those in service industries also worse

13. Working mothers rushed and pressed for time

14. Working fathers not immune

15. Time is of the essence ...

16. Long hours are a problem

17. Little appetite for longer hours for most • Around half of all workers do not have a good fit between actual & preferred hours • Many workers want to work less (by 4+ hours) • 32% of women • 40% of men • 48+ hours • 72% of men & 77% of women would like to work less

18. Ideal work week – 35 hours

19. So that is (some of) the context…. • Asked to talk about my career, • I want to talk about my own career, in that larger context… • It shapes my possibilities like everyone else’s…

20. Many possible paths

21. We need women leaders, managers….. • Without them, perverted policy, research, learning…. • But we don’t need them in a ‘careless’ image • My turn came

22. My pathway • 2 years working on farms after yr 12 (1973-4) • B Ec Hons Uni of Adelaide (1975-78) • 10 years in NSW – Reserve Bank, NSW Government women’s employment and job creation programs; Research on women in Voc Ed; working for unions • Drifted into teaching adult workers about work in 1988 • First child 1990 (now 20) • Phd, second child 1993 (now 17) • All forms of leave (18 mths parental leave, unpaid leave, 1 yr job share, part-time, extended leave….) • Teaching and research academic 1989-2003 • Research Fellowship 2003-2007 • Moved to UniSA in 2006…

23. A plan, what plan? • Followed my values and inclinations: • political change, justice, women • Worked out had to get Phd in late 30s • amongst kids & work with lots of leave…., with lots of support • Including a research grant • My family and friends most important things to me • Had supportive partner • Had healthy kids, and own health • And money (good wage in 1.5 wage household) • Have got a great deal from work • sense of self, friends, laughs, accomplishment, standing, money • Made many mistakes. • Learned to forgive myself.

24. 14 lessons

25. 1. Know yourself

26. 2. Know your workmates, team and environment

27. 3. Have confidence in yourself • Not unreflectively, but… • more often than not, women underestimate themselves • ‘Back yourself’

28. 4. Know when to step back

29. Consider the life cycle…. • Careers and the ‘care cycle’ • Many opportunities, over time…. • Many ways of having a great working life without formal leadership • Leadership is almost always more stressful than not leading

30. Know when to step off the trail

31. Know when to step off the trail…. • Rest, rehydrate, re-armour yourself, reassess… • Or turn back

32. 5. Make your own ‘way’ Interrupted leadership Ethical leadership • Often means questioning, challenging • Very uncomfortable • Often meets resistance and punishment • ‘Sleep faster’? • Making ‘Career limiting’ choices to: • Have kids • Have friends • Have a life • Be healthy

33. 6. Learn the skill of management • If you are a leader who must manage, learn to do it • A high order set of skills • Especially pay attention to learning to manage people well • Be ready to make change, even when it is uncomfortable

34. 7. Choose staff, colleagues carefully • These are the most important decisions you make

35. 8. Choose boss carefully • Don’t be afraid to change • Don’t be afraid to ‘manage upward’, assertively

36. 9. Get good fit between values and situation • Fuels work • Much more pleasure to be had • Don’t be afraid to change • Unhappiness is often the first signal of poor fit • Depression is often the second

37. 10. Don’t take things personally • Distinguish between your self and your role • But not too much: • Hitler’s generals did this too much (“I was only implementing orders”, “I was only implementing the ERA”)

38. 11. Accept being unpopular, at times • Leaders, managers exercise power • Almost all acts of power disadvantage someone • You will be criticised, right or wrong • women cop this more than men, especially from our sisters • and we take it in more…

39. 12. Have a plan: without it you are sure to take longer and get lost

40. 13. De-brief… Get supportRegularly, and in a 100% supportive environment

41. De-brief… Get support, organise, collectivise

42. 14. Have a trusted mentor

43. Research shows…good outcomes flow from: • Taking leave • Good supervision • Supportive workplace cultures • Avoiding long hours • Employee-centred flexibility • Quality jobs (control, security) • Reasonable workloads

44. Keep perspective: ‘Most things don’t matter very much’