Work and Family in the eWork Era

This work studies the effects of trends in work organizations in the Information Society on the work-family balance. Globalization and the development of the 24-hour society have seen the rise in new eWorking arrangements, such as more work carried out from the home and an increased requirement for working at non-standard times. Such changes in the time and place of work have potentially profound implications for family life. More flexibility in time and place can offer new opportunities for work-family balance and add to the repertoire of family-friendly options for the worker. This work presents the results of a study of these developments in four European countries - Ireland, Germany, Denmark, and Italy - representing four quite different cultural contexts. It provides an analysis of key issues and trends, illustrated by 90 in-depth case studies of eWorkers and their families.