Understanding Work-Life Balance

Developing effective work-life balance arrangements that meet organisational and individual needs is one of the key policy issues confronting contemporary society. It lies at the heart of the government's drive to foster a high-performance economy and modernise work-place relations. It is also central to its campaign to maximise employment opportunities, eliminate child poverty and promote active citizenship. This innovative text provides students across a range of disciplines with a broad analysis of work-life balance issues. Inter-disciplinary in approach, it reviews developments in UK policy and practice alongside developments in other countries. Key issues discussed include: differing conceptions of work-life balance; the issues posed by shifts in family and community life and organisational practices; the range of work-life balance policies; the role of the EU; the impact of current polices; the politics of time; work-life balance and active citizenship. This book is essential reading for students of social policy, business and management studies, sociology and economics as well as policy-makers and HR practitioners.
It will also be of interest to those concerned with the broader issues of change management and welfare modernisation.