WORK LIFE ‘BALANCE’ IN I.T.? DEBATING CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS

The Rise of the Work-Life ‘Balance’ Agenda in the UK Multi-variable juggling act – finite resources of time and energy WLB: ‘the absence of unacceptable levels of conflict between work and non-work demands’ (Greenblatt 2002: 179) (but not the only term!) Work Foundation (Cowling 2005): UK 2nd longest ave work hrs of all EU members states (around 6% of male & 4% of female working population work over 60 hrs per week) Problems vary by sector – IT as particularly problematic 1990s onwards: working longer, harder, to less predictable schedules Same time, increased female labour participation rates; household life more complex: e.g. more dual earner, lone-parent households

Multi-variable juggling act – finite resources of time and energy

WLB: ‘the absence of unacceptable levels of conflict between work and non-work demands’ (Greenblatt 2002: 179) (but not the only term!)

Work Foundation (Cowling 2005): UK 2nd longest ave work hrs of all EU members states (around 6% of male & 4% of female working population work over 60 hrs per week)

Problems vary by sector – IT as particularly problematic

1990s onwards: working longer, harder, to less predictable schedules

Same time, increased female labour participation rates; household life more complex: e.g. more dual earner, lone-parent households

Profound Social Importance of (Uncertain) WLB ‘Business Case’ Not just arrangements for / parents mothers: WLB (in theory!) extends earlier work-family focus to all Lack of WLB: stress, lesser physical & psychological well-being, family / marital strain TUC, Amicus: providing WLB arrangements crucial for (re)stabilising households, improving worker well-being, (re)integrating society, improving gender equality However, employer implementation rests on demonstration of ‘bottom-line’ advantages ‘ Business case’ also underpins UK govt WLB campaign HOWEVER: still highly uncertain; ongoing dearth of empirical evidence to inform (still partial) understanding

Not just arrangements for / parents mothers: WLB (in theory!) extends earlier work-family focus to all

Lack of WLB: stress, lesser physical & psychological well-being, family / marital strain

TUC, Amicus: providing WLB arrangements crucial for (re)stabilising households, improving worker well-being, (re)integrating society, improving gender equality

However, employer implementation rests on demonstration of ‘bottom-line’ advantages

‘ Business case’ also underpins UK govt WLB campaign

HOWEVER: still highly uncertain; ongoing dearth of empirical evidence to inform (still partial) understanding

1. Everyday Causes & Consequences of Work-Life Conflict in IT?

2. Preferred Flexible Working / WLB Arrangements for Overcoming Those Conflicts?

2. Preferred Flexible Working / WLB Arrangements for Overcoming Those Conflicts? Flexibility of WHEN work is done Flexibility of WHERE work is done REDUCED TOTAL work hours Employer assistance with childcare

Flexibility of WHEN work is done

Flexibility of WHERE work is done

REDUCED TOTAL work hours

Employer assistance with childcare

3. Benefits of Using Different WLB Arrangements? For Workers? Employers? Families?

4. Drawbacks of Using Different WLB Arrangements?

5. Ongoing Challenges & Ways Forward Line manager buy in Cultures of presenteeism Some job roles simply not amenable Resource constraints (small firms) Appropriateness of WLB term itself? Engendering a deeper cultural shift

Line manager buy in

Cultures of presenteeism

Some job roles simply not amenable

Resource constraints (small firms)

Appropriateness of WLB term itself?

Engendering a deeper cultural shift

Studies Supporting the WLB ‘Business Case’

Everyday Causes & Experiences of Work-Life Conflict: Strongly Gendered (c.f. enlightened policy rhetoric!) Major causes of work-life conflict Highly variable workloads over devt cycle Need for rapid response to client crises International work teams in multiple time zones Maintaining skill sets in dynamic IT sector Everyday experiences of work life conflict interrupted sleep patterns stress and exhaustion regular evening and weekend working relationships with partner / children suffering working (at home) when feeling unwell missing out on leisure / hobbies If you just try and deal with it, you’ll just muddle through, same as you always have. But, the only way I could make a decision for us as a family was to play it forward 20 yrs. OK, there would be more money in the bank, that’s if we’re still talking to each other, if the kids haven’t gone off the rails because we haven’t had time to sit down and talk anymore... Female Business Devt Manager, now on 3 day work week, Dublin

Major causes of work-life conflict

Highly variable workloads over devt cycle

Need for rapid response to client crises

International work teams in multiple time zones

Maintaining skill sets in dynamic IT sector

Everyday experiences of work life conflict

interrupted sleep patterns

stress and exhaustion

regular evening and weekend working

relationships with partner / children

suffering

working (at home) when feeling unwell

missing out on leisure / hobbies

Range of WLB Arrangements (Differentially) Available in Dublin & Cambs IT Firms

Reducing Negative Impacts of WLB Take-up On Workplace Interactions Range of mediating solutions identified so far : house sharing for home workers in-house instant messaging systems (constant informal chat) communal customer email systems (two job sharers, one email account) centralised online data storage (eliminates problems of files left elsewhere) video conferencing ‘ blueberrying’ (double edged sword) HOWEVER: negative perceptions from customers still a strong limiting factor (e.g. Huntingdon web design / part-time working court case)

Range of mediating solutions identified so far :

house sharing for home workers

in-house instant messaging systems (constant informal chat)

communal customer email systems (two job sharers, one email account)

centralised online data storage (eliminates problems of files left elsewhere)

video conferencing

‘ blueberrying’ (double edged sword)

HOWEVER: negative perceptions from customers still a strong limiting factor (e.g. Huntingdon web design / part-time working court case)