Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Introduction
- Part I Describing different work–life policies, policy development, and pitfalls
- Part II Policy design, implementation, and deployment
- 6 Stages in the implementation of work–life policies
- 7 Policy deployment across borders: a framework for work–life initiatives in multinational enterprises
- Part III Cultural change
- List of website references
- Index of subjects
- Index of authors
- References
7 - Policy deployment across borders: a framework for work–life initiatives in multinational enterprises
from Part II - Policy design, implementation, and deployment
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Introduction
- Part I Describing different work–life policies, policy development, and pitfalls
- Part II Policy design, implementation, and deployment
- 6 Stages in the implementation of work–life policies
- 7 Policy deployment across borders: a framework for work–life initiatives in multinational enterprises
- Part III Cultural change
- List of website references
- Index of subjects
- Index of authors
- References
Summary
The difficulties of balancing work and family life are experienced all over the world. For managers in multinational enterprises (MNEs), it is imperative to define a global work–life strategy that establishes shared principles and guidelines and also allows for local initiatives and differences. Although there are a number of common issues faced by working women and men and their families, a global work–life strategy needs to balance shared concerns with a course of action that is appropriate to each local environment. Global work–life needs assessments conducted by leading work–life consultants Shapiro and Noble (2001) have identified three surprisingly consistent themes in what employees from around the world identify as being important barriers to reconciling their work and personal lives. The three issues identified included a lack of flexible work policies and practices, the availability and affordability of dependent care, and the negative impact of work overload and long working hours.
Although such issues are increasingly recognized as important for employers and employees in the global context, there has been very little research focused on this area. The aims of this chapter are, first, to develop a framework that can be used to guide managers' decision-making to build a global work–life strategy, and second, to illustrate how this framework can be applied, by analyzing approaches to work–life strategy in several MNEs. We compare an MNE that is at an early stage of developing a work–life strategy with other firms that are well-advanced in this area.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Harmonizing Work, Family, and Personal LifeFrom Policy to Practice, pp. 166 - 206Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
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