Work-life balance

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term work-life balance stands for a state in which work and private life are in harmony. The term work-life balance comes from the English: work ( work ), life ( life ), balance ( balance ).

introduction

Job, possibly several jobs at the same time, family, social activities, leisure time and much more. are understood in connection with the use of the term work-life balance as different areas of life ("life domains") which should be kept in balance ( life-domains balance ) and which do not hinder each other as much as possible (low life-domains conflict ) and each other ideally support each other (high life-domains facilitation ).

The expression work-life balance (as well as life-domains balance ) is also used for the endeavor to achieve and maintain such a state of equilibrium. What characterizes an equilibrium is often left open when using this term. For example, it can be interpreted as a certain distribution of the time used in order to achieve a subjectively balanced prioritization of areas of life, i.e. to be satisfied with the distribution of time between both areas of life. It is also often understood as the absence of one or mutual negative influences between the areas of life ( life-domains conflicts ), while positive mutual influences ( life-domains facilitation ) have so far hardly been taken into account.

The expression work-life balance also largely stands for the same subject area as the concept of the compatibility of family and work ; When using the English expression work-life balance , however, there is often an emphasis on the individual decision and self-organization on the one hand and the balance between employee and employer interests on the other, less on the social conditions that make it easier or more difficult to achieve a balance.

Achieving the work-life balance is also seen as a task of providing resources . Here, time, money and scope for decision-making are most frequently mentioned , as well as personal characteristics in the sense of physical, psychological, emotional and social resources.

In striving for equilibrium, individual attitudes and objectives as well as operational and social conditions are important. In connection with changing gender roles and demographic developments in the 20th and 21st centuries , the creation of conditions that also enable parents and those responsible for care has become a central social and political issue, especially in Europe . In the USA and Great Britain , the terms work-family balance or work-life balance predominate , whereas in German-speaking countries the conditions for achieving a balance, in particular the social and political conditions for this, are mostly discussed under the concept of compatibility.

Work-life balance as an individual goal

The subject of work-life balance has different priorities for the individual depending on age and life situation, also depending on the individual response to the meaning of life and one's own perception of happiness . A large part of the working population would like to spend time with their own children or has set themselves the task of looking after relatives in need of care. For other people, the focus is on balancing work through leisure and sport , commitment in the social, cultural or political area or the possibility of a sabbatical as a longer professional break, ensuring phases of relaxation , partial retirement or time for care of health .

With a view to greater freedom of time for social and personal engagement, some people deliberately keep their time for gainful employment within limits. In the style of the simple living lifestyle, restricting personal consumption can enable greater independence from gainful employment.

Significant differences in attitudes towards work-life balance were observed between the Baby Boomer generation, Generation X and Generation Y. To put it simply, for baby boomers it is a balancing act between work and family, in which work is viewed as more stressful and a balance must take place in leisure time in order to achieve a life balance. For Generation X alternating phases of employment and phases of raising children or non-professional activities are typical. The members of Generation Y, on the other hand, placed less value on a strict separation of work and private life. Above all, they aimed to use one's own time sensibly and usefully, so that no balance is necessary in the other for one area of ​​life.

A balance between the areas of life is a dynamic balance insofar as personal living conditions and external conditions can always change, on the other hand, sustainability is also required for a balance in the sense of a work-life balance : In particular, we do not speak of a successful balance, when a person is close to burnout or a boreout , the feeling of sickly boredom.

It is sometimes emphasized that work-life balance is about putting the meaning of work into a suitable perspective on life as a whole.

Even for people who are not gainfully employed, the question of work-life balance may arise , especially since work largely determines participation in society . For young people, for example, there is a need to start working life or to start training or study; for other non-active persons turns out, for example, or after a break for the family or because of personal circumstances, the need to return to work or return to work . In this context, too, the increasing unemployment in many western industrial nations , especially with regard to youth unemployment , as well as increasing precariousness are viewed as socially problematic.

For retirees with sufficient retirement without additional income to secure the livelihood, raises not the issue of work-life balance as an equilibrium with respect to paid work, but if work ( work ,) is generally interpreted as a work in terms of targeted and meaningful activities The question of the individual use of one's own strength does arise. A large proportion of retirees are involved in voluntary work or in looking after and bringing up their grandchildren . In couples with a very large age difference, when a child is born, the father is already retired or is about to retire and is therefore more involved than other fathers in bringing up children. Conversely , if one of their children becomes a mother or father very early on , workers may need time to raise their grandchildren .

Interactions between areas of life

In a perspective that is also known as the segmentation model, the various areas of life are viewed as separate and largely independent parts. Other models consider the positive and negative interactions between areas of life. For example, if there are different role expectations in the workplace and in private life and different social roles are taken, an inter- role conflict may arise or role distance may be required. Other models show that deficits in one area can be compensated for by the other ( compensation model ) or that resources are withdrawn from one area of ​​life ( resource drainage model ). When the boundaries between employment and other areas of life blur, one speaks of the delimitation of work .

Work-life balance measures in companies

For the personnel policy of companies and organizations, an orientation towards work-life balance and diversity can represent a competitive advantage on the labor market . Enabling a work-life balance and positioning as a family-friendly organization represent advantages in terms of recruiting and motivating employees and also serve to reduce employee fluctuation .

While Arlie Russell Hochschild in her book bind Time noted that family-friendly in the US Labor Organization are hardly believed turned Elisabeth von Thadden in an article of the time fixed in 2001, in Europe fully draw up "a considerable backlash to the complete availability for the labor market. A counter-movement that aims to respect the individual not only as a functionary in the company, but as a person with responsibility for a family and one's own mental health ”.

An offer of flexible working models such as “ full-time part-time ” to all employees equally, and not just to parents of small children, would avoid a debate about envy in the company.

Workplace Health Promotion

In the last few years of professional activity, the maintenance of health , productivity and motivation as well as preparation for retirement have come into the focus of employees and employers. The employer, the employee, the public sector and, for example, the health insurance companies may have financial losses in the event of incapacity for work , reduced earning capacity or disability .

The employer also has a duty of care towards his employees: He has to take care of their well-being. Company health management measures focus on occupational health and safety , stress reduction , health prophylaxis , addiction prevention and the avoidance of burnout . A balanced diet , for example in the company's own canteens , and company-sponsored sports to prevent physical inactivity are also part of the company's preventive healthcare.

market forces

In view of the fact that the model of a lifelong job no longer dominates, the forces of the labor market are clearly emerging. On the employer side, visible conditions of work-life balance contribute to the attractiveness of the employer, on the employee side there is a desire to maintain their own employability and at the same time to realize their own life planning.

Some employees work longer than contractually agreed and demand a better work-life balance; a small but growing minority of workers are aware of their influence as talented individuals and are moving to employers who expect to realize their desire for a fulfilling life outside of working hours. However, if employees are respected, also in their wishes for the individual design of their living and working conditions, loyalty and motivation of the employees can develop on this basis .

For employers, in the competition for skilled workers, there is an incentive to take up differences in the life situation and the needs of the employees and to offer a wider range of possibilities for work-life balance. This presupposes no longer assuming a pattern of the “normal” employee who works full-time, is willing to work overtime at any time with the appropriate ambition and adapts his private life to the circumstances of the job. With models of work organization such as teleworking and flexible working hours , employees' wishes for greater freedom of time and place can be realized. At the same time, opposing interests of employers for flexible, order and service-oriented assignments of their employees must be taken into account. Corresponding agreements are set out in the employment contracts and collective agreements. In particular, company or company-related childcare offers, such as company day nurseries or kindergartens, serve to improve the compatibility of family and work . Support for employees both in child care and in looking after those in need of care ( elder care ) plays a role. In some cases, larger organizations offer help in arranging offers from the work-life service sector , for example on the basis of a contract between the employer and the placement agency regarding the assumption of the placement fee.

Job security and remuneration are also important factors in the work-life balance , as individual life planning and, in particular, family planning are influenced by this and the subjective feeling of material security also has an influence on the psyche. Corresponding compromise models are set up in the concept of flexicurity .

Initiatives to humanize the world of work should also serve to achieve a better balance by creating more space for personal development and self-realization within work .

Role of management

The corporate culture , and above all the line manager , play an important role in terms of work-life balance. Part-time employees are insufficiently taken into account in some organizations in salary increases and promotions, and persons who have to comply with cross-compliance or for long hours overwork represent, it is assumed a decreased motivation.

In some companies, managers allow their employees a work-life balance, but work extra hours themselves when necessary, and are therefore least protected. At the same time, superiors are role models whose own behavior can represent a significant impetus for a change in corporate culture. If superiors are committed to their own work-life balance and that of their employees in a clear and unambiguous manner, it is easier for their employees to take advantage of the company's flexibility offers themselves without fear of career disadvantages. At the same time, superiors play a key role in the allocation of employees' resources . If additional activities or projects exceed the targeted workload , it is up to the supervisor to reject the relevant activities on the basis of this justification. How easy it is for the supervisor to do this in the face of deadline pressure and to convey this at a higher or stakeholder level depends on the skills of the manager, but also on the corporate culture as a whole.

Factors influencing the work-life situation

There are no standardized methods for measuring the individual work-life balance . Investigations on the work-life balance therefore require a separate type of evaluation of the results.

The degree of satisfaction with one's own work-life situation depends on many factors, such as work organization, age, gender, type of professional activity and the industry .

Type of activity and industry

Following recommendations of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions ( EUR Found ), based on results of the fourth European Working Conditions Survey, which was conducted by EUR Found in 2005, a promotion of forms of work organization can on the principle of " self-directed learning " ( discretionary learning ) in comparison with the organizational form of " lean manufacturing " and the Tayloristic organizational form lead to a better work-life balance. The organizational form of "self-determined learning" is (with reference to 2005), for example, particularly pronounced in the service industry, is particularly prevalent among managers, self-employed and skilled workers, and primarily among older employees.

According to a 2007 survey of around 250 managers, 80 percent from the top management level, there were greater problems with the work-life balance in the construction industry, in the automotive industry and in management consultancies than in the media and electrical engineering sectors, while in the pharmaceutical industry and there were fewer problems in insurance. In senior management in particular, the balance depends primarily on the individual himself - on his or her time and self-management , willingness to delegate , coping with stress and possible drug or drug abuse  - secondly on corporate culture and thirdly on support through the life partner. It should be noted that this is not necessarily a causal relationship and that the survey was limited to a group of people who had already made it into management.

gender

Yvonne Lott, expert for working hours at the Hans Böckler Foundation , examined the connections between working time models , behavior and workloads of women and men. For this purpose, information from a good 10,000 people from the household survey Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from 2011 and 2012 was evaluated . There were differences between the sexes.

As a conclusion, the researcher saw the further deregulation of working time regulations, which companies often called for, "extremely critical". In addition to the negative consequences for the work-life balance, models such as complete working time autonomy also exacerbate inequality between the sexes. The researcher addressed the “risk of traditionalizing partnerships” because one side - probably mostly the woman - has to “keep the other's back free”.

In detail it was determined:

  • For men, self-determined but still regulated working hours (e.g. flexitime ) have a positive effect on the work-life balance.
  • With completely self-determined working hours, switching off and rest in the evening fall to men - and only these! - much more difficult than with fixed times. Yvonne Lott sees the reason for this in the fact that "men in particular tend to work excessively long without given limits". In contrast, women, as “typically more experienced cross-border commuters”, used the flexibility of time to coordinate domestic and care work with paid work rather than for countless hours of overtime .
  • Women in particular are under high psychological stress when the employer changes their working hours at short notice and unpredictably. Such a situation makes planning everyday life much more difficult, and this is a stress factor , especially for women , because they “traditionally take on the greater part of the housework , care and upbringing”.

Legislation (Germany)

Individual aspects of work-life balance in Germany include the Working Hours Act (ArbZG), the Occupational Safety and Health Act , the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV), the Screen Work Ordinance (BildarbV), the Industrial Safety Ordinance , the Federal Holiday Act (BUrlG), the Parental Allowance Act and the Parental leave (BEEG), the Part-Time and Temporary Employment Act (TzBfG), the Dismissal Protection Act (KSchG) and the Care Leave Act ( PflegeZG).

See also

literature

  • Bernhard Badura (ed.): Competitive factor work-life balance. Springer, Berlin 2004, ISBN 3-540-40310-8 .
  • Andreas Bohnert: Life Balance . In: Markus Kaiser (Ed.): Innovation in the media. Crossmedia, Storywelten, Change Management , Munich 2013, ISBN 978-3-9815512-0-4
  • Stephan Kaiser, Max Ringlstetter : Creating Balance?!: International Perspectives on the Work-Life Integration of Professionals. Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-16198-8 .
  • Stephan Kaiser, Max Ringlstetter: Work-life balance: Promising concepts and instruments for extreme jobbers. Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-642-11727-5 .
  • Michael Kastner (ed.): The future of work-life balance. How can work and family, work and free time be reconciled? Asanger, Kröning 2004, ISBN 3-89334-421-7 .
  • Melanie Klimpel, Tina Schütte: Work-Life-Balance, an empirical survey. Hampp, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-86618-058-6 .
  • Harald Rost: work-life balance. New tasks for a future-oriented personnel policy. Budrich, Opladen 2004, ISBN 3-89334-454-3
  • Günther Vedder (Ed.): The diversity of work-life balance. Hampp, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3-86618-236-3 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ H. Lothaller: On the way to life-domains balance: Success factors and obstacles. (PDF; 1.8 MB) (No longer available online.) In: Intergenerational Justice Review 9/2. Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations, 2009, formerly in the original ; accessed on February 13, 2010 (English).  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.generationenrechte.de  
  2. ↑ Lothaller, H. (2009). On the way to life-domains balance: Success factors and obstacles. (PDF; 1.8 MB) (No longer available online.) In: Intergenerational Justice Review 9/2 (2009). Foundation for the Rights of Future Generations, formerly the original ; Retrieved February 13, 2010 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.generationenrechte.de  
  3. ↑ "The three types of resources most frequently discussed in the work / life balance arena are (a) temporal resources, (b) financial resources, and (c) control. […] Temporal resources provide the time […] Financial resources provide the money […] Control provides the ability to select when and how to achieve important outcomes. [...] There is a fourth, less frequently discussed group of resources critical to work / life balance. These are personal resources : the physical, psychological, emotional and social resources at the disposal of an individual. "Edy Greenblatt: Work / Life Balance: Wisdom or Whining , Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 177-193 , Elsevier, 2002. Therein: p. 179 f. (accessed on March 3, 2013; PDF; 231 kB)
  4. ^ What Gen Y Really Wants. In: Time Magazine. July 5, 2007, accessed December 16, 2008 .
  5. ↑ Achim Pothmann, Jobglück - How you learn to love Monday , Humboldt-Verlag, Hannover 2019, ISBN 978-3869101149 , pp. 33f.
  6. ↑ [[Wilhelm Schmid (Philosopher) |]]: What is work? momentum Magazin, Wilhelm Ernst & Sohn Verlag for Architecture and Technical Sciences GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin, October 13, 2012 (accessed on July 5, 2017)
  7. ↑ Susan Cramm: Your Work or Your Life , in: CIO Magazine, June 2005, Vol. 18, No. 16, ISSN  0894-9301 , pp. 38-40
  8. ↑ Andreas Monning: Work-life balance as a competitive advantage. Der Tagesspiegel , March 26, 2007, accessed November 8, 2009 .
  9. ↑ Wanted: Specialist with a sense of family. In: DIE ZEIT, 48/2001. Retrieved December 31, 2010 .
  10. ↑ Full-time part-time as an innovative working time model. Federal Association of Personnel Managers, accessed on September 27, 2016 .
  11. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 10.
  12. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 7 and p. 12.
  13. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 32.
  14. ↑ Florian Krause, Elisabeth Göbe, Günther Vedder: Case studies on diversity management. Rainer Hampp Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-86618-731-3 . P. 82
  15. ↑ a b Joachim Bauer: Burnout or Self-Realization - What Work Can Do with Us in SWR2 “Knowledge / Aula” from December 29, 2013
  16. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 8
  17. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , quoted from Linda Holbeche: The high performance organization: creating dynamic stability and sustainable success , Elsevier, 2005, ISBN 0-7506-5620-4 , p. 335
  18. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 15 and p. 25 ff.
  19. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 30.
  20. ↑ Caroline Glynn, Ingrid Steinberg, Claire McCartney: Work-Life Balance: The Role of the Manager , Roffey Park Institute, 2002, ISBN 0-907416-86-1 , p. 17 ff. And p. 25 ff. And p. 30th
  21. ↑ a b c Working conditions in the European Union: The organization of work - Introduction (PDF; 50 kB) ( summary ), EF / 08/68 / DE. Issued by Eurofound on September 19, 2008. Retrieved December 14, 2008.
  22. ↑ Ruth Stock-Homburg, Eva-Maria Bauer: Switching off impossible? In: Harvard Businessmanager: Trends. manager-magazin.de, December 14, 2008, accessed December 14, 2008 .
  23. ↑ a b c d e f Press release from the Hans Böckler Foundation: Study investigates consequences for women and men. Switching off is particularly difficult in the home office or with completely self-determined working hours - clear rules for flexibility are necessary. In: boeckler.de. Retrieved August 15, 2017 .
  24. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from November 22, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.medienwiki.org