Krings u.a.: Working time, gender and work-life balance

Bettina-Johanna Krings, Linda Nierling, Marcello Pedaci, Mariangela Piersanti

Working time, gender and work-life balance

Leuven: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Higher institute of labour studies, 2009. 83 S. ISBN 978-90-8836-014-5., Euro 10,58
[Volltext/pdf, 909 kb] [Introduction]

CONTENTS

1	Introduction			7
	1.1	Theories and concepts		8
	1.2	Quantitative research		9
	1.3	Qualitative research on organisations		10
	1.4	Qualitative research on individuals		12
	1.5	The policy pillar		12
	1.6	Thematic focus: working time, gender, work-life balance		13
2	Working times in the transition from Fordism to post-Fordism			15
	2.1	Temporal restructuring as a central issue of organisational restructuring		15
	2.2	Length, dislocation, variability of working times		22
	2.3	Strategies and problems in the organisations: some empirical findings		28
	2.4	Gender-related issues of working time		31
		2.4.1	Part-time, long-time, flexibility of working time: main gender differences	31
		2.4.2	Gender differences in various sectors and business functions	35
	2.5	Some conclusive notes		37
3	Balancing work and family in the knowledge-based society			41
	3.1	Working time and its effects on work-life balance		41
	3.2	Work-life balance or 'gendered' working time?		43
	3.3	Institutional settings as framework for work-life balance: country differences across Europe		46
		3.3.1	Pattern of temporal flexibility across Europe	46
		3.3.2	Pattern of temporal flexibility across Europe	47
	3.4	Acceleration and temporal pressures as framework for the balance of work and life: individual strategies of work-life balance		51
		3.4.1	Balancing high commitment towards work with the 'rest of life': knowledge-intensive occupations	53
		3.4.2	Fixed schedules and high flexibility demands: temporal organisation in production work	58
		3.4.3	Need for individual freedom in a regulated environment: customer services in the public sector	61
	3.5	Widening the concept of work-life balance towards new perspectives of models of work and life: some conclusions		63
		3.5.1	New dimensions of working time organisation: European differences	63
		3.5.2	New working time pattern and its implications for work-life balance	64
		3.5.3	Towards a new normative model of work?	66
		3.5.4	Work-life balance beyond the reconciliation of work and family needs	68
4	Working time, gender and work-life balance: overall conclusions			71
*Bibliography*				75