Introduction to Human Resource Management and Leadership Assessment

Work Design Challenges in a Global Environment: Ethical Challenge: Men Yearn for a Work-Life Balance Too

When Australian cricketer Brett Lee this week looked forward to a life without the baggy green, he chose to look on the bright side; more time to play with his son. Likewise, when people talked of passing the poisoned chalice that belongs to the Queensland Premier, likely candidates Andrew Fraser and Cameron Dick talked about the need to focus on family.

There are plenty of dads out there swapping gossip with the mums at playgroups every day but when three high-profile fathers play the father card in one week it focuses the attention on the dads who just want to be dads. From a social point of view, it's applauded. From a business point of view, it's seen as another challenge. David Gregory, director of workplace policy with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said there was „definitely a growing trend among males in the workforce to be wanting to better match their work and family responsibilities?.

That trend is set to increase with new workplace laws coming into force in January that require employers to give reasonable consideration to requests from employees for flexible work hours.

Professor Barbara Pocock, director of the Centre for Work + Life at the University of South Australia, praised men who sought a balance between work and home.

'In our labour market, we often think that there's one way to be. A lot of us believe there is a culture that proper workers don't step back,' she said. 'But we all have a life cycle. And when Brett Lee has got kids under 10, they're only under 10 once.'

Social analyst Mark McCrindle said the 2008-2009 GFC, during which many people were forced out of work or on to fewer hours, was leading to a positive readjustment.

'The GFC caused a bit of a slowdown in people's lives,' he said.

'And with the reduced hours of work, people said "you know what, we actually appreciate this more - it's a bit better balance for our family".'

McCrindle said the high-profile dads who have led the way in going public on their paternal commitment have an impact across society.

'It's a masculine thing, it's a solidly male thing now to say no to a commitment for the sake of the family and to be there at those important moments,' he said.

'That's another massive turnaround in society, from being seen as a weakness and a sissy, through to now to being unacceptable if you're not there.'

But the trend isn't universal. The Australian Institute of Family Studies last year studied more than 3000 Australian dads and found that work instead of a barrier was still being used as an excuse.

It found some fathers who work 55 hours or more a week spent just as much time playing and reading with their kids as did fathers who worked standard hours.

Professor Pocock said ABS figures show that one in three male workers slog it out for more than 48 hours a week and show no sign of cutting back while those who sought a better balance could have the resources to change.

David Chalke, social analyst with AustraliaSCAN, said there was a growing belief among parents that if they could, they would prefer to spend less time working and more time parenting.

'What seems to be going on is growing community concern about what is happening to young people and to kids,' he said.

Source: Chester, R. (2009) Men yearn for a work-life balance too?, Courier-Mail, 12 November.

Questions -

1. What are the barriers to men taking more time away from work to spend with families?

2. What job design strategies can an organisation implement to facilitate a better work-life balance for men?