Working Parents' use of work-life policies

In this paper, we examine working parent’s use of work-life policies in three financial sector organizations in the Netherlands. We analyse the barriers and support regarding the actual take up of work-life policies by working parents and to what extent this in turn influence their experienced work-...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dulk,Laura den (author)
Other Authors: Peper,Bram (author)
Format: article
Language:eng
Published: 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:http://scielo.pt/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0873-65292007000100003
Country:Portugal
Oai:oai:scielo:S0873-65292007000100003
Description
Summary:In this paper, we examine working parent’s use of work-life policies in three financial sector organizations in the Netherlands. We analyse the barriers and support regarding the actual take up of work-life policies by working parents and to what extent this in turn influence their experienced work-life balance. We collected survey data in three Dutch financial sector organizations: one public sector organization and two private firms. All three differ considerably regarding their organizational culture and working practices. Two of the organizations are characterised by a contradictory work-life culture, and one by an approving work-life culture. Findings point out that household characteristics and the work-life culture in the organization determine the take up of work-life policies. With respect to the work-life balance of working parents, organizational culture is an important determinant, no impact is found of the utilization of policies.