Work Life Balance - Final Exam

Disqualification

when the issue is not seen as a big deal, minimizing the issue

What types of things increased perceptions of work-life balance?

´Age ´Family structure: ´Labor Union membership ´Perceptions of control over schedule

What types of issues decreased work-life balance for those working alternative schedules?

´Education ´Being currently in school ´Being a parent ´Working more hours per week ´Working 2 types of alternative schedules: part-time & Non- Monday - Friday

What are the characteristics of the "egalitarian commuter family"?

· Both parents engage in paid work · Both parents work at least 4 days a week · May intensify hours away from home for commuter · Home-based parent becomes family coordinator · Philosophy: both parents have equal rights/responsibilities to career/family

What suggestions are offered in the popular press for how commuter couples should manage work-life issues? Are these suggestions helpful? Are there any suggestions you would add?

· Both parents need to be on the same page about things. · Get extra income for the home- based parent, to not do everything for themselves · Try to reduce the cost of the commuter parent These would not be a healthy living situation for the children to grow up to , but some parents need to do what they can to support their family. Is it her income going to be better to get a nanny or stay home herself. Does the income balance out with a job in the mix.

What are the characteristics of the "traditionalization commuter family"?

· Fathers commute, away 5 days a week · Strong identification with work · Often work overtime · Mothers: stay-at-home or part-time work · Fit work around family obligations · Frequently make family decisions independently · Traditional gender division of labor

What are techniques you could use to close the communication gap?

•Always Communicate •Value their Perceptions/Words more than Your Own •Value them Rather than Blame Them

New Opportunities For Flexibility

•Flexibility of telework allows workers to integrate work and home to meet their needs

Exploitation Model

•Increased flexibility is another way for "greedy" workplaces to squeeze more work/hours out of their employees

How did mobile vs. non mobile workers differ from one another?

•Mobile teleworkers reported more flexibility in time and location of work, similar in terms of having balance & sufficient time for family They felt that this was having an ability to balance on work and life Was a way to take care of their children. Having an office with a door divides a barrier working from home, segmented and avoids distractions Participants with a door were saying it was a negative cause they did not have enough time for a family. Also might lose track how much time they spent in there cause the door is closed. Mixed reactions.

Are different types of jobs more likely to involve emotion and work?

If you have a job that brings a lot of stress people can bring it home, which can spillover Having a bad day and take it out on others

Deep Acting

"involves deceiving oneself as much as deceiving others". We convince ourselves that we feel that emotion

Surface acting

"putting on a mask" in the sense that a worker displays an emotion that he or she does not feel.

What is workplace bullying?

... "a toxic combination of unrelenting emotional abuse, social ostracism, interactional terrorizing, and other destructive communication..."

What are the statistics on workplace bullying (both from the Lutgen-Sandvik & Tracy, 2012 article and the WBI Survey)

10% of U.S. employees experience WB on a regular basis 30-40% of U.S. employees experience WB at some point 10% of U.S. employees witness bullying, even if they're not the target 2010 National Survey by WBI 35% of workers have experienced bullying firsthand 62% of bullies are men 58% of targets are women 80% of bullying cases are Women bullying other women

In what ways might organizational culture pose challenges for those wanting to take advantage of work-life benefits?

2012 National Study of Employers 44% said it's "very true" that supervisors are trained to respond to employee work-family needs 25% said "very true" that organizations make "a real & ongoing effort" to inform employees about available assistance

What percentage of workers complete some or all of their work via telework?

45% of employees have jobs that are compatible with telework Typical home-based worker: 49, college-educated, salary

What were the four themes related to use of personal communication devices for work?

Ability to work in new time and spaces •Relationship between work and personal life •Fragmentation of work •Pace and intensity of work

What strategies does Diamond suggest for negotiating in relationships? In particular, in what ways can you make emotional payments?

Acknowledge and address people's emotions Demonstrate understanding Give apologies Show empathy Listen

Topical Avoidance

Avoids the issue, chooses not to talk about unpleasant things. People do these things without realizing and close the topic. These are not things only stated at in the workplace but stated at higher level. Someone may have down something to provoke the behavior.

Individualization of Experience

Blaming the victim we make it about the individual. Ex: goes to the boss complaining they are being bullied but get told they must have done something to set the bully off, or maybe the victim needs to toughen up, too thin skinned takes things to seriously, sensitive.

What are the explanations for why we see workplace bullying at the meso level?

Bullying Involves Multiple Employees Henchmen/women, Silent Witnesses WBI-Zogby Survey (2007) 44% of employers respond by doing nothing 18% of employers retaliate against individual(s) reporting bullying WBI Instant Poll (April 12, 2013) 94% of respondents said bully has protection 2% said their bully had been punished Serial Bullying - keeps occurring but move on to a new target. After they are finished with one person they move onto a new person Unclear Policies- if they are unclear policies it makes it unclear for people to know what to do if the policy is not stated when being bullied. Who should they talk to. Focus on work- try to avoid that topic and try to focus on work and get the task completed at hand.

What are the negative effects on organizations?

High Employee Turnover Low Productivity Lost Innovations Difficulty Hiring Quality Employees

What types of stressors did participants report leading to spillover? Types of stressors

Communicative Coping Work Immersion Work as Social Outlet Venting (Co-workers or Supervisors)

What is "spillover"?

Elements of the work realm or family realm "spill over" into the other...resulting in either positive or negative impacts

What are the different types of emotion in the workplace?

Emotion Labor Emotional Work Emotion with Work Emotion at Work Emotion toward work

How might emotion and work be connected to work-life balance?

Emotion Labor : Workers expressed knowledge of both surface acting and deep acting. Workers expressed knowledge of personal and managerial profit motive involved in emotional expression and control. Emotion Work : Positive emotion - Worker expressed positive emotion toward consummatory pleasures of the interaction. Workers expressed positive emotion toward instrumental pleasures of helping someone. Negative emotion - Workers expressed negative emotion toward the general nature of interaction with others. Workers expressed negative emotion regarding abuse from clients (especially customer service workers). Workers expressed negative emotion regarding empathic concern for clients or emotional contagion with clients (especially human service workers).

What rules seemed to exist about employees' requests for work-life accommodation?

Emphasize organizational interests Work/life requests are individual concerns Find alternative routes when appropriate

What are the 12 strategies Diamond suggests for engaging in effective negotiation?

Find their standards Be transparent and constructive, not manipulative Always communicate, state the obvious Find the real problem and make it an opportunity Embrace differences Prepare - make a list of strategies Goals are paramount It's about them Make emotional payments Every situation is different Incremental is best Trade things you value unequally

What do we know about the availability of flexibility benefits within organizations?

Flexibility benefits tend to be offered to some employees, but not all (National Study of Employers, 2008) 28% of full-time employees report flexible work hours (Current Population Survey, 2004) Flexible work arrangements are most prevalent in management/professional occupations (Current Population Survey, 2004)

According to Diamond, what are the four levels of negotiation? Which levels does he argue are better ways to engage in negotiation?

Forcing people to do what you want or will them to do. Getting people to think what you want them to think. Getting people to perceive what you want them to perceive. Getting people to feel what you want them to feel. Better ways - when we get down to level of emotions and feelings they are challenging to get people to see them the way we do. If we can get them to see them would be successful.

What are the key steps in mediating a disagreement?

Get each side to explain "their story" Help each side identify their goals Create shared perceptions Identify shared interests Encourage each side to identify potential solutions

Is bullying the same as harassment?

In one way they are the same Harassment - is taken sexually - more general term Serial bullying - can be harassment constantly attacking the same person Ganging up on people - another phrase when bullying others It is what you are doing to the person, if its something small a person can get over, but if it is bullying it may not be someone to get over easily. Teasing to get someone fired to lose their job. Threats, imitating behaviors, sabotage = more severe . Frequency or persistence may play a factor. Sit down talk bout the situation come up with a plan to fix the situation Careful of relationships and unintentional biases

What might be some of the work-life issues dealt with by commuter families?

Increased cost - travel and housing Increased stress of separation · Compartmentalization of work and life · Difficulty transitioning between separation and togetherness

4 components of corporate ideology

Individuals are Responsible for Balance Organizations Control Work/Life Programs Who benefits most from work-life benefits? What are the implications of holding individuals responsible for balance?

What are the explanations for why we see workplace bullying at the macro level

Macro Level · Anti-victim Discourses (Discursive Closure, Deetz) · Disqualification · Naturalization · Neutralization · Individualization of Experience · Topical Avoidance Broader things going based on the individual in and outside the workplace, Minority are more likely to be bullies of victims in the workplace People who LGBTQ are higher likely to be victims than non LGBTQ The way we talk about workplace bullying shutdowns workplace bullying tactics or strategies that shut down the discussion Dis qualification - when the issue is not seen as a big deal, minimizing the issue Naturalization - its normal for this to happen in the workplace, if your at the bottom of the totalum pole when another new person come it will be their turn - the way we talk about it is totally normal Value free, workplace bullying is not a bad thing it is something that happens Individualization of Experience - Blaming the victim we make it about the individual. Ex: goes to the boss complaining they are being bullied but get told they must have done something to set the bully off, or maybe the victim needs to toughen up, too thin skinned takes things to seriously, sensitive. Topical Avoidance - Avoids the issue, chooses not to talk about unpleasant things. People do these things without realizing and close the topic. These are not things only stated at in the workplace but stated at higher level. Someone may have down something to provoke the behavior.

What types of things could be done (at various levels) to address workplace bullying?

Macro-level Increase public awareness Create anti-bullying laws Meso-level Change the organizational climate Create more effective anti-bullying policies Micro-level Teach individuals to tell stories in credible way Encourage employees to support each other

What are techniques you could use to close the perception gap?

Make sure you're using language the same way Ask about their perceptions first Ask questions

What were the two models of home-based telework?

New Opportunities For Flexibility Exploitation Model

What kinds of organizational factors influenced how participants used strategies to deal with stress/spillover?

Organizational Factors Appropriateness of Self-Disclosure Schedule & Proximity Organizational Philosophy/Culture

Why should we study corporate messages about work-life balance?

Organizations/Companies are influential How we spend our time How we "balance" work and life These messages persuade people to work (or not) at these companies/organizations

What are the different types of "flexible" or alternative work schedules and options potentially available to employees?

Part time work - average 25 hours per week Jobs that requires to work the weekend but not the Monday Rotating/shift work - might work days, nights, changes periodically Flex scheduling - no specific start or end time , people have more of a choice

Who does Diamond suggest that you form relationships with at work in order to get more?

People Who been there forever People Who Have Left Information Technology People Librarians Cleaning Staff Security Guards Administrative Staff Other Staff Human Resources People whom you and your department depend on

What characteristics (5) did HR professionals say would lead to something being defined as bullying? "From Boorish to Bullying"

Persistency · Power · Adverse effects · Intentionality- hardest to determine · Outside Confirmation

What might be the pros and cons of working an alternative work schedule?

Pros - flexible schedule - schedule work around family Improves for creativity - able to create a unique routine Disadvantage - might sacrifice to in other areas to sleep during the day Stressing - worried about not prioritizing enough time in each area . Some people might choose part-time work to balance both areas equally

What are the four quadrants of the model?

Quadrant I - Problems & Goals Quadrant II - Situation Analysis Quadrant III- Options/ Risk Reduction Quadrant IV - Actions

What happens (or should happen) in each quadrant?

Quadrant I Problems & Goals 1. Goals: Short/long term 2. Problems: in reaching your goals. 3. Parties: List, Decision maker 4. What if no deal? Worst case? 5. Preparation: Time, relative preparation. Who has more information? Quadrant II - Situation Analysis 6. Needs/Interests: of both parties rational, emotional, shared, conflicting, unequally valued 7. Perceptions: Pictures in the head of each party? Role reversal, culture, conflicts, trust. 8. Communication: style, relationship? 9. Standards: their, norms 10. Reexamine goals: Why say yes, why say no? For both parties. Quadrant III-Options/ Risk Reduction 11. Brainstorm: options to meet goals, needs. What to trade or link? 12. Incremental: steps to reduce risk. 13. Third parties: common enemies, influencers 14. Framing: to create a vision, develop questions to ask. 15. Alternatives: to improve/effect deal if necessary Quadrant IV - Actions 16. Best options/priorities- Deal breakers, Giveaways 17. Who presents: How and to whom? 18. Process: Agenda, deadlines, time management 19. Commitments/Incentives: Especially for them 20. Next steps: Who does what?

What types of strategies did participants use to communicatively cope with spillover?

Social Support Co-workers - Affirmation, Advice, Instrumental Supervisors - Instrumental

What are the negative effects of workplace bullying on employees?

Stress Absenteeism Depression Anxiety Health Effects - high blood pressure, ulcers, insomnia Trouble in outside relationships Post traumatic stress disorder

What do you think should be included in an effective anti-bullying workplace policy?

The meso level could easiest to change the organizational climate Micro level is unsuccessful Macro to get people aware that bullying is happening If the employers know what is happening and has been brought to their attention several times, but are not doing their job showing a blind eye they could be held accountable. Sometimes it's the employers or org. who bring in these behaviors don't get rid of them and let them stick around can contribute to bullying in the workplace.

What are the challenges faced by HR professionals when it comes to dealing with workplace bullying?

There's no clear single definition of what Workplace Bullying is Some organizations don't have clear Workplace Bullying policies HR Professionals have multiple roles to play

What are the characteristics of commuter couples (definition)? How many people in the U.S. are part of a commuter marriage (census, 2011)?

U.S. Census Bureau - 2011 3.5 million couples (18 and older) were part of a commuter marriage (3.1% of married couples)

What are the explanations for why we see workplace bullying at the micro level?

Victim resistance is often ineffective or results in retaliation · Reporting bullying often results in re-victimization

How did flexible scheduling versus perceptions of control of schedule affect feelings of work-life balance?

Whether places over wlb did not matter what mattered was the control of my schedule. Lack of control is what gets people. Control makes us feel better. Having the option did not seem to matter. Workplaces may offer flexible schedules but may not use them. Same with vacation days and flexible work ours people do not take advantage of them. We get a schedule in our head and are grained to it. Because one might have a flexible schedule does not mean others do. Companies will often state on their websites wlb offers flexible scheduling.

2. What types of things might impact whether spillover is positive or negative? Does spillover have more of a positive or negative effect (the statistics presented in lecture might be helpful here).

Work Family Spillover, by the Numbers (National Work Life Measurement Project, 2003) 47.7% no/neutral spillover 27.2% negative spillover 25.1% positive spillover

What is "telework"?

Work performed from home or a remote location (typically through use of technology)

What is Spillover Theory?

degree to which time, energy, or behavior from one realm occurs in another realm •Articulates the conditions under which spillover between the work and family microsystems is positive or negative •With rigid structure, spillover is generally seen as negative •With flexible structure, spillover is generally seen as positive

Emotion at work

emotion at work that comes from the outside realm Ex: fight or arguments Phone call someone passed away A better job offer than the current job Someone paying for your coffee in line before you go to work Hostility - they don't do their job

Emotion toward work

emotion is the target . How you feel about the workplace I like going to work cause they pay me . Motivation factors - are the things that influence us to feel positive about ourselves. Ex: if you feel that your making a difference Supportive climate Incentives - flexible schedule, nap times, Promotions Hygiene factors - the things that cause us to feel negative towards our job Unfairness, unequity, mean, poor management

Emotion Labor

emotions the organizations wants you to prottray which is dictated by the organizations they want you to display. Emotions you have to display at work These emotions are often authentic - because I want to or have to. Flight attendants have to be funny , servers, hostess - have to be friendly and smiling Surface acting refers to "putting on a mask" in the sense that a worker displays an emotion that he or she does not feel. Deep acting "involves deceiving oneself as much as deceiving others". We convince ourselves that we feel that emotion

Naturalization

its normal for this to happen in the workplace, if your at the bottom of the totalum pole when another new person come it will be their turn - the way we talk about it is totally normal Value free, workplace bullying is not a bad thing it is something that happens

Emotion with Work

people are not concerned who they are with others at work. When I am at my job I do work . The relationships I have with people at the job. Ex: speaking with colleagues . We like our co-workers

Emotional Work

the emotion you get from what you do at work. The emotion we feel from doing our job. People interacting with others . Residence passes away - emotional labor/work . The work itself that causes the emotion. Negative - stern - police officer , principles Truck drivers , people getting into an accident Happy emotions - People who get a cure from cancer Student improvements