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Work–life balance: One size fits all? An exploratory analysis of the differential effects of career stage

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  • Darcy, Colette
  • McCarthy, Alma
  • Hill, Jimmy
  • Grady, Geraldine

Abstract

This paper explores the antecedents of work–life balance for employees as they progress through different career stages denoted by age. To date, research has failed to adequately explore how work–life balance issues develop over the course of an employee’s working life. As a consequence, much of the work–life balance policy and practice research examines WLB issues from a relatively static and unchanging perspective resulting in praxis which is undifferentiated. Such a ‘one size fits all’ approach to the design and development of work–life balance initiatives is not only costly but likely to be ineffective in terms of meeting the real needs of different categories of employees. This paper challenges the static approaches and instead seeks to examine if and how WLB is affected and shaped by different antecedents as they impact on differing career stages as defined by distinct age categorisations.

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  • Darcy, Colette & McCarthy, Alma & Hill, Jimmy & Grady, Geraldine, 2012. "Work–life balance: One size fits all? An exploratory analysis of the differential effects of career stage," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 111-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:30:y:2012:i:2:p:111-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2011.11.001
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    1. Nick Bloom & Tobias Kretschmer & John Van Reenan, 2009. "Work-Life Balance, Management Practices and Productivity," NBER Chapters, in: International Differences in the Business Practices and Productivity of Firms, pages 15-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    3. Nick Bloom & John Van Reenen, 2006. "Management Practices, Work--L ife Balance, and Productivity: A Review of Some Recent Evidence," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 22(4), pages 457-482, Winter.
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    11. Rocco Palumbo, 2022. "A ‘Dark Side’ of Humane Entrepreneurship? Unveiling the Side Effects of Humane Entrepreneurship on Work–Life Balance," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(1), pages 121-152, March.
    12. Süß, Stefan & Sayah, Shiva, 2013. "Balance between work and life: A qualitative study of German contract workers," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 250-262.
    13. Mohammed Alblihed & Haitham Ali Alzghaibi, 2022. "The Impact of Job Stress, Role Ambiguity and Work–Life Imbalance on Turnover Intention during COVID-19: A Case Study of Frontline Health Workers in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-15, October.
    14. Jiang, Xueting & Xu, Sen & Houghton, Jeffery D. & Kulich, Steve J., 2021. "Leader self-development: Why do people develop themselves as leaders?," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 239-248.
    15. Samuel Jayaraman & Hesil Jerda George & Mariadoss Siluvaimuthu & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2023. "Quality of Work Life as a Precursor to Work–Life Balance: Collegiality and Job Security as Moderators and Job Satisfaction as a Mediator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    16. App, Stefanie & Merk, Janina & Buettgen, Marion, 2012. "Employer Branding: Sustainable HRM as a Competitive Advantage in the Market for High-Quality Employees," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 23(3), pages 262-278.
    17. Vakkayil, Jacob & Torre, Edoardo Della & Giangreco, Antonio, 2017. "“It's not how it looks!” Exploring managerial perspectives on employee wellbeing," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 548-562.
    18. Kellyann Berube Kowalski & Alex Aruldoss & Bhuvaneswari Gurumurthy & Satyanarayana Parayitam, 2022. "Work-From-Home Productivity and Job Satisfaction: A Double-Layered Moderated Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-29, September.
    19. Vörös, Máté & Fűrész, Diána Ivett, 2021. "A részmunkaidős foglalkoztatás hatékonyságának empirikus vizsgálata [The efficiency of part-time employment]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(2), pages 178-204.
    20. Pasamar, Susana, 2020. "Why a strong work-life balance system is needed?," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).
    21. Ethel N Abe & Ziska Fields & Isaac I Abe, 2017. "The Efficacy of Wellness Programmes as Work-Life Balance Strategies in the South African Public Service," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 8(6), pages 52-67.

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