Resisting long working hours: The case of Spanish female teleworkers

Author(s):  
Ana Gálvez ◽  
Francisco Tirado ◽  
José Manuel Alcaráz

Spain has some of the longest working days in the European Union and this presents problems for women employees, especially with regard to their work–life balance. Teleworking has been introduced as a possible solution. Our article analyses this working relationship and shows how female teleworkers produce new interpretations of time, space and agency. When it comes to time, we conclude that there is ‘gendered time’ and ‘resistance time’. This (a) illustrates how women who telework deploy different approaches in the way they relate to their temporal, spatial and material worlds, and (b) defines a particular type of agency associated with teleworking that vindicates their condition as both female workers and mothers, and denounces a patriarchal labour model designed by and for men.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
Akizumi Tsutsumi

Background: Work style reform in Japan is under way in response to a predicted shortfall in the workforce owing to the country’s low birth rate and high longevity, health problems due to excessive working hours, and the need for diversification of employment. A legal limit for physicians’ overtime work will be introduced in 2024. Objectives: This study examines the work–life balance among Japan’s doctors in the context of ongoing work style reform. Methodology: The study applied included selective reviews of demographic shifts, legislation against long working hours, and trends in doctors’ participation in the labor force. Results: Japan’s doctors work long hours, which creates a conflict between their working and private lives. The proportion of female doctors in Japan is the lowest among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Employment trends among women doctors by age group show an M-curve: many quit their jobs upon marriage or childbirth. Gender role stereotyping has led male Japanese doctors to devote themselves entirely to their professions and working excessively long hours: they leave all family work to their female partners. This stereotyping obliges female doctors to undertake household chores in addition to their career tasks, which makes it difficult for them to re-enter their careers. Because of the harsh working conditions (including long working hours), there has been a decline in newly graduated doctors in some medical specialties. Conclusions: For sustainable, effective health care in Japan, it is necessary to improve the work conditions for Japan’s doctors towards achieving work–life harmony.


Author(s):  
Zuzana Horváthová ◽  
Iva Fischerová ◽  
Josef Abrahám

The paper deals with the social policy of the European Union, specifically the directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU. And it is considering the changes that need to be made in the area of labour law, especially concerning the Labour Code, and partially in social security in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, in connection with the requirement to transpose this directive. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the valid legislation of the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic in the monitored area. Key words: social policy, European Union, work-life balance, directive, parental leave, paternity leave, carers ́ leave, social security.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 46-48

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint its practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Mobile information technology devices (MITDs) mean that employees have the flexibility to work anytime, anyplace, and anywhere. This has benefits for work–life balance. However, it also means that there is a blurring of the borders between work life and non-work life. It also means that, because work is done anytime and anywhere, there are long working hours and encroachment into non-work life, which can cause negative health effects and work–life conflict. Balance is needed to ensure that in addition to good work performance and productivity, time remains for non-work activities. Practical implications This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent, information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Fanny Yuk Fun Young

This study investigated the working hour, work-life balance and intention to have children of full-time workers in a place without Standard Working Hour legislation and with very low birth rate, Hong Kong. Method used a questionnaire survey with 200 below 35, married, full-time workers. Results showed these workers had longer working hour (49.3 hours/week) than many other places in the World (40 hours/week). Most participants (around 70 percent) reported prolonged fatigue level, sleepiness and extreme tiredness and did not have time staying with their partner and family. The mean intention to have children score was 2.045 out of 5. Correlation analysis was performed between working hour and intention to have children. There exist an inverse relationship between working hour and intention to have children (r= - 0.779). A plotting of the working hour against intention to have children showed some linear relationship between the working hour and intention to have children. Therefore, in general the workers with longer working hour were having lower intention to have children. To conclude, workers in Hong Kong, without Standard Working Hour legislation, had long working hours, poor work-life balance and low intention to have children. 


Author(s):  
Nuria Matilla-Santander ◽  
Cristina Lidón-Moyano ◽  
Adrián González-Marrón ◽  
Kailey Bunch ◽  
Juan Carlos Martín-Sánchez ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Mardi Webber ◽  
Aspa Sarris ◽  
Max Bessell

AbstractThe study examined attitudes toward work–life balance (WLB) using survey data from 292 employees in an Australian university. Organisational culture, as it relates to how and when employees can use WLB initiatives, was investigated. In particular, the study examined employees' differing perceptions of organisational culture within a single organisation, with particular reference to: managerial support of WLB initiatives, career consequences of using WLB initiatives, organisational time expectations that may interfere with non-work activities, and the level of employee control over workload and when employees can take time off. As predicted, perceptions of managerial support of WLB initiatives were related to initiative use; however, overall initiative use was not related to perceived career consequences (e.g. using initiatives will damage one's career progress), organisational time expectations (e.g., long working hours), or levels of employee control (e.g., employee control over workload). Results showed that perceptions of a supportive organisational culture were positively related to organisational commitment and negatively related to work–life conflict and employees' intentions to leave. Further, the study results show that employees' perception of organisational culture was more strongly associated with the outcomes (e.g., work attitudes, work–life conflict) than the number of WLB initiatives used by employees.


Author(s):  
G. Balamurugan ◽  
M. Sreeleka

Work life balance of women employees plays the major role because they have to manage their personal life for their good quality of life. The employee’s satisfaction is based on the employee to be happy and deliver the level best. Even in the Worst scenario the employee is very loyal to their organization because of the employee Satisfaction. The quality of life is based on the professional life of each and every women employee who are coming forward to support to their family. The problem of the women employee’s face is health condition, Pregnancy discrimination, Sexual harassment, no equal pay, etc. This paper says that how the women employees are balanced and Satisfied  in IT sector and the factors that affect the work life balance of women employees are working hours, Job satisfaction, working condition, etc. and find out the women employee job satisfaction were analyzed by using statistical method that is Chi-square and Correlation test.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Matilla-Santander ◽  
Cristina Lidón-Moyano ◽  
Adrián González-Marrón ◽  
Kailey Bunch ◽  
Juan Carlos Martín-Sánchez ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document