Marianne Koch,
an assistant professor of management at the University of Oregon, is
conducting groundbreaking research by surveying 3,000 human
resource managers in six western states on the increasingly important
subject of "work-family issues." She will present her findings to state
legislators next year at the Summer Legislative Leadership Institute.
What are work-family issues and why are they important?
MK: Work-family issues are challenges that arise when individuals' roles as family members and workers conflict. Work-family programs are mainly child- and eldercare programs, but they also include flexible work schedules, parental leave, spouse-relocation assistance, and employee assistance. This isn't just about productivity and compensation packages. It's about the most fundamental issues facing our society, and it raises profound questions about the place of people in our culture.
What will you learn from the work-family issues survey?
MK: This research will provide a comprehensive picture of the family-friendly programs and policies being implemented by businesses in our region We'll also learn human resource managers' perceptions of the effects these practices have on such things as productivity, absenteeism, turnover, employee recruitment, and job satisfaction.
Is there one area of most interest or concern?
MK: Yes. Nationwide, employees' concerns about caring for their parents are virtually exploding. In the '80s and early '90s, as the baby boomers were having their offspring, the big issue was childcare. Now, as the boomers and their parents are aging, eldercare will soon surpass childcare as the number-one issue.
How are businesses responding to work-family issues?
MK: Responses to this need are running the gamut from very informal to very formal. A boss may give employees time off for work-family issues as needed orat the other end of the spectrumthere is an organized approach such as that used at the Eddie Bauer headquarters in Redmond, Washington. There a full-time work-life manager is responsible for developing and overseeing work-family programs and policies.
Is there a next step?
MK: Once we get a clear picture of what businesses in this region are doing, we'll focus in on organizations that appear to be doing particularly well and investigate why they are successful. How are they achieving lower absenteeism and turnover as well as better productivity, employee recruitment, and job satisfaction for employees? That information will be extremely valuable for other regional businesses in the future.
Do you have any initial thoughts about what you're likely to find?
MK: My sense is that solutions won't lie just in the hands of employers. We'll need new cooperative efforts involving employees, employers, the community, and perhaps the government.
What is some practical advice for today's employer?
MK: View these concerns as an opportunity to reorganize work in a more efficient way that allows enhanced productivity and less-stressed employees. Here's just one example. In the past ten years there's been a huge investment in technology-based infrastructure such as voice mail, faxes, and modem-linked computers. These investments can be used to increase employee flexibility in accommodating their own needs while keeping productivity high. Ideally open-minded managers will see work-family issues as a means to greater efficiency. That's a win-win situation in the workplace.