This study examined the work-life balance (WLB) and subjective well-being (SWB) of Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y in the current world of work. The instruments used in this study for data collection was Work-life Balance Scale, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Work Engagement Questionnaire. The research was conducted from the perspective of a positive psychological paradigm and investigated the interrelationship dynamics between the constructs of generations and work-life balance and work-life balance and subjective well-being, as well as the differences between the levels of work-life balance and subjective well-being across generations in a South African sample. This study calculated Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) to examine the psychometric structure of a proposed SWB construct and to test the hypothesis that SWB is a latent variable comprising of Happiness, Optimism, Self-Esteem, and Engagement. Based on the results of the two EFA and CFA models, there is enough statistical evidence to accept this hypothesis. Correlational analysis and structural equation modelling revealed the relationships between work-life balance and subjective well-being. Regression analysis and tests for significant differences identified the differences in work-life balance and subjective well-being levels across the generations. The results revealed that there were some statistically significant differences between generations. For Baby Boomers and Generation X work-life balance was influenced by SWB factors, whilst Generation Y were mostly influenced by biographical variables. The results showed that hours worked, and hours paid were predictors of work interfering with personal life (WIPL) for both Generation X and Generation Y. Self-esteem was a significant predictor for the Baby Boomers. With regards to personal life interfering with work (PLIW) hours worked and happiness were found to be predictors for Generation X, whereas hours paid was a negative predictor for Generation Y. Furthermore, hours worked, happiness and engagement were found to predict work and personal life enhancement (WPLE) for Generation X. An overall difference was noted for happiness across the generations, with Generation Y employees having significantly lower levels of happiness than Generation X, whilst no significant difference was noted between Generation X and Baby Boomers. The current study linked the emerging constructs of positive psychology in general by investigating the relationships and differences between generations, WLB and SWB. The results could be used as a framework for IOP.The research makes a contribution to the field of Industrial and Organisational Psychology on three levels, namely, on a theoretical, an empirical and a practical level. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The present study sought to examine the impact of technology in permeating the boundaries between individuals’ work and family domains, testing and extending the current theoretical model of boundary management. The first goal, to explore predictors of the boundary management styles (BMS) people use with respect to communication technology (CT), was accomplished by demonstrating that three factors predicted BMS for CT use: preferences for integration, identity centrality, and work/family norms. The second goal, to examine outcomes that could result from varying CT use boundary management styles, was also supported in that BMS for CT use was a predictor of work-family conflict and enrichment. However, one key component of the model was not supported in that perceived control over BMS did not moderate the relationship between BMS and outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, as well as suggestions for future research on boundary theory and CT use. By exploring tangible boundary management behaviors, the present study offers interesting implications that could ultimately assist organizations in developing policies regarding CT use both at home and at work.

Kandidatuppsats i Företagsekonomi III, Organisation 15 hp, 2FE78E, Ekonomihögskolan vid Linnéuniversitetet i Kalmar. VT 2023. Titel: HR-paradoxen: Att arbeta med mänskliga resurser som inte är på plats. Författare: Kajsa Roos och Petra Ruzsa-Pal Lärosäte: Linnéuniversitetet Ämne: Organisation Handledare: Iva Josefsson Examinator: Mikael Lundgren  Problemformuleringar: Hur uppfattar HR-medarbetare att deras yrke förändrats, vad gäller arbete med organisationskultur och gemenskap, i och med det ökande distans- och hybridarbetet?  Hur kan HR-medarbetare arbeta för att skapa och upprätthålla gemenskap och en gynnsam organisationskultur vid distans- och hybridarbete? Syfte: Syftet med studien är att ge en bild av hur HR-yrket förändrats i och med det ökande distans- och hybridarbetet samt att redogöra för hur HR-ansvariga kan arbeta med att skapa och upprätthålla gemenskap och en positiv organisationskultur i en tid präglad av distans- och hybridarbete.  Metod: Studien följer en induktiv ansats som bygger på en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi där studiens empiri samlats in genom nio intervjuer förlagda på åtta olika organisationer med hjälp av semistrukturerade frågor. Empirin har senare analyserats, tolkats och kategoriserats.  Slutsats: Utifrån studien går det att se att HR-medarbetare behöver tänka och agera på ett annat sätt än tidigare, gällande både aktiviteter, rekrytering och relationsbyggande. Den främsta skillnaden är att de fysiska träffarna och relationerna hamnat i bakgrunden, därför behöver HR-medarbetare arbeta för att skapa nya arenor där dessa möten kan uppstå. Studien visar vidare att det är fördelaktigt att lägga ner mer tid och planering på aktiviteter som ämnar ersätta fysiska aktiviteter. Att vidare involvera personalen i viktiga beslut skapar ett bättre klimat och kultur, som präglas av tillit, fria val och god kommunikation. / Bachelor thesis Business Administration III, Organization 15 credits, 2FE78E, School of Economics at Linnaeus University of Kalmar. Spring 2023. Title: The HR-Paradox: Working with human resources that are not present in the workplace Authors: Kajsa Roos and Petra Ruzsa-Pal Institution: Linnaeus University Subject: Organization Advisor: Iva Josefsson Examiner: Mikael Lundgren   Research questions: How do HR-employees perceive that their profession has changed, in terms of working with organizational culture and a sense of community, in relation to the increased occurrence of remote- and hybrid work? How can HR-employees work to create and maintain a favorable organizational culture and a sense of community in remote- and hybrid work? Purpose: The aim of this study is to present a picture of how the HR-profession has changed due to the increasing distance- and hybrid work and to explain how strategic HR-employees can work to create and maintain a sense of community and togetherness as well as a positive organizational culture in a time embossed by distance- and hybrid work. Method: This study follows an inductive approach based on a qualitative research strategy, where the study's empirical data has been collected though nine interviews held at eight different organizations, using semi-structured interview questions. The empirical material has later been analyzed and categorized.  Conclusion: Based on this study, we can see that HR-employees need to think and act in a different way than before, regarding both activities, recruitment and relationship building. The main difference has been that the physical meetings and relationships have fallen into the background, therefore HR-employees need to create new arenas where such meetings can occur. The study further shows that it is beneficial to spend more time and planning on activities that replace physical activities. Furthermore, involving the staff in important decisions creates a better climate and culture and should be characterized by trust and good communication.

Denna uppsats syftar till att undersöka hur synen på en 4-dagars arbetsvecka ser ut i samband med upplevelsen av arbetskrav och work-life balance hos anställda inom spelutvecklingsindustrin. Denna industri är unik för sina olika arbetsrelaterade problem, som bland annat återkommande tidsperioder med en extrem överbelastning av arbete, där 4-dagars arbetsveckan har blivit omtalad runtom i världen och anses kunna förbättra många av de utmaningar inom arbetet som spelutvecklingsindustrin i nuläget har. För att samla in data distribuerades en enkät till 120 anställda i ett svenskt spelutvecklingsföretag. Skalor om work-life balance, arbetskrav och synen på 4-dagars arbetsveckan inkluderades i enkäten, samt demografiska frågor och frågor om boendesituation och crunch. Totalt deltog 58 respondenter i undersökningen, där en deskriptiv- och korrelationsanalys gjordes av datan. Resultatet visade på ett statistiskt signifikant samband mellan synen på 4-dagars arbetsveckan och work-life imbalance, samt mellan work-life imbalance och arbetskrav. Uppsatsen har bidragit med skapandet av ett nytt mått för synen på 4-dagars arbetsveckan och diskuterar metodologiska styrkor och begränsningar i samband med resultatet och framtida forskning.

In contemporary society, work and home represent the two most significant domains in the life of working individuals. South Africa’s socioeconomic, political, and societal circumstances will influence employees’ experiences of work-life balance differently, compared to that of employees in other countries, suggesting that the construction of work-life balance amongst different race and cultural groups may differ. The present study used in-depth qualitative interviews with ten black women and men employed in a customer care environment, to explore their construction of work-life balance. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data and identify themes. This study suggests that work-life balance is a unique experience for individuals, which varies over time and in different situations. The study confirmed that attaining work-life balance is a process of balancing ever-changing experiences over time, and in different life stages. The results of this study are also discussed in relation to the relevant literature. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The research revolves on the emergence of globalisation, change, competition, work pressure, and risks among others which have exposed insurance employees to work stress that can interfere with home activities. The research purpose was to determine the relationship between work stress, work-home interference, and organisational culture among insurance employees in the Zimbabwean context. The sample consisted of 240 participants, from which data was collected from 190 employees who responded to the questionnaires. The questionnaires were analysed using SPSS, internal consistency reliability analysis, and the inter-correlation analysis. The inferential statistics used were multiple linear regression and one way ANOVA. Substantial positive and negative correlations were noted for the six sub-scales of the Occupational roles questionnaire (ORQ), negative work-home interference (NWHI) and positive work-home interference (PWHI) scales, and the three sub-scales of the Organisational culture index (OCI). The research concluded that different measures should be taken to manage work stressors, depending on the organisational culture, and its employees to prevent spill-over which contributes to negative work-home interference. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Arbetsplatsen är en betydelsefull arena för människor då en stor del av livet spenderas i arbetslivet och det medför att det är viktigt med hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete. Arbetslivet har under de senaste åren förändrats mycket på grund av informations- och kommunikationsteknikens utveckling vilket möjliggjort ett flexiblare arbetssätt och att en stor del av arbetet bedrivs med hjälp av teknik. Förändringen inom hur och när anställda utför sitt arbete motiverar studier som vill öka förståelsen för anställdas upplevelser av tillgänglighet i arbetslivet. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur anställda upplever sin hälsa i relation till att vara tillgänglig i arbetet. En kvalitativ metod valdes med ett urval av fem personer verksamma inom konsult- och rådgivningsbranschen intervjuades. Intervjumaterialet analyserades med en manifest innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar att det upplevdes finnas både för- och nackdelar med att vara tillgänglig i arbetet. Tillgängligheten medför kontroll över anställdas arbete men det uppstår även en upplevelse av behov av att vara tillgänglig vilket medför en negativ påverkan på anställdas hälsa i form av stress. Det visar även på att arbetsgivaren har ett visst ansvar för att stötta sina anställda att hantera tillgängligheten för att arbeta mer hälsofrämjande med anställdas hälsa och en hälsofrämjande arbetsplats. / The workplace is an important arena for people since they spend a significant amount of their lifetime with work. This imposes that the workplace is an important arena for health promotion. The development of information and communication technology during the last decades has contributed to new ways of working in terms of flexibility and how work is performed. The change in how and when employees perform their work motivates further studies to increase the understanding of employees’ experience of the availability of work. The purpose of this study is to examine how employees perceive their health in relation to be available for work. A qualitative approach was selected in which five individuals working in consulting and advisory services industry were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed with a manifest content analysis. The result indicates that perceptions of availability for work comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Accessibility provides enhanced control over work tasks but there is also a perceived need to be available. Which can result in a negative impact on employees’ health in the form of stress. The study further indicates that the employer has a certain responsibility to support their employees to cope with the challenges that comes with availability to actively promote the health of employees.

Introduction: La participation sociale "optimale" peut se définir comme une congruence parfaite entre les attentes de l'individu et sa réalité. La conciliation travail-famille fait appel à l'équilibre des différentes sphéres de vie du travailler. On peut alors s'interroger sur la perception de l'optimalité qu'ont les professionnels de la réadaptation quant à leur propre niveau de participation, conciliant plusieurs sphéres de vie et les facteurs qui influencent cette participation. But: Explorer la perception de l'optimalité de la participation sociale chez des professionnels de la réadaptation et les facteurs identifiés par ces derniers comme l'influençant. Méthode: Étude qualitative d'orientation phénoménologique auprés de treize professionnels de la réadaptation à l'aide d'un guide d'entrevue composé de questions ouvertes. Les données recueillies ont été enregistrées sur bande audio et transcrites intégralement (verbatim) suivi d'une analyse de contenu. Résultats: Les participants, majoritairement des femmes (12/13) étaient âgés de 31 à 44 ans et avaient entre un et trois enfants dont l'âge variait de 7 mois à 12 ans. L'optimalité de la participation est perçue comme: la possibilité (ou non) d'accomplir ses activités significatives tout en prenant en charge ses différentes responsabilités. Parmi les cinq facteurs environnementaux perçus comme ayant une influence (l'aspect financier, le soutien du conjoint, le temps, la flexibilité des horaires au travail et la structure familiale) la structure familiale apparait comme déterminante du possible et influence ainsi grandement les attentes individuelles.Conclusion: La conciliation travail-famille est un phénomène complexe qui gagne à être étudié dans sa globalité plutôt qu'en silo. / Introduction: Optimal social participation, which is the ultimate goal targeted by rehabilitation professionals for their clients, can be defined as perfect congruence between an individual's expectations and reality. Work-family dynamic requires balance between the different spheres of a worker's life. This raises questions about the perception that rehabilitation professionals have regarding their own optimal social participation, reconciling various life spheres, and the factors influence this participation. Purpose: To explore the perception of rehabilitation professionals regarding their optimal social participation, and the factors they identify as influencing this participation. Method: Qualitative study with a phenomenological orientation among 13 rehabilitation professionals using an interview guide consisting of open questions. The data was audio-recorded and transcribed in full (verbatim) followed by content analysis. Results: Participation were mostly women (12/13) aged 31 to 44 years having one to three children aged from 7 months to 12 years old. Optimality of participation is perceived as the ability (or not) to carry out important activities while fulfilling one's various responsibilities. Of the five environmental factors perceived to have an influence (financial aspects, spousal support, time, flexible work schedule, and family organization), family organization appears to be a determinant of possibility and thus greatly influences individual expectations. Conclusion: Work-life balance is a complex phenomenon that should be studied holistically rather in a siloed mode.

méno a příjmení autora: Alena Příhodová Název diplomové práce: Kariérní poradenství Název práce v angličtině: Career counselling Katedra: Andragogiky a personálního řízení Vedoucí diplomové práce: PhDr. Michaela Tureckiová, Csc. Rok obhajoby: 2012 Anotace: V diplomové práci se autorka shrnuje dostupné poznatky o moderním kariérním poradenství, na nějž autorka nahlíží jako na dynamicky se vyvíjející poradenskou disciplínu. Kariérní poradenství hledá nejen optimální spojení jedinec-práce, ale také pomáhá jedinci prozkoumat a sledovat jeho profesní a osobní zájmy, stejně jako ho učí být manažerem vlastní profesní kariéry. Praxe kariérního poradenství nabízí pomocnou ruku jedinci v jeho potřebě hledání optimálního pracovního uplatnění v průběhu celého jeho života. Neméně významná je funkce kariérního poradenství v rukou státu, jakožto nástroje snižování dopadů nejistot trhu práce na nejohroženější skupiny jedinců. Dalšího významu kariérní poradenství nabývá v práci personalistů, pracovníků outplacementu a poradců pracujících se specifickými skupinami. Práce nastínila problematiku žen, jakožto specifické skupiny klientů kariérního poradenství. Klíčová slova: práce, poradenství, kariérní poradenství, kariérové poradenství, občanské poradenství, poradenství pro volbu povolání, kariéra, trh práce, ženská kariéra...

The purpose of this study is to examine the work-life balance experiences of Black females school leaders. Due to the inherent intersectionality of race and gender that is experienced by Black females, a study of their unique experiences with work-life balance is valuable to the field of educational leadership. The responsibilities associated with school leadership positions are extensive and those school leaders who also have spouses and children must figure out a way to fulfill responsibilities associated with each role. Work-life balance is important to understand for school leaders whose career responsibilities may interact with those associated with their personal lives. The theoretical framework, Black Feminist Thought, guided the data collection and analysis processes, and provided the basis for the resulting narrative findings. This study gave voice to an otherwise silenced, marginalized group, Black female school leaders. All data was synthesized into narratives and from these narratives came six themes: (1) Familial Sacrifice; (2) Servant Leadership; (3) Informal and Formal Work-life Balance Policies; (4) Notion of Self-Care; (5) Upbringing and Black Females’ Prideful Identity; and (6) Black Females having to prove themselves. While this study does not show evidence of school leaders having achieves work-life balance, the findings will inform the practices of perspective Black female school leaders and add the voices of Black female school leaders to the literature on Black female school leader’s experiences with work-life balance.