Title: Work-life balance: working for whom?

Authors: Caroline J. Gatrell, Cary L. Cooper

Addresses: Management Learning and Leadership, Lancaster University, Management School, UK. ' Management School, Lancaster University, UK

Abstract: Work-life balance policies are important in relation to employee stress levels. This paper examines work-life balance and flexibility through the dual lens of gender and the body. The paper observes how notions of |flexibility| are applied differently to mothers and fathers. We observe how social expectations about professionally employed mothers and fathers, and work-life balance, are gendered. Men may thus be discouraged from working flexibly, while mothers who work long hours may be criticised. We argue that the pressure to organise work-life balance, according to embodied and gendered social norms, is a cause of stress to both fathers and mothers who are employed at a managerial level.

Keywords: work-life balance; flexible working; mothers; fathers; human body; gender; policy; employee stress; flexibility; social expectations; social norms; managers; management.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2008.016929

European Journal of International Management, 2008 Vol.2 No.1, pp.71 - 86

Published online: 30 Jan 2008 *

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