Title: How children feel about their fathers' work in the hi-tech sector

Authors: Orna Blumen, Shlomo Hareli

Addresses: Department of Human Services, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel. ' Graduate School of Management and Department of Human Services, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel

Abstract: Research in the organisational context has hardly studied the emotional impact of work on employees| family members. We interviewed children of hi-tech R&D engineers who reported experiencing pride in their fathers| work, and pleasure with its side-benefits and belongingness. Many thought of becoming hi-tech engineers themselves. Children also expressed resentment at their fathers| absence and the constraints imposed by benefit programs. It is advised that organisations should be attentive to the impact of these aspects on employees| productivity when designing working rules and family benefit programs. Findings point to the blurred boundaries between emotional work in the family realm and emotional labour in the workplace.

Keywords: hi-tech working culture; emotion; children; HRM; family friendly; policy; work–family conflict; human resources management; emotional impact; productivity; working rules; family benefit; work organisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWOE.2006.011874

International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 2006 Vol.1 No.4, pp.317 - 335

Published online: 29 Dec 2006 *

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