Blurred lines: work, eldercare and HRM

Abstract

Increased levels of female labour market participation have impacted on the ability of families to provide care for elderly relatives in many industrialised societies. While work-family balance has received significant academic attention, less attention has focused specifically on individuals with eldercare responsibility, a cohort which accounts for a growing segment of the labour market internationally. Taking a qualitative research approach this paper uses work/family border theory to the constraints and facilitators to reconciling care and employment for employees working full-time in Ireland. The findings highlight the significant impact that eldercare provision has on employees with regard to day-to-day work commitments. We find that while general work-life balance policies exist within organisations, that the design and functionality of such policies are of limited value to elder caregivers. Furthermore, this paper highlights how the lack of formal HR policies around eldercare within organisations results in a reliance on supervisory discretion. We make some recommendations for organisational level strategies to address the needs of a growing number of caregivers.

Towards More Proactive Sustainable Human Resource Management Practices? A Study on Stress Due to the ICT-Mediated Integration of Work and Private Life

“…The goal of this article was to study stress in the digital working life and discuss the theoretical and practical implications for HRM in such a blurred working life. Several researchers have called for an HRM practice that takes these permeable boundaries into account to develop a more sustainable working life [22][23][24]. Specifically, our findings indicate that that work and private life are not only integrated through activities, but also through emotions, e.g., stress.…”

“…Kowalski and Swanson for example highlight a trust-based organizational culture and results-based management systems as central if employees are to manage where and when to work more autonomously [21]. Several researchers have requested that Human Resource Management (HRM) develop and adjust to this new working life [22][23][24].…”

Middle ageism: when social climate and perceived employability relate to attitudes and intent to hire middle-aged employees

“…Sandwich-generation caregivers were more likely to experience a decrease in health status and strain, which were attenuated by Supervisor and colleague support (Bouman and Dorant, 2021; Kauppinen and Silfver-Kuhalampi, 2017; Turgeman-Lupo et al ., 2020). Caregivers who worked in supportive organizations had higher odds of good work outcomes (Murphy and Cross, 2021; Plaisier et al ., 2015). Career extension in mid-life can be promoted by more flexible working arrangements (Heilmann, 2017).…”

Family Care-Work Interference and Mid/Late-Career Motivation and Intentions: Mediating Role of Occupational Future Time Perspective

“…The socio-demographic changes experienced worldwide in the last two decades have led to an increase in the number of workers facing growing demands for multiple family caregiving tasks, or “kin work” (i.e., “the unpaid work that relatives do to care for one another”; Perry-Jenkins & Gerstel, 2020, p. 429) leading to potential family-to-work interferences and conflicts (Burch et al, 2019; Converso et al, 2020; Murphy & Cross, 2021). Work–family conflict (WFC) is generally defined as “a form of inter-role conflict in which the role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible in some respect” (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985, p. 77).…”