„Scheinheiligkeit“ von Organisationen: Paradoxien und Tabus. Das Beispiel der Vereinbarkeitsmaßnahmen und ihrer Nutzung

New fathers, ideal workers? New players in the field of father‐friendly work organizations

“…Also, 60% of the fathers who do take parental leave, limit their leave to 2 months (BMFSFJ, 2018). Indeed, researchers argue that many organizations offer family‐friendly measures to fathers more as a symbolic concession than a genuine acknowledgment of fathers' legitimate care needs, as expectations about job performance remain unchanged (Alemann, 2017⁠; Lott & Klenner, 2016). As official organizational family‐friendliness policies have limited impact on the day‐to‐day reality of working fathers, other ways to change organization cultures are needed, and this is where the organizational promoters of father‐friendliness come into play.…”

“…We regard this to be consistent with one of the dynamics of postfeminism in organizations (Adamson & Kelan, 2019; Gill, Kelan et al., 2017⁠; Lewis et al., 2017⁠; Lewis, Simpson et al., 2018⁠): if gender inequality is acknowledged, it is addressed as an individual problem of choices and a lack of empowerment rather than changing structures. In a postfeminist culture, equality becomes a topic that carries prestige and symbolic capital, with companies competing for awards and certificates for gender equality (Kelan, 2018a) and family‐friendliness (Alemann, 2017) as to appear as good employers. However, framing family‐friendly policies as available for mothers and fathers seems to be more a rhetoric attempt to gender equality than evidence of structural changes (Smithson & Stokoe, 2005).…”

“…of communication addressing fathers could increase their perceived sense of entitlement to access the measures(BMFSFJ, 2016b;Väter gGmbH, 2012). In fact, in the German landscape, novel forms of proactive support for fathers were undertaken by a few organizational actors who attempted to complement conventional measures for family-work reconciliation with activities tailored specifically to fathers' needs.…”

“…T A B L E 1 Organizational promoters of father-friendliness, description of the change agents additional proactive workplace support is required for fathers to feel entitled to adjust their work practices according to their care needs (Bernhardt & Buenning, 2020 ;Väter gGmbH, 2012).…”

Aktive Vaterschaft in Organisationen – Anspruchsbewusstsein und verborgene Regeln in Unternehmenskulturen

“…Der Widerspruch zwischen verborgenen Regeln und offiziellen Statements der Organisation lässt sich mit Hilfe des soziologischen Neoinstitutionalismus erklären (Alemann 2017). Dieser Ansatz geht davon aus, dass Organisationen in ein gesellschaftliches Umfeld eingebettet sind, in dem sie ihre Existenz legitimieren müssen (Scott 1995).…”