Work‐life balance in times of economic crisis and austerity

Abstract

Purpose-The purpose of this editorial is to provide an overview of the wider debates concerning the evolution of work-life balance practice and policy since the onset of the "Great Recession" of 2008 and to draw out some comparisons of the issues raised by the papers in the special issue by focusing particularly on the example of the UK. Design/methodology/approach-The editorial analyses how the direction and pace of changes in work-life balance practice and policy varies between different national contexts and welfare regimes and also asks whether, within the same national context, the changes taking place are always consistent. Findings-The special issue draws together an international overview of work-life balance measures which focuses particularly on measures for fathers, an EU-wide analysis of the use of flexible employment and its relationship with work-family conflict and a number of specific country case studies from Southern Europe where recession has been particularly severe (Spain and Italy) and the Southern hemisphere (Australia) where the recession has been less deep. It finds that economic crisis and austerity have resulted in a variety of labour market changes and policy responses in different national settings, some but not all of which map onto existing welfare regime typologies. The articles raise a wider set of questions about what type of policy best promotes employees' work-life balance. The editorial argues in favour of legislative support for work-life balance to help address structural inequalities. Originality/value-This editorial and special issue is one of the first to review the small but growing literature on the effect of recession on individuals' experience of work-life balance, organisations' approach to work-life balance and reconciliation policy since 2008.

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“…The negative impact of the financial crisis on Spanish employees' perceived level of work flexibility, autonomy, stress and monotony is shown on work-balance (Gregory et al, 2013). In terms of human experience, Grau reported 150,000 families affected by the misery of the economic crisis: the pain of being fired, the financial anxiety at the end of the month, or the misery of losing a home (the period from [2008][2009][2010][2011].…”

Facing the Gender Gap in Aging: Italian Women’s Pension in the European Context

“…This prospect will probably worsen in the future, given the steady decrease in fertility rates, the lower availability of care-givers within the family, and the increasing numbers of elderly and very old people. Furthermore, the economic crisis and the flexibilization of the labor market are getting worse and worse for women in particular [74].…”

The Impact of Global Economic Crisis and Austerity on Quality of Working Life and Work‐Life Balance: A Capabilities Perspective

“…Difficulty in combining paid work with non‐work commitments can therefore yield harmful repercussions for individuals, employers, and society with respect to productivity and health costs. Studying the work‐life interface within the recent context of the economic crisis, which has affected the trajectory of work‐family reconciliation in terms of the direction and pace of change in welfare regimes and institutional settings (Gregory, Milner and Windebank, ), is therefore of significant value. The effects of the economic crisis on work‐life outcomes are dependent on context (Goergen et al ., ), with some observable differences between nations.…”