The changing nature at workplace coupled with changes in socio-cultural level has led to imbalance in the work and personal lives of employees all over. Increasing demand, rising awareness among women, increasing stress levels, increasing family levels etc., have made it difficult for people to cope with their work and family lives. With increasing stress levels and demands at the workplaces, attrition rate in organization is increasing. Therefore, the present day organizations are required to create a flexible environment which would help employees to manage their work and family together. This paper brings forth such issues and practices prevailing in Indian context. The materials reviewed were obtained through searches of academic, business and sociological data base containing generalized research evidence and case study findings. It includes academic journal articles, books, research reports and materials oriented to business community.
KeywordsQuality of WorkWork-Life BalanceWorkplace ChallengesSocio-Cultural AspectsIndian Professionals
Patwardhan, N.C. (2014) Work-Life Balance Initiations for Women Employees in the IT Industry. In: Verma, P. and Shah, H., Eds., Work-life Balance: A Global Perspective, Wisdom Publications, Delhi.
Kalliath, T. and Brough, P. (2008) Work-Life Balance: A Review of the Meaning of the Balance Construct. Journal of Management and Organization, 14, 323-327.
Quick, J.D., Henley, A.B. and Quick, J.C. (2004) The Balancing Act: At Work and at Home. Organizational Dynamics, 33, 426-438. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2004.09.008
Van Dyne, L., Graham, J. and Dienesch, R. (1994) Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Construct Redefinition, Measurement, and Validation. Academy of Management Journal, 37, 765-780. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/256600
Grover, S. and Crooker, K. (1995) Who Appreciates Family-Responsive Human Resource Policies: The Impact of Family-Friendly Policies on the Organizational Attachment of Parents and Non Parents. Personnel Psychology, 48, 271-288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1995.tb01757.x
McPherson, M. (2007) Work-Life Balance, Employee Engagement and Discretionary Effort: A Review of the Evidence. http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/content/docs/reports/Employee%20Engagement%202007%20Report.doc
Clark, S. (2000) Work-Family Border Theory: A New Theory of Work-Life Balance. Human Relations, 53, 747-770. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0018726700536001
Rao, P.K. and Mohan, A.C. (2008) Perceptual Factors in Quality of Work-Life of Indian Employees. Management and Labour Studies, 33, 373-383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0258042X0803300304
Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture & Consequences. Beverly Hills, Sage.
Gunarathy, J.S. and Thenmozhi, R. (2009) Decision Latitude, Psychological Job, Demands and Work-Life Imbalance—A Study among Software Professionals. Management and Labor Studies, 34, 315-328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0258042X0903400301
Hacker, S.K. and Doolen, T.L. (2003) Strategies for Living: Moving from the Balance Paradigm. Career Development International, 8, 283-290. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13620430310496099
Thompson, C.A. (2002) Managing the Work-Life Balancing Act: An Introductory Exercise. Journal of Management Education, 26, 205-220. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/105256290202600206
Aiswarya, B. and Ramasundaram, G. (2012) A Study on Interference of Work-Life: Conflict between Organizational Climate and Job Satisfaction of Women Employees in the Information Technology Sector. Asia-Pacific Journal of Management Research and Innovation, 8, 351-360. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2319510X1200800315
Rajadhyaksha, U. and Smita, S. (2004) Tracing a Timeline of Work and Family Research in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 39, 1674-1680.
Sharma, N.R., Yadav, A. and Yadav, A. (2001) Mental Health of Women in Relations to Job Stress. Journal of Personality and Clinical Studies, 17, 41-48.
Asha, C.B. (1994) Job Satisfaction among Women in Relation to Their Family Environment. Journal of Community Guidance, 11, 43-50.
Triveni, S. and Aminabhavi, V.A. (2002) Gender Difference in Occupational Stress Experience among Professional and Non-Professionals. Journal of Community Guidance and Research, 19, 1-7.
Chandra, P.S., Sudha, M.B., Subbaratna, A.R. and Rao, S. (1995) Mental Health in Mothers from a Transitional Society: The Role of Spouse Supportiveness. Family Therapy, 22, 49-59.
Misra, P. (1998) Predictors of Work-Family Conflict among Indian Women. Indian journal of clinical Psychology, 25, 13-19.
Sahoo, F.M. and Bidyadhar, S. (1994) Work-family Linkage: An Application of Lens Model to Generate Indigenous Dimensions. Psychology and Developing Societies, 6, 169-185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/097133369400600206
Asha, C.B. (1992) Multiple Roles and Mental Health Status of Working Women. Journal of Community Guidance and Research, 9, 181-188.
Mukherjee, R. and Bakshi, M. (1996) A Comparative Study between the Nature of Job Satisfaction of Married and unmarried women in Calcutta. Indian Journal of Psychological Issues, 4(1), 14-17.
Suppal, P.G., Roopnariney, J.L. and Bennet, A. (1996) Ideological beliefs about family practices: Contemporary Perspectives among North Indian Families. International Journal of Psychology, 31, 29-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/002075996401197
Sharma, S. and Vohra, S.S. (1998) Roles, Role Expectation and Role Strain in Couples and Patterns in Their Marital Adjustments. Journal of Research and Application in Clinical Psychology, 1, 50-64.
Sahoo, F.M. and Rath, S. (2003) Self Efficacy and Well-Being in Working and Non-Working Women: The Moderating Role of Involvement. Psychology and Developing Societies, 15, 187-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/097133360301500205
Krishnaswamy, S. and Kulkarni, L.V. (1997) Factors Influencing Anxiety of Working Women Hostellers of Bangalore City. The Indian Journal of Social Work, 58, 1-12.
Singh, S.N. and Purnia, S. (1999) Division of Childcare Liability and Fathers in Single and Dual Earner Family. Indian Journal of Psychometry and Education, 30, 103-106.
Gulati, J.K. (1999) Paternal Interaction in Single and Dual Career Families. Indian Journal of Psychometry and Education, 30, 97-102.
Srivasatava, A.K. (1995) Role Stress and Mental Health of the Male Partners in Dual Career Couples. Psychological Studies, 40, 11-17.
Kanungo, R.N. and Mishra, S. (1988) The Bases of Involvement in Work and Family Contexts. International Journal of Psychology, 23, 267-282. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207598808247765
Ramu, G.N. (1989) Women, Work and Marriage in Urban India: A Study of Dual and Single Earners Couples. Sage Publications, New Delhi.
(2001) Census Survey of India. Department of Public Health, Government of India.
Dalal, A.K. and Misra, G. (2002) Social Psychology in India: Evolution and Emerging Trends. In: Dalal, A.K. and Misra, G., Eds., New Directions in Indian Psychology: Social Psychology, Sage Publications, New Delhi, 19-49.
Palanivel, R.V. and Sinthiya, M. (2012) Women’s Work and Family Balance: The Scope for Equal Opportunity Programme in India. South Asia Research, 32, 215-231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0262728012469374
Eaton, S. (2003) If You Can Use Them: Flexible Policies, Organizational Commitment and Perceived Performance. Industrial Relations, 42, 145-158. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-232x.00285
Bacchi, C. (1996) The Politics of Affirmative Action. Sage Publications, London.
EOWA (2007) Developing a Workplace Programme. Publications of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. http://www.eeo.gov.au/Developing_A_Workplace_Program.asp
Burgess, J. and McDonald, D., Eds. (2003) Developments in Enterprise Bargaining in Australia. Tertiary Press, Melbourne.
Bray, M. and Waring, P. (2005) “Complexity” and “Congruence” in Indian Industrial Relations. Journal of Industrial Relations, 47, 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1472-9296.2005.00155.x
Hill, E.J., Yang, C., Hawkings, A.J. and Ferries, M. (2004) A Cross Cultural Test of the Work-Family Interface in 48 Countries. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 1300-1316. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3600341 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00094.x
Pleck, J.H. (1997) Paternal Involvement: Levels, Sources and Consequence. In: Lamb, M.E., Ed., The Role of the Father in Child Development, Wiley Publications, New York, 66-103.
Korabik, K., Lero, D.S. and Ayman, R. (2003) A Multi-Level Approach to Cross Cultural Work-Family Research: A Micro and Macro Perspective. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 3, 289-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1470595803003003003
Osterman, P. (1995) Work-Family Programs and the Employment Relationship. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40, 681-700. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2393758
Baral, R. and Bhargava, S. (2010) Work Family Enrichment as a Mediator between Organizational Interventions for Work-Life Balance and Job Outcomes. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 25, 274-300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02683941011023749