Relationaship between Work and Non-Work Life - Essay Example

? RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK AND NON-WORK LIFE By 20th, November, Relationship between Work and Non-Work life Introduction The combination between work and non-work life has become a major concern in developed countries. To maintain a healthy balance in life maintaining balance in work and non-work situation is crucial. Now, a day balancing between work and non-work has become a burning issue for the employees (Rain et al, 1991). This essay will clearly scrutinize the relationship between work and non-work life. Initially, it will give clear understanding about work and non-work issues, and then it will focus on relation between work and non-work portion, spill over benefits and costs of work and non-work situation, and neutrality. In the middle of the essay, work and leisure relation, impact of workload and technology will be clarified. Additionally, the essay will focus on the role of women, complexity of relation due to work and non-work life. Moreover, the essay will discuss the ‘pros and cons’ of work non-work life in order to show the relation between work and non-work life. Generally, work refers to those activities, which people do for income, salary, or remuneration. The life a person spends working is called work life. Any expenditure of effort can be considered as a form of work. Watson (2012) posited that, paid work means a work that involves contractual hours of service to the organization and unpaid and irregular tasks that earn people a living within a social and economic context. Non-work life means the out of work activities, which could be leisure, family time, or social activities. Guest (2001) stated that family, home life, and leisure activities provide pleasure and are not a part of business or management obligation of an individual. For an individual maintaining work life, balance is important in order to maintain non-work life balance and vice versa. This section will clarify the work and non-work issues in order to create clear understanding. Individual have to handle challenging issues in work and non-work life. Such activities include job, stress, family, children, different roles, social activities, and workload among others. Consequently absenteeism, mental illness, conflicts become prevalent as the challenges increases. Achieving “balance” in work and non-work life means, ability of individuals to make good interaction between work and non-work life without undermining the satisfactory performance of one domain by another (Noon & Blyton, 2007). In recent years, there is an increasing trend of involvement of spouses and family members in the work force, which brings a role conflict among people. Everyone tends to be very busy with workload and focus less on individual roles such as in the family decisions. This situation is increasing stresses and misunderstandings among the family members, which is becoming a major contributor to absenteeism, low employee morale, high accident and turnover rates, decreased productivity, and increased company medical expenses. Stress is viewed not just as a function of being under pressure in an occupational sense, but also as a function of an individual’s whole life situation (Cooper et al., 1988). Moreover, work and non-work balancing will help workers to balance between work and family demands, which will in turn increase the productivity and business profitability (Glass & finley, 2002). However, there is huge effect of non-work life on work life and vice versa. A happy non-work such as family and social life can help individuals to handle challenges in work life too. Therefore, it can be argued that, the relationship between work and non-work is two-way. Marks et al. (2001) and Gutek et al. (1991) posit that work life influences the non-work life in many different ways and vice-versa, because of the financial dependency on jobs and less flexibility in job schedules. Therefore, it has been a challenge for the employees to make balance between these two. Job satisfaction is highly related with working conditions, stresses, and other family issues. If an individual experiences job satisfaction, personal life would improve considerably, which would be considered as positive spill over. It is a positive consequence that, non-work life or activities are positively influenced by the job satisfaction in the work place (Rain et al., 1991). On the other hand, dissatisfaction influences the non-work area negatively. Dissatisfaction, stress, and overwhelming workload are some of the notable negative spill over effects. There is a stronger interrelation between negative spill over from home and lower life-satisfaction as posited by Wolfram and Gratton (2012). Non-work domain influences the work domain more severely than work domain does to non-work domain (Wilson, 2010). Grzywacz and Marks (2000) provided four interrelated spill over between work and non-work situations. Negative and Positive Spill over between Work and home Situation and Vice Versa. By better understanding the work and non-work issues, one can make better trade-off between the work roles and the non-work roles. When the organizational environment, learning opportunity, social support, job satisfaction are all favourable, then positive spill over results. Negative spill over happens when employees cannot meet the demands of family and work by balancing work life and non-work life. This result in ultimate job dissatisfaction and household coping strategies may fail (Hyman, Scholaris & Baldry, 2005). Positive spill over in the non-work domain also helps in holding positive attitude and corporate behaviour towards the employing organization. If the workers are satisfied with the participation in the non-work activities they tend to remain in the organization for a long time, which reduces the turnover rate of the employees (Kirrane, et al., 2004). On the other hand, neutrality can help in maintaining balance between work and non-work life. Neutrality happens when both work and non-work life have no contributory impacts on each other (parker, 1983). A good balance can make the situation neutral. This paragraph will deal with three issues, which include extension, opposition/compensation and neutrality. Quintessentially, Parker (1983) explained a typology of work by focusing on three factors named extension, opposition, and neutrality. In defining extension, he said that it means nonspecific boundary of work and leisure and is performed voluntarily in the working area and it is not different from the person’s behavioural management system. This term also defines the roles a person has to play in addition to his/her work non-work roles. Opposition approach is inverse to the extension system where work and leisure are totally opposite to one another and activity performed in the working area are totally different from the person’s behavioural management system (Haworth & Veal, 2004). Moreover, in the neutrality typology there is no contributory relationship between work and leisure activities. When work and non-work life have less contributory impact on each other, the condition can be referred as neutral work non-work situation. Although the typology of parker (1983) regarding neutrality has been assessed from different aspects, it differentiates work non-work relationship from different backgrounds. It has also been subjected to criticism because of differentiated background Leisure or free time, is time spent away from work or the time, which is free from the demands of work or duty, when and individual can enjoy time in his or her own way. A healthy leisure time can positively influence the job performance. On the other hand, the workload may make the leisure stressful. Parker (1983) focused on the relationship without further consideration of different kind of leisure activities that may come from divergent kind of work. Later on, Haworth and Veal (2004) argued that Parker’s approach does not clearly state why relationship between work and leisure come about. Leisure activities such as physical exercise, gossiping with friends, watching television, go out for movies/ dinner, spend time with children, reading magazines among others can help a person to be relieved from stresses (Sonnentag, 2001). Parker’s approaches depict the relationship between work and leisure activities, which are related to one another. By this, I mean that results from one aspect affect the other severely. Leisure activities act as a source of relief from stress. Therefore, having particular leisure activity is important for a person in his working life. Work and leisure have a reciprocal relationship. That is, leisure facilitates the work domain and excess workload requires a person to engage in leisure to recover from the stress and pains of failure Extra workload creates stress and the stress creates conflict between work and non-work. Heavy workload may create conflicts in non-work life such as family life. In most developed countries, dual income families and single parents working families are common. Changes in workload also change the level of stress for the employees. Some people work only when there is enough workload. However, not everyone can manage the workload efficiently consequently raising chances of negative outcomes from the workload. Poor workload management by employees and organization is also responsible for work and non-work imbalances. Nowadays, the emergence of modern technology, which has brought revitalization in both social and economic developments, influences the relationship between work and non-work (Kirchmeyer, 1992). The age of globalization and industrialization has created a dynamic change in the time management. With the aid of technology, employees can get more leisure time and enjoy flexibility in the working schedule. Technological support also reduces the working hours of the employees. Technology is increasingly replacing the human labour in the working place. It also creates opportunities for the female employees, as it requires less labour. With technology, anyone can work from anywhere in the world (Heraty et al., 2008). More importantly, technology has become an important factor in reducing time and effort spent performing various tasks. Additionally, technology has enhanced fast and efficient communication (Haworth & Veal, 2004). Technological breakthrough has resulted in increased flexibility in work such that people can perform tasks while sitting in their house without going to the office (Ilies et al., 2009). Technological innovation and invention brings a change in the organizational working structure, which increases the multitasking ability of the employees. Work and non-work balancing will help workers to balance between work life and non-work life, which will in turn increase the productivity and business profitability. The balancing will aid employees in scheduling their time so that they can balance contending demands from home and those from work in addition to giving them the opportunity to seek for third party assistance to have the work done. These practices are likely to reduce work-life conflicts and increase performance of the employees and organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Giving flexibility in work level will untimely reduce the hiring and retraining costs, reduce the turnover costs of the company. Additionally, the flexibility will attract more skilled workforce (Labich, 1991). Work and life balance is important for every person since it prevents occurrence of unexpected stress. To ensure work and life balance, positive support from different roles is required. It can be argued that positive management between instrumental support and work-non work life can help to achieve work non-work balance. In modern age, economic development, globalization, and equal employment opportunities have complicated the work life balance (Kirrane & Buckley, 2004). Consequently, the demands placed on individuals employed in the organization have increased. Notably, women play major roles in managing and maintaining the family matters. Therefore, small discrepancies between work and non-work life are likely make it difficult for them to maintain these two areas simultaneously (Edgell, 2012). Different supportive technologies are now helping the employees to work at a great speed and operate from anywhere in the world. This increases the efficiency as well as effectiveness in works. Men and Women are enjoying more flexible and favourable working condition, which gives them the opportunity to make mutual inference between work and non-work life. The number of married women participation in work force has doubled with of time (Winkler, 1998).The participation of married women along with school age children is more than 70 percept whereas the percentage of married men has remained unchanged (Matjasko, & Feldman, 2006). Moreover, women play a major role as managers involved in maintaining the family matters such that a small divergence between work and non-work life will make it difficult to coordinate these two areas (Edgell, 2012). Different supportive technologies are now helping the employees to work at a great speed and from different locations across the globe, which increases their efficiency as well as effectiveness. For instance, web conferences have simplified business communication especially for multinational corporations, hence easing workload on employees and managers. Men and women are getting more flexible and favourable working condition, which gives them the opportunity to make mutual inference between work and non-work life. Number of married women participation in work force has increased over time (Winkler, 1998). The participation of married women along with school age children has increased to be above 70% whereas the number of married men has remained reasonably unchanged (Matjasko & Feldman, 2006). However, Date-Bah and Yvette (1981) predicted that, with the increasing use of technology the roles of women will change. Considering the current situation, it can be said that the role of women is changing with the involvement of women in working activities as well some other benefits like flexible working situation, easy communication etc. In that case, technology has made great contribution in making working life flexible. Similarly, Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) asserted that, women cannot work due to less flexible working hour, which can cause them to experience FWC while doing their jobs. Therefore, it can be said that flexible working condition may change the role of women in work and non-work situation. Now days, in developed countries, home and family structures have been changing and women participation in workplaces has increased extremely. The view point of Peeters et al. (2005) showed that the opportunity to perform job tasks in a variety of locations even in home increased women participation. As a result, it has also increased role of women and contribution of women in society. This view is also similar to the prediction of Greenhaus and Beutell (1985). Due to the workload pressure and increasing work-non work demands, Complexity of relationships can be higher. Work relationship is now associated with different work and career orientations. According to Parasuraman et al., (1996) divorce rate is high in the modern society because of several children being deprived of their parental love causing them to engage in self-destructing activities at very early age. Evaluation of this can easily denote the negative outcomes of complex relationship. Complexity in relationship may be reduce by proper management of the time between work and non-work areas and compromising between these two in case of necessity. Work and family life is two interactive aspects that directly affect each other in positive as well as negative ways (Demerouti et al., 2004). Mutual interference between home and work life is a concerning issue for employed couples. Interference between work and family may influence the performance and wellbeing of employees both positively and negatively (Rost & Mostert 2007). A positive work function in work place may facilitate family interaction. In the same way, a negative work function may deplete the family interaction. On the other hand, positive family function may facilitate the work interaction. Again, negative work function may deflate the work interaction (Kopelman et al., 1983). Negative non-family situation leads to a situation where negative reactions created at home influence the work life negatively. Then positive work and non-work inference leads to a situation where positive reactions created at workplace influence the home life positively. Positive non work-work inference lead to a situation where positive reactions created at home ultimately influences the work life positively. In recent years, there is an increasing trend of involvement of spouses and family members in the work force, which brings a role conflict among the people. Work-to-family conflict occurs when experiences at job place interfere with family life. Such conflicts include extensive, irregular, or inflexible work hours, work overload and other forms of job stress, interpersonal conflict at work, extensive travel, career transitions, unsupportive supervisor or organization. For example, a parent may fail to pick up her child from school because of unexpected workplace meeting, which might create family conflict (Ben-Bakr et al., 1995) Social support at work and non-work life may help to reduce the work-family imbalance and all other negative outcomes of WFC. Work life stresses such as extra working hours or workloads may affect the non-work life. For example, family life could be vulnerable due to the work life stress. As people are getting more involved in working places, their children are being deprived form their rights and do not get consistent company from their parents, which makes them to get engaged in destructive activities at a very early age. To best meet the problem a supportive home and work culture is required, where work and non/work life will be enhanced and productivity and enthusiasm in the workplace will increase (Frone et al., 1992). The presence of home support like child supports, wife’s supports, friends and family support will help a person to recover from the job stress in an organized way. Increasing trend of globalization, customer choice, and equal employment opportunity have increased occurrence of conflicts work life and the family life. However, this conflict can be facilitated by making the resources available. Grzywacz et al (2003) posited that, maintaining a healthy and sustainable work-life balance requires practicing some shared values and beliefs within the organizations. Many studies have shown that employees who have benefitted from different supportive practices such as child care services, flexibility in workplace, medical services, other supportive practices, and incentives show higher level of organizational commitment and dedication. Additionally, they demonstrate low levels of absenteeism especially in case of women employees (Goldberg et al, 1989). Organization can attract individuals with high level of work-family conflict by offering of flexible working hours. By focusing on functional practice (less working hours, flexibility in working schedule) and measuring of detailed practices the work-life practices can be improved (Glass & Finley, 2002). Balancing between work and family demand as well as scheduling time for family and work place will increase the productivity and business profitability. Conclusively, the essay attempted to discuss all the issues related to the work non-work life, positive and negative work non-work issues, and many other related things. In this globalized and competitive world, employee has to give more priority to the working areas than that of non-working areas, which ultimately results in many conflicting family problems like divorce and increase in care homes for the old. However, Non-work life imbalance can make work life imbalance too. Therefore, it is vital to meet the demand of those situations. Stresses of non-work life may come from relationship problems, financial problems, general family problems etc. Moreover, legal problems, sexual problems, sickness, housing and feeding problems and mental health problems may make imbalance in both non-work and work life. The study denotes that different people may have different ideas regarding the proper management of work non-work life. Technological innovation, diversified workload, increasing number of women employees, changes in the family structure, which oblige people to work in different places have created a wall between work and family life. The paper discussed how work and non-work balancing would help workers to make balance between work and family demands, which will in turn increase the productivity and business profitability. 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