Assessing the Effect of Balancing Roles Pertaining to Work And Family Among Workers - Research Proposal Example

? Assessing the effect of balancing roles pertaining to work and family among workers The issue of managing issues pertaining to work and family is quite challenging for most workers. It has contributed to several problems both at homes and at places of work. Even though work has several benefits, it also affects people negatively. Both the advantages and disadvantages of work have a direct connection to family life of workers. Therefore, work has a direct influence on family life. Consequently, experiences related to family life can also affect work in both negative and positive ways. The research is against a background of emergence of challenges in dealing with roles pertaining to work as well as those of family. Managing such roles requires proper balancing, and this is quite challenging. Therefore, the research tries to ascertain the effect of balancing such roles in the ever-changing society with regard to the workers of United Kingdom. Thus, it tries to establish whether people who balance the roles experience positive or negative effect in their life. INTRODUCTION In life, every employee has to balance demands of work and family. Despite presence of advances within the work – family literature, there still exist significant gaps in our knowledge concerning the issue (Bianchi, Casper, & King, 2009). For instance, there has been individual ignorance on the manner people balance work and family life. Family – work research has exclusively depended on the scarcity perspective. Some suggests that getting involved in both family and work roles contributes to interrole conflict. This occurs due to imbalance of work and family roles by employees (Crompton, 2006). BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM Work and family are part of human beings. One cannot forego the other due to the existence of consequences that might be so cruel. Since they are complementary, there is the need for balance of their roles. However, in life, there are several instances when people do not balance the roles, thereby contributing to several problems and making their lives miserable. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND JUSTIFICATION There has been problems associated with work and family roles among employees. These have resulted into conflicts, which have hindered productivity as well as reduced performance while at the same time, lowering living standards. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to establish ways of balancing both work and family roles and the manner of influencing such balance to ensure minimal or little conflicts arises thereby, ensuring high productivity levels and increased standard of living. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the research is to establish the significance of balancing the roles of work and family among workers, and thereby accessing whether it contributes to positive or negative living. The research is therefore going to determine whether work - family interface is an intersection of social roles. HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY There is mutual benefit for balance between work and family among workers. STUDY OBJECTIVES The general objective of the study is to determine the effect of balancing roles of work and family among workers. However, the specific objectives of the study include: a) To determine the implications for not balancing both work and family needs or roles b) To determine in situations of conflict, which between work – family interface and family – work interface leads to more conflict c) To determine the cost of the conflicts associated with work – family and family – work conflicts. d) To determine whether people get satisfied when they balance both work and family 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS For the research to attain the objectives above, it will be guided by the research questions below: a) What are the implications for not balancing both work and family needs? b) In case there is conflict, which between work – family interface and family – work interface contributes to more conflict. c) What is the cost of the conflicts associated with work – family and family – work conflicts? d) Does people get satisfied when they balance both work and family? SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The study is interested to find out whether balancing both roles of work and family among workers is beneficial and thereby giving recommendations on how to achieve it. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The research will be conducted among workers employed in both private and public sectors as well as among the self-employed. There will be no biasness in terms of age, gender, race, or disability. LITERATURE REVIEW Work is an extremely significant component of human life and health. In fact, major religions of the world recognize its importance and condemn laziness. There are several forms of work; for instance, one can become self-employed, get employed by public or private institutions or just work voluntarily without payment of wages (Knijn & Smit, 2009). Work is associated with several benefits such as generation of livelihood, provision for one’s family, an opportunity for positive and meaningful contribution to society, as well as, the urge or drive for personal achievement and satisfaction (Korabik, Lero, & Whitehead, 2008). The benefits attributed to work have a positive impact on people’s perception of life as well as its overall status. Despite the benefits, work also has several disadvantages such as the need to meet deadlines for a particular task, prevalence to stress due to difficulty of the tasks, stress from fellow workers, customers, or even co-workers who one interacts with among others Nelson, Candace C,ScD., Sorensen, & Berkman, 2012). Conversely, a family refers to a group of people who are related by blood, affinity or share residence. It is the basic institution for human socialization, and can either be matrilocal, which consists of mother and children, conjugal or nuclear; consists of husband, wife, and their children, and lastly, consanguineal or extended family; consists of members of one’s parent’s living with a family consisting of parents and children (Paludi, & Neidermeyer, 2007). Even though work has several benefits, it also affects people negatively. Both the advantages and disadvantages of work have a direct connection to family life of workers. Therefore, work has a direct effect on family life. Consequently, experiences related to family life can also affect work in both negative and positive ways. (Pitt - Catsouphes, Kossek, & Sweet, 2006) It is reasonable to argue that majority of people work towards having a happy, productive, and healthy family and work lives. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY INTRODUCTION Participants in the research will comprise of workers drawn from two companies as well as the self-employed in the United Kingdom. These companies include Connoisseur‘s Bakery, Groundwork MSSTT as well and five self employed people within London. LOCATION OF THE STUDY The study is located in UK; in the city of London and where by the workers were interviewed. RESEARCH DESIGN The researcher will use interviews to gather information on the manner the workers balance family roles with work roles to avoid conflicts as well as the information regarding the benefits attributed to the balance. SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE The proposed study intends to use random sampling technique to sample the workers from the companies as well as those who are self-employed (Wayne, Musica, & Fleeson, 2004). A sample of 100 participants is to be chosen randomly from their work places and interviewed over the entire period. Selection of the interviewees will not depend on age, race, colour, religion, or sex. The proposed sample would be a sizable number, which can be used to represent and make conclusions about the issue of work and family. DATA COLLECTION In the research study, the main source of data collection will entail application of semi – structured in depth interviews (Wayne, Musica, & Fleeson, 2004). Interviews Interviews enables researcher to access through words to a one’s constructed reality as well as in the interpretation of personal experience (Wayne, Musica, & Fleeson, 2004). Moreover, in depth interviews ensures that the researcher requests for an understanding of the participant’s views and perspectives or even situations through repetitive face-to-face encounters. The proposed study seeks to collect data through application in depth interviews that are semi structured. This form of data collection consists of specific topic sections that are to be covered during the process of interview (Pitt - Catsouphes, Kossek, & Sweet, 2006). Nevertheless, the exact questions as well as the precise wording of the questions depend on the interviewer. This is advantageous and flexible since it makes the researcher to be flexible as he or she can respond to issues conveyed by the participants (Poelmans, 2009). Moreover, the researcher can ask inquisitive questions as well as permit the respondents to discuss anything they deem as important. However, the interview guide stays focused on data collection thus, ensuring that the research questions are answered as well as ensuring cross –case comparability. Both of the interview phases will seek to establish the manner by which the participants balance the roles of work and family within the entire period as well as if there exists any effect of balancing the roles. Interview questions will be given to the respondents several days before the actual interview. The aim will be to provide room for the participant to reflect on personal experiences thereby, preparing them earlier enough for the interview (Paludi, & Neidermeyer, 2007). The interview will be conducted face to face and will approximately take 10 minutes in length at the place of work. DATA ANALYSIS Initial data analysis will entail marking patterns as well as consistencies within the data collected while at the same time noting the differences as well as similarities between each narrative. The data collected through interview will be analyzed through data reduction, data display, and further drawing of conclusions (Wayne, Musica, & Fleeson, 2004). Data reduction will entail data simplification and organization into manageable parts. Data simplification will incorporate application of both first and second level coding systems. Later, the information will be presented in graphs for presentation. TIME SCHEDULE In this research proposal, information will be collected in three phases as per the schedule below: May, June 2013 – Conduction of first interview with each participant August, September 2013 – Follow up interview with every participant November, December 2013 – The third interview with every participant BUDGET Activity Rate (? UK) Quantity Amount (? UK) 1.0 Project planning and development 1.1 Preparation of data collection tools and pretesting Lump sum 1.2 Document review and literature acquisition Lump sum 1.3 Research Items Lump sum 2.0 Data capture, collation and collection and analysis 2.1 Field visits and Surveys Lump sum 2.3 Transport (Car hire) Lump sum 3.0 Report production and presentation Lump sum TOTAL References Bianchi, M. S., Casper, M. L, & King, R. B. (2009). Work, Family, Health and Well - Being New Jersey: Taylor & Francis. Crompton, R. (2006). Employment and the family: The reconfiguration of work and family life in contemporary societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hein, C. (2005). Reconciling work and family responsibilities: Practical ideas from global experience. Geneva: Internat. Labor Off. Knijn, T., Smit, A. (2009). “The Relationship between Family and Work: Tensions, Paradgms and Directives.” Working Papers on the Recompilation of Work and Welfare in Europe. Web. Retrieved April 30, 2013 from http://lac-repo- live7.is.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/1842/3152/1/REC-WP_1109_Knijn_Smit.pdf Korabik, K., Lero, D. S., & Whitehead, D. L. (2008). Handbook of work-family integration: Research, theory, and best practices. Amsterdam: Academic. Nelson, Candace C,ScD., M.A., Li, Y., Sorensen, G., & Berkman, L. F., PhD. (2012). Assessing the relationship between work-family conflict and smoking. American Journal of Public Health, 102(9), 1767-1772. Paludi, M. A., & Neidermeyer, P. E. (2007). Work, life, and family imbalance: How to level the playing field. Westport, Conn: Praeger. Pitt-Catsouphes, M., Kossek, E. E & Sweet, S. (2006). The Work and Family Handbook.Multidisciplinary Perspectives and Approach. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Poelmans, S. A. Y. (2009). Work and Family. An International Research Perspective. New Jersey: Taylor & Francis. Wallace, P. (2009). Work and Family Life. Ethos, 17(1), 26-30. Wayne, J.H, Musica, N., & Fleeson W. (2004). Considering the role of personality in the work – family experience : Relationships of the big five to work – family conflict and facilitation. Journal of Vocational Behavior 64.108- 130. Read More