Study based on responses by public sector workers
Toronto (12 April 2007) - Workers whose family commitments impact on their work get fewer chances to advance and have poorer relationships with bosses, says a study conducted by researchers at three Ontario universities.
Based on 381 responses by public sector employees, the findings suggest that employees coping with family demands such as rearing children, elderly parents, difficult teenagers and financial difficulties don't get as many opportunities to move ahead in their careers.
Rick Hackett, a professor at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University in Hamilton, said a decline in work performance related to such pressures makes bosses less likely to provide opportunities. This can result in a "downward spiral" for employees, he adds.
However, steps can be taken on both sides to improve the situation, Hackett says.
For example, employers can provide "family-friendly" benefits such as on-site child care or subsidized couples counselling, while workers can organize their time better to minimize the impact of family life on work.
"I know some families, for example, with both spouses in the workplace. They have their menus already figured out for dinner and lunch a week in advance," he said. "Put it away in the freezer and when they all come together at night for dinner, they pull it out and it's there."
Statistics suggest Canadians are having a more difficult time balancing work and family life.
In 2005, a Statistics Canada report said Canadian workers spent 45 minutes less with their family during workdays than they did 20 years earlier. NUPGE
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