CANADIAN FAMILIES AND THE
WORKPLACE
WORK/FAMILY/LIFE: FINDING THE BALANCE
A BACKGROUND PAPER
Prepared for
THE NATIONAL CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE
By
Carol Matusicky, PhD
Executive Director
BC Council for Families
Vancouver, BC
cmatusicky@bccf.bc.ca
March 26, 2003
INTRODUCTION
The business pages of papers across the country are regular purveyors
of stories about today’s workplace – the changes taking place
and the impact of these changes in the lives of workers of every age and
background and in every workplace situation. While this background paper
will touch upon issues that affect all workers, the main focus will be
the broad areas of work-family, work-life as these relate to Canadian
families. Note: Over the past several years, there has been a
shift from using the term “work-life balance” to the broader
notion of “work-life integration.” As well, the term “work-family,”
once thought of as a “women’s issue,” is now recognized
as having broader social implications. Work and family are essential life
roles that ideally need to be harmonized, not viewed as competing for
time and energy (Johnson & Lero, 2001). In this paper the terms “work-life”
and “work-family” will be used interchangeably as will the
words “balance” and “integration.”
There is, in Canada, a rich array of research on the topic of work-family/work-life.
New research and initiatives are surfacing at an accelerating rate. For
purposes of this background paper I have drawn upon the more recent national
research, surveys and data sources and have relied on data available from
public sources. A selected list of web sites and some of the initiatives
taking place in Canada have been added to the end of the paper.
Finding ways to harmonize the demands of the paid labour force and the
responsibilities of family life is key to family security, civic vitality,
the productivity and global competitiveness of Canada, the healthy development
of our children and the well-being of individual workers, both men and
women. For the labour force is not just a collection of individuals; it
is made up of people who live in communities, large and small, and have
a variety of roles and responsibilities – as family members and
citizens (Vanier, 1999).
THE CHANGING CANADIAN FAMILY
Canadian families today differ in many ways from previous generations.
They are smaller than those of their parents and grandparents. There are
many family forms and various combinations of caregivers, and it is increasingly
likely that many children will live in more than one type of family before
they reach their adult years. People are living longer and staying healthier
and more active as they age.
The majority of families of the 1950’s and 60’s consisted
of a male wage-earner and a stay-at-home spouse. Since the mid-1970’s
in Canada, growth in income has been stagnating in real terms, with younger
families worse off than other age groups. Today, the dominant family type
is the double-income family with both working outside the home. The entry
of women into the workforce is possibly the most significant social change
within families in the past generation. This has generated the need to
redistribute caregiving and homemaking responsibilities and has created
a dramatic shift in both men’s and women’s roles. Women, however,
still carry the primary responsibility for caregiving, whether for children,
the elderly or other family dependents and for childrearing and for the
carrying out of household tasks. Only a minority of families with young
children fit the profile of an earlier era. And by the year 2016, it is
projected that the number of seniors over 65 could increase to 5.9 million,
an increase of 64% over the number of seniors in 1991. This is in contrast
to the non-senior population which is expected to grow by about 20% in
the same period (Vanier, 1999). One obvious result is the increase in
the percentage of workers with eldercare responsibilities and with both
eldercare and childcare responsibilities.
For workers today the stress associated with trying to blend the responsibilities
of paid work with the responsibilities of family and personal life has
become an increasingly visible issue as more and more workers report on
how their lives have become more frenzied as they grapple with what seems
to be the unrelenting demands of their “24/7” relationship
to work. Several large-scale surveys have been conducted in Canada since
the early 1990s and have been repeated in recent years (Conference Board
of Canada; Duxbury-Higgins and Associates; and Statistics Canada’s
General Social Survey). They have used various measures of work-life conflict
to try to assign a value to the degree of stress experienced by workers
(Johnson, Lero & Rooney, 2001). There is now consistent evidence that
stress and work-life conflict are on the rise for Canadian workers. The
research further shows that work-life stress is particularly problematic
for parents of young children, especially women. The data also indicate,
however, that work-life conflict is showing a marked increase in the lives
of men and that it is especially high among both men and women in professional/managerial
tracks. The connection of work-life conflict and stress to increases in
illness, depression, injury and prescription drug use have been documented.
Less well documented are the effects of work-life conflict and stress
on the quality of parenting and the quality of intimate relationships
with family and friends from whom our sense of personal well-being and
security are based (Johnson, Lero & Rooney, 2001).
THE CHANGING WORKPLACE
Workers from all sectors, including the voluntary sector, are quick to
list the changes they have experienced in their workplaces.
- Global economy: Globalization, deregulation and
downsizing translate into fewer jobs in both public and private sectors
and a shift to non-standard employment.
- Technological advances: Technology has taken on a
life of its own and continues to develop at a staggering pace, getting
better and cheaper as each month goes by. The conventional wisdom, less
than two decades ago, was that technology would eventually create as
many jobs as it took. Although the jury is still out on this question,
this optimistic view is increasingly called into question. Technology
continues, at a relentless pace, to destroy far more jobs than it creates
– not only in Canada but in all of the developed world. One result
is a great loss of security for workers.
- Rise of non-standard employment: Part-time, temporary,
and self-employment account for over half of the new jobs created since
1991 in Canada. The use of contract workers by organizations has risen
significantly – in 1996, 88% of private and public sector organizations
reported hiring contract workers. As well, home-based work is on the
increase in Canada.
- Increased workload: There is a very real sense in
most workplaces that job responsibilities keep expanding. However, there
is polarization in weekly work hours. More people are working fewer
hours as part-time or casual workers and more people are working longer
hours.
- Greater learning pressures: One of the things people
do increasingly at work is learn. A knowledge-based economy requires
people who know how to learn and who keep learning throughout their
careers. We may average five careers/jobs in our lifetime.
- Diversity: Today’s workforce is very diverse
– it is an aging workforce; participation patterns of recent immigrants,
minority populations and people with disabilities challenge our perception
of workers as homogenous in ethnic and linguistic background, family
background and interests (Johnson & Lero, 2001).
ISSUES FACING FAMILIES IN THE WORKPLACE
One of the most recent studies of work-life conflict is The 2001
Health Canada Work-Life Conflict Study (Duxbury and Higgins, 2002).
Funded by Health Canada, this study “was under-taken to examine
the issues associated with work-life conflict, identify Canadians at risk,
identify why key stakeholders (governments, employers, employees) should
care about the issue by determining ‘bottom line’ impact of
conflict between work and life, and provide direction on ways to move
forward” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003). The study sample consisted
of 31,571 Canadian employees in 100 organizations employing 500 or more
people. Public sector, private sector and not-for-profit (defined in this
study to include organizations in the health and educational sectors)
employees were surveyed. A companion report, Voices of Canadians:
Seeking Work-Life Balance, funded by the Labour Program of Human
Resources Development Canada, is an analysis of the comments that about
20 per cent of the respondents wrote. (This paper references actual comments
of many participants of the survey). The majority of comments (64%) focused
on the challenges that employees face at the organizational level - and
there were many.
PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYEES
The participants in the Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance
survey identified several factors at the organizational level that make
balance more difficult:
- Heavy workloads: Males, those in managerial and professional
positions and employees in the non-profit sector were all more likely
to talk about workload issues. They identified several causes of heavy
workloads: downsizing; unrealistic expectations; inability to plan and
set priorities; being a manager; and the impact of office technology:
“…there is a universal expectation that everyone reads,
clears and responds to all e-mails on a daily basis, actually a constant
basis. This is unrealistic. Memos sent in late afternoon are expected
to be read by morning for discussion. This is unreasonable” (Duxbury
& Higgins, 2003).
- Non-supportive management: Men and employees without
children were more likely to regard their manager as non-supportive.
The majority of respondents (about 70%) were frustrated with the behaviour
of their immediate manager/supervisor. The rest felt that leadership
at the top was the source of work-life balance problems. Some of the
mechanisms cited by the respondents as to how managers make balance
more difficult include the following: not treating employees with respect;
managers not seeing their people management role as a priority; and
immediate managers/supervisors acting as a barrier to the use of supportive
policies.
- The perception that an employee has to choose between career
advancement and balance: Women employees were more likely than
men to talk about conflict between balance and career advancement and
most of their comments indicated they feel they are in a “no-win”
situation – either choose a meaningful life outside of work or
advance in your career. Their comments indicated they felt these goals
were mutually exclusive for the following reasons: putting family ahead
of work hurts career advancement; career development activities often
make it more difficult to meet family demands; time crunch has a negative
impact on career advancement and career advancement often means relocation
which is difficult on families where both partners are working. “Normal
family life with two young kids is more and more demanding; the rat
race is competitive and without mercy. Bachelors or DINKS (dual income,
no kids) are at an advantage, with more time to work and focus on a
job. Since this is what gets you ahead in this company, it makes all
the talk about work-life a farce” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003).
- Concerns around policies: Whether the policy is with
respect to overtime work; education; flexible hours; leaves in general;
parental leave; vacation time or a variety of other supportive-type
policies, employees in the Voices of Canadians study listed
several areas of concern regarding their organization’s policies:
often policies are not clear – some supportive policies are available
on paper but not in practice. Other times there is inequity in regard
to the ability to use the policies – “From personal experience
and observation, flexibility in the workplace is based on who you are
and if management likes/dislikes you” (Duxbury & Higgins,
2003).
- Constancy of change: The rapid and constant change
being experienced at the work-place level is a key contributor to stress
and makes balance more problematic. The change that results from restructuring,
downsizing, and mergers results in increased workloads and added stress.
“Work is very demanding. The merger has been extremely difficult.
Culture clashes. People resigning. Most older experienced employees
were bought out, leaving the mid-level employees to pick up the workload.”
Too much change and the constancy of it leave employees feeling that
they are constantly redesigning the wheel (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003).
- Temporary and part-time work: Canadian workplaces
are hiring more temporary and part-time employees rather than permanent
employees. The insecurity that this creates is very stressful –
term positions are hard on employees and their families. “We are
always worried about making ends meet, about what happens when my job
is done” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003). For many workers who cannot
get permanent employment, this often results in delaying starting a
family.
- Organizational culture: Written and unwritten rules
and expectations in a workplace contribute positively or negatively
to work/life balance. Many factors contribute to a problematic organizational
culture, such as, the “culture of hours” – the expectation
that “serious” employees work longer hours and are always
available for early morning or evening meetings. Or the culture emphasizes
money and the bottom line over and above people while at the same time
giving lip service to the importance of balancing work and family/life.
Sometimes the culture can be characterized as one of backlash –
when workers without care-giving responsibilities feel they have to
pick up the slack because a co-worker has to leave to attend to a family
responsibility (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003).
ISSUES FACING EMPLOYERS
Canadian employers are aware of the increasing level of work-life conflict
and stress among their employees. A survey conducted over 10 years ago
by the Conference Board of Canada (Paris, 1989), showed that 58% of employers
believed that work-family conflict created stress for their employees.
By the end of the 90s awareness among employers was even higher –
close to 75% of employers indicated that employee stress was in part attributable
to the challenges faced in blending work, family and personal responsibilities
(Bachman, 2000).
While awareness has increased among employers, in both the public and
private sectors, of work-life demands and the impact of these demands
on competitiveness, productivity and efficiency – that is, for the
bottom line - it would appear that relatively few employers have implemented
supportive policies and practices that might help employees achieve a
better balance. Research that has looked at work-life issues from the
viewpoint of employers has tended to take two approaches. The first approach
starts with the assumption that ignoring work-life conflict is expensive
to the organization and documents the costs to the workplace
when it does not provide a supportive work environment. Johnson, Lero
& Rooney (2001) note that, to date, recognition of the costs of ignoring
work-life conflict has not been sufficient to generate strong employer
action.
A second approach tends to measure the benefits that accrue
to a workplace when it does provide a supportive environment. According
to data from a Conference Board of Canada employer survey, this is the
type of study that employers want if they are to seriously commit to a
work-life agenda (Bachmann, 2000). Studies such as these focus on the
“business case” issues that motivate employers – recruitment,
retention, absenteeism and similar performance measures. Surveys of employers
indicate that before employers will undertake a work-life initiative,
they need, for example, more information on the needs of their own employees
and a cost-benefit analysis. Employers also report that they need better
mechanisms for learning about the experiences of other organizations and
for sharing learning among similar workplaces (Galinsky et al, 1991).
There are signs, however, that employer awareness of work-life issues
and the growing salience of the business case for more supportive work
environments are beginning to take hold as employers grapple with recruitment
issues and skill shortages. Add to this the current interest in “high
performance” workplaces and “best companies to work for,”
there is growing impetus for change as recognition of effective human
resource respect, involvement, engagement and support are shown to be
essential determinants of “successful” workplaces (Lowe, 2001).
COSTS AND BENEFITS TO EMPLOYERS
As noted above, research that takes an employers’ perspective tends
to look at either the costs to the organization when there is little or
no supportive policy and practice in place or the benefits to a workplace
when there are supportive policies and practices.
The costs to employers when there is conflict between their employees
work and family responsibilities have been well documented. Among the
more noticeable ones are:
- Increased absenteeism and reduced work performance:
In 1997, it was estimated that work-life conflict in Canada cost workplaces
approximately $2.7 billion in lost time due to absenteeism – and
this is considered a conservative estimate as it does not include indirect
costs such as reduced productivity, replacement of an employee during
the absence or an increase in the use of employee assistance plans associated
with stress (Duxbury, Higgins & Johnson, 1999). In a 1999 Conference
Board of Canada report, employees who found it “very difficult”
to balance their work and family lives missed an average of 11.8 days
per year, compared to 5.5 days among employees with moderate difficulty,
and 2.9 days among employees who reported low difficulty (MacBride-King
& Bachmann, 1999). As well, absenteeism among full-time employees
with preschoolers under age six is generally two to three times greater
than in the general employee population.
- Poor morale and work attitude: The 2001 national
study on work-life balance conducted by Duxbury and Higgins, found a
significant connection between work-family conflict and employees’
attitudes toward work and their employers. Employees with high work-family
“overload” (defined as feelings of being drained, rushed
or overwhelmed by the pressures of multiple roles) were less satisfied
with their jobs; less committed to their organizations and less likely
to rate their organizations as “an above average place to work.”
- Higher turnover rates and difficulty in attracting women to
senior positions: Employees who have difficulties blending
their work and family responsibilities may say no to additional work
responsibilities such as, attending meetings before or after business
hours, participating in training after hours; they may say no to transfers
and may ultimately leave their jobs (MacBride-King & Bachmann, 1999).
- Increase in stress-related disorders: Statistics
Canada estimates that the cost to Canadian businesses due to stress-related
disorders due to overwork is 12 billion dollars a year.
The benefits to employers tend to be a reduction in all of the above
costs associated with non-supportive policies and practices. A recent
study from Canadian Policy Research Networks explored the nature of the
relationship between employees and their workplaces. This study of 2,500
workers found that those who reported strong employment relationships,
that is, they trusted their employers, they were committed to their organizations,
they reported good communications and believed they had influence over
decisions that affected them:
- Were less likely to leave their jobs (20% of those with strong employment
relationships had looked for a job in the past year, compared to 39%
of employees with weak relationships);
- Employees with strong employment relationships missed work less due
to illness (on average they missed 3.7 days per year as compared to
5.9 among workers with weak employment relationships) (Lowe & Schellenberg,
2001).
IS WORK/FAMILY/LIFE INTEGRATION ACHIEVABLE?
The most obvious answer is “it depends.” In the Voices
of Canadians survey report, Canadian workers commented on how they
personally achieve balance and what they would recommend to the organizations
for which they worked.
What Makes a Difference at the Personal Level?
Six percent of the workers who gave comments suggested a variety of personal
strategies that helped them achieve a balance; among them were the following:
- Put life into perspective: Many who commented noted
their faith and spiritual beliefs helped them to keep their work in
perspective; others put things into perspective by not “sweating
the small stuff.”
- Be organized: Schedule ahead; plan meals in advance;
be positive – make do! “Kraft dinner again!”
- Recognize that balance takes work – and work at it:
Comments such as, “Balance is a skill that needs to be taught
and developed – it doesn’t just happen.” Achieving
balance means making choices and often requires “trade-offs (e.g.,
reduced working hours = less pay and fewer discretionary purchases”).
- Have goals: “Know your priority in life and
what is important.”
- Enjoy life – focus on what is going well, not what is
stressful: As one worker commented: “Take time to play,
laugh, love, work, cry together and respect each other. We all make
mistakes at home and work. Take time for your family, yourself, and
smile.”
- Remain fit and use exercise as a way to deal with stress:
“If you prioritize and schedule time for working out and exercising,
you will improve your life and the life of others around you by maintaining
a healthy and positive attitude and lifestyle.”
- Consciously put family first: “I strive to
do a good job at work, but also try to remember that although work is
important, family is more so” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003).
What Makes a Difference at the Organizational Level?
The comments made by employees in Voices of Canadians about
their workplaces indicate that most workers want their organizations to
focus on actions associated with balance rather than on the implementation
of more work-life policies. Respondents also described “best practice”
organizations – ones that make a difference. The rarity of “best
practice” organizations can be inferred from the low percentage
of comments (4%) that reflected positive comments about workplaces, whereas
over 40% of comments were negative. What makes a workplace “best
practice” with respect to work-life balance or integration? “Best
practice” workplaces:
- Have managers who are supportive: As indicated in
other research, the key role of managers and supportive supervisors
as “gatekeepers” who understand the need for work-life balance
and for workplace flexibility is key to achieving work-life balance.
- Offer supportive, caring work environments: Working
for an organization that provides support and understanding in “good
times and bad” goes a long way in alleviating stress. “We
all get a turn in life with heavy demands on us, more so for some than
others. Support and understanding from work could be what gets you through
it” (Duxbury & Higgins, 2003).
- Recognize the need for culture change and concretely support
work-life balance: Organizations often have policies in place
that sound “family-friendly” but flexible work arrangements
have not been implemented.
CONCLUSIONS, IDENTIFICATION OF GAPS AND NEXT STEPS
This background paper has attempted to focus on the broad areas of work-life
as these relate to Canadian families. It is a challenge that needs to
be addressed by every sector. It is also a very complex challenge as work-life
issues cut across various agendas in both public and private spheres.
The policy implications are complex and must take into consideration
legislative provisions that currently exist – for example,
labour standards, salary replacement provisions, occupational health and
safety and human rights/employment equity. All of these provisions have
a link to work-life balance and the successful implementation of work-life
policies and practices.
What Are Some Of The Gaps?
Several gaps can be identified:
- Lack of focus on low-income workers and ethnically diverse
populations: In the research to date, there appears to be a
lack of focus on the impact of work-life conflict on low-income workers
and ethnically diverse populations of workers. How do they cope and
how do employers meet their needs?
- Absence of data on work-life issues as these relate to the
voluntary sector: There is a near absence of information and
data on how community-based, voluntary sector organizations handle work-life
conflict and how they work towards flexible work environments.
- Lack of research on the challenges facing self-employed women
and their work-family conflict: Workers who are self-employed,
especially women, face many challenges, not the least of which is hours
worked and the extent to which they are supported in their caregiving
responsibilities. Much more needs to be known about their challenges
around work-life balance. (Currently about 15% of the labour force is
self-employed; women’s self-employment grew by more than 50% between
1990 and 1998 by which time more than 35% of self-employed Canadians
were women).
- Lack of research on the childcare challenges workers face:
The ability of workers, including those who are self-employed, to integrate
their work and family responsibilities is greatly determined by the
extent to which they feel that dependent family members are well cared
for in their absence. The challenges that families face in accessing
quality childcare are extensive as are the serious challenges faced
by service providers who have difficulty meeting community demand for
high quality care in the face of restructuring, funding restraints and
the resulting recruitment and retention challenges.
- Lack of research on the eldercare challenges workers face:
Being able to blend employment with the care of older family members
will continue to become more and more of a significant challenge as
the population ages. An increase in public resources devoted to health
and caring services will also necessitate a growing need for informal
care and support from, and for family members (Johnson, Lero & Rooney,
2001).
What Are Some Of The Next Steps?
For Employers:
There is no “one size fits all” solution to the complexities
of achieving work-life balance. Also, various policies and practices are
needed at different stages of employees’ life and work and in different
types of workplaces. Therefore it is unhelpful and might even be harmful
to suggest specific policies or strategies. Instead, three areas of focus
are suggested to employers – whether they are employers in the business,
labour, government or voluntary sector. These areas are:
- Increase the number of supportive managers: Increase
the people management practices within the organization by giving managers
the skills, tools, time and incentives to do the people part of their
job.
- Provide flexibility around work: Part of providing
this flexibility means developing mutually agreeable criteria under
which these flexible arrangements can be used and developing mutual
accountability around their use.
- Focus on creating a more supportive workplace: This
involves a) “diagnosing the situation,” that is,
what types of support can be accommodated within a particular workplace
as not all supportive policies are feasible and practical for all workplaces;
b) communicating the policies and encouraging their use and
c) evaluating their use and effectiveness for the workplace
and the employee.
For Governments:
Federal and provincial governments are one of the largest employers in
Canada. Recognizing the significant changes that have taken place in both
families and the economy, governments at all levels have the opportunity
to take the lead in introducing policies and forward-thinking legislation,
as evidenced in enabling longer parental leave. The need for several federal
initiatives, already echoed by others, include the following:
- Become a “ best practice” employer.
- Implement, in conjunction with the provinces, a national childcare
program.
- Implement, in conjunction with the provinces, a national eldercare
program.
There are no easy solutions. But as both employees and employers have
come to realize, the challenge of addressing work-life issues is pivotal
to addressing the profound changes taking place in the restructuring of
our economies and in the “equally profound changes to the patterns
of family formation and functioning that confront us as individuals, as
family members, as employers, community members and citizens” (Vanier,
1999, p.ii). In its essence the issue can be expressed quite simply: “We
don’t live the way we used to so we can’t work the way we
used to.”
References
Bachman, K. (2000). Work-life balance: Are employers listening?
Ottawa: Conference Board of Canada.
Bachman, K.(2000). Work-life balance: Measuring What Matters. Ottawa:
Conference Board of Canada.
Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL) Ad
Hoc Committee on Work-Life Balance. (2002). Work-Life Balance: A Report
to Ministers Responsible for Labour in Canada. HRDC Web site <http:labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/worklife/wlbc-ctvpc/pdf/wlbc-ctvpc-ln.pdf>
(March 2003).
Daly, K., Bell-Rowbotham, B., Rooney, J. & Midgett, C. (2000). Best
work-life practices in small businesses. Guelph: University of Guelph,
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Duxbury, L., & Higgins, C. (2002). The 2001 health Canada work-life
conflict study. Ottawa: Health Canada.
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balance. HRDC Web site <http://labour/hrdc.drhc.gc.ca/worklife/vcswlb-tcrctvp/>
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Duxbury, L., Higgins, C., & Johnson, K. (1999). An examination
of the implications and costs of work-life conflict in Canada. Ottawa:
Health Canada.
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much? Canadian Social Trends (Autumn).
Johnson, K., Lero, D., & Rooney, J. (2001). Work-life compedium
2001: 150 Canadian statistics on work, family, & well-being. Guelph:
University of Guelph, Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being.
Lowe, G. & Schellenberg, G. (2001). What is a good job? The importance
of employment relationships. CPRN Study No. W/05. Ottawa: Canadian
Policy Research Networks.
MacBride-King, J. (1999). Caring about caregiving: The eldercare responsibilities
of Canadian workers and the impact on employers. Ottawa: Conference
Board of Canada.
MacBride-King, J. & Bachmann, K. (1999). Is work-life balance still
an issue for Canadians and their employers? You bet it is. Ottawa:
Conference Board of Canada.
Paris, H. (1989). The corporate response to workers with family responsibilities.
Ottawa: Conference Board of Canada.
Sauve, R. (2001). The current state of Canadian family finances –
2000 report. Nepean: The Vanier Institute of the Family.
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The Vanier Institute of the Family. (1999). From the kitchen table
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Appendix I
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the members of the Advisory Group for their willingness
to contribute their ideas and feedback regarding Canadian Families and
the Workplace: Work/Family/Life: Finding the Balance. Under a very tight
time-line they spent time on the phone with me and offered suggestions
and comments on the final draft. Ideally, I would like to have had more
time to discuss and incorporate the ideas of more people from across Canada
– many of whom have contributed so greatly to our understanding
of this complex issue.
Thank you.
Members of Advisory Group:
1.Jane Boyd
Work, Family & Life Consulting Services, Vancouver, BC.
2.Jenny Cleathero, Research Associate, Research Services
United Way of the Lower Mainland, Burnaby, BC
3.Dr. Linda Duxbury,
Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario
4.Dr. Robert Glossop, Executive Director of Programs and Research
The Vanier Institute of the Family, Ottawa, Ontario
5.Judith Martin, Executive Director, Work and Family Unit
Saskatchewan Labour, Government of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
6.Dr. Andy Wachtell, Research Associate, Research Services
United Way of the Lower Mainland, Burnaby, BC
Appendix II
Family-Friendly Workplaces
(Selected references prepared by Jenny Cleathero, Research Associate,
Research Services, United Way of the Lower Mainland, Burnaby, BC)
Canadian Assocation of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL) Ad
Hoc Committee on Work-Life Balance. Work-Life Balance: A Report to
Ministers Responsible for Labour in Canada, February, 2002. (Available
from HRDC Web site – http://labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/worklife.wlbc-ctvpc/pdf/wlbc-ctvpc/en.pdf)
Karen L. Johnson, Donna S. Lero, & Jennifer Rooney; Work-Life
Compendium 2001: 150 Statistics on Work, Family & Well-Being,
Human Resources Development Canada (Women’s Bureau) & University
of Guelph (Centre for Families, Work & Well-Being), 2001. (Available
through either HRDC – http://labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.ga.ca/worklife
- or University of Guelph – www.uofguelph.ca/cfww/index.html)
Carole Barbeau, Work-Related Child-Care Centres in Canada –
2001, Ottawa: Human Resources Development Canada Labour Program, 2001.
(Available through HRDC - http://labour-travail.hrdc-drhc.ga.ca/worklife)
Charles Philippe Rochon (Ed.), Work & Family Provisions in Canadian
Collective Agreements, Ottawa: Human Resources Development Canada
Labour Program, 2000. (Available from DRDC Web site – http://laobur-travail.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/worklife/wlbc-ctvpc/pdf/wlbc-ctcpc-en.pdf)
Cara Banks, Strategies for Reduced Worktime & Family-Friendly
Workplaces: A Report on the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s
‘Get a Life!’ Conference, Regina, Saskatchewan Federation
of Labour, 2001. (Available from SFL Web site –http://www.sfl.sk.ca/)
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, Family-Friendly Workplaces: A
Study of Saskatchewan Collective Agreements, Regina, Saskatchewan
Federation of Labour, December 2000. (Available from SFL Web site –
http://www.sfl.sk.ca)
Linda Duxbury & Chris Higgins, Work-Life Balance in the New Millennium:
Where Are We? Where Do We Need to Go? CPRN Discussion Paper No. W/12/Ottawa:
Canadian Policy Research Networks, October 2001. (Available from CPRN
Web site – http://www.cprn.org.cprn.html)
Linda Duxbury, Chris Higgins, & Karen L. Johnson, An Examination
of the Implications and Costs of Work-Life Conflict in Canada, Ottawa:Health
Canada, June 1999. (Available from Health Canada Web site – www.hc.gc.ca/hppb/childhood-youth/spsc/pdf/Duxbury.pdf)
Appendix III
Work-Life Balance – Web sites of Interest
This compilation includes sites recommended by the following sources:
* The Calgary Children’s Initiative – Work-Life Resources
of Note
** Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL)
Ad Hoc
Committee on Work-Life Balance, Work-Life Balance: A Report to Ministers
Responsible
for Labour in Canada (Appendix D –Sites of Interest), February,
2002.
Association feminine d’éducation et d’action sociale.
The Women’s Association for education
and social action (AFEAS), is a francophone, Quebec-based, non-government
organization who elaborated a communication plan and animation tools on
work-life
balance. http://www.afeas.qc.ca/
(**)
Australia – Department of Productivity and Labour Relations –
Government of Western
Australia. http://www.doplar.wa.gov.au/search/index.htm
(**)
Australian Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business
– Work
and Family Unit. Australian federal government site on work and family
balance. It
contains fact sheets, a bibliography, a list of Web sites and publications
including a series
of how-to guides on various aspects of work-family balance. It also included
the
executive summary of a report about work and family-friendly provisions
and practices in
Australian organizations.
http://www.dewrsb.gov.au/workplaceRelations/workAndFamily/default.asp
(**)
Boston College Center for Work and Family. This research organization
is dedicated to
increasing the quality of life of working families by promoting the responsiveness
of
workplaces and communities to their needs.
http://www.bc.edu.bc_org/avp/csom/workfamily/
(**)
Canadian Child Care Federation. The CCCF provides information, facilitates
“networking”
among target groups, supports initiatives that increase skill, expertise
and awareness in
regard to child care issues. The site includes background papers and resource
sheets.
http://cafcc.on.ca/cccf.htm
(**)
Canadian Policy Research Networks www.cprn.org Research and commentary
on social and
economic issues related to family and work. Work-Life Balance in the New
Millennium:
Where Are We? Where Do We Need to Go? By Linda Duxbury and Chris Higgins
available on-line. (*)
Canadian Workplace Research Network. http://cwrn-rcrmt.org/eng/purpose.cfm
(**)
Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being. http://www.worklifecanada.ca/
Centre for
Families, Work and Well-Being www.uoguelph.ca/cfww/index.html Work-Life
Compendium 2001: 150 Statistics on Work, Family and Well-Being. Study
of
Family-Friendly Practices and Flexibility in Small Companies in Canada.
(*)
Employers for Work-Life Balance www.employersforwork-lifebalance.org.uk
On-line
information and resources including case studies, benchmarking and the
business case (*)
Families and Work Institute. http://www.familiesandwork.org/
Work/life research and
publications. (*)
Labour Program HRDC: Work-Life Balance in Canadian Workplaces. This Web
site was
launched in June 7, 2001 to provide up-to-date information on work-life
balance to
employers, unions and human resource professionals. In addition to an
extensive
bibliography, it features articles on culture change, the business case
and creating family-
friendly workplaces. The site also provides descriptions of policies,
programs and best
practices, interviews with leaders in the field and tools for those who
wish to implement
measures to facilitate work-life balance. http://labour-travail.hrdc-drch.gc.ca/worklife
(**)
Labour Project for Work and Family http://labourproject.berkeley.edu.
Information and
resources for labour groups on addressing family issues in the workplace.
(*)
One Small Step www.onesmallstep.org. Example of an employer-sponsored
organization from
the San Francisco Bay area. On-line information and publications available.
(*)
U.S. Families and Work Institute. http://www/familiesandwork.org.
(**)
University of Guelph: The Centre for Families, Work, and Well-Being.
This site includes
research, policy analysis on work and family issues, labour force patterns,
child and
elder care services and supports and a range of social policies. It promotes
individual
and family well-being, responsive and productive work environments, and
strong,
sustainable communities. http://www.uoguelph.ca/cfww/index.html
(**)
Vanier Institute for the Family. This site contains a lot of information
on Canadian families
such as the Canadian Family FAQ, a list of publications, Transition magazine
and the
Family and Health newsletter, as well as for the Manager’s Work-Family
Toolkit and
From the Kitchen Table to the Boardroom Table: The Canadian Family and
the Work
Place. http://www.vifamily.ca/work.work.htm
(**)
Voices4children. http://www.voices4children.org
(**)
Work & Family Connection. http://www.workfamily.com
Clearinghouse for work-life
information and research. (*)
Work-Family Balance – Saskatchewan Department of Labour.
www.workandfamilybalance.com
A government-funded effort to create more family-
friendly workplaces in the province of Saskatchewan. (*)
Networking/Learning Opportunites
The following references have been compiled by the Calgary Children’s
Initiative, 2002.
Association of Work/Life Professionals. www.awlp.org.
US based membership organization for professionals who work in business,
academia, or at the public sector to promote a healthier balance between
work and personal life. Yearly conference held in February.
Conference Board of Canada. www.conferenceboard.ca.
Members have access to conferences and research related to work-life issues.
The Council of Workforce Solutions meets regularly to discuss working
conditions, work-life issues, and diversity.
Executive Work-Life Roundtable. www.worklifeharmony.ca/roundtable.htm.
Opportunity for business, community, and labour leaders to discuss work-life
issues, share solutions and strategies, and explore ways to work together.
Roundtables are held in Vancouver and Toronto.
Health Work and Wellness Conference. www.healthworkwellness.com.
Annual conferences are held.
Family Support America now offers the free resource, “Coping with
National Crisis: The Employer’s Family Support Toolkit”. The
toolkit provides hundreds of resources and hands-on activities that employers
are using to support families today.
See http://www.familysupportamerica.org/atwork
Appendix IV
United Way Contacts Across Canada
Many Canadian United Ways have developed Success By 6, or related initiatives
to support children from conception to age 6. Below is a quick list of
some of those contacts. A focus on family-friendly workplaces is included
in many of these initiatives.
British Columbia
Success By 6
United Way of the Lower Mainland
4543 Canada Way
Burnaby, B.C. V5G 4T4
Contact: Sheila McFadzean
Coordinator, Success By 6
(604) 294-8929 (loc. 277)
E-mail: sheilam@uwlm.ca
Web site: www.uwlm.ca
Alberta
Success By 6
United Way of the Alberta Region (Edmonton)
10020 – 108 Street
Edmonton, AB T5J 1K6
Contact: Carol Gilfillan
(780) 990-1000
E-mail: cgilfillan@uway.ab.ca
Web site: www.unitedthisistheway.com
The Calgary Children’s Initiative
120 – 13th Avenue SE
Calgary, AB T2G 1B3
Contact: Dariel Bateman
Project Mgr – Children’s Initiative
(403) 231-2605
E-mail: darielb@calgaryunitedway.org
Web site: www.childrensinitiative.ca
Ontario
Success By 6
United Way/Centraide Ottawa
106 Colonnade Road
Ottawa, On K2E 7P4
Contact: Suzanne O’Byrne
Director, Success By 6
(613) 228-6700
E-mail: obyrne@unitedwayottawa.ca
Web site: www.successby6ottawa.ca
*Note: many other Ontario United Ways have programs supporting young
children and their families
Quebec
1, 2, 3, Go!
Centraide of Greater Montreal
493 Sherbrooke Street W.
Montreal, Que. H3A 1B6
Web site: www.centraide-mtl.org
Nova Scotia
Success By 6
Halifax Metro United Way
7th Floor – Royal Bank Building
46 Portland Street
Dartmouth, NS B2Y 1H4
Contact: Kathy Moggridge
Dir., Collaborations & Partnerships
(902) 422-1501 (ext. 230)
E-mail: kmoggridge@metrounitedway.ns.ca
Website: www.successby6halifax.ca
