Use of Formal and Informal Work–Family Policies on the Digital Assembly Line

This study compares work–family policy use among low wage, predominately female call center workers and their more highly paid managers. Both formal policies and the informal work–family arrangements that employees negotiate with their supervisors were examined. Consistent with the work devotion per...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Work and occupations 2008-08, Vol.35 (3), p.327-350
Main Authors: Wharton, Amy S., Chivers, Sarah, Blair-Loy, Mary
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Call centers
Comparative analysis
Employees
Family (Sociological Unit)
Family life
Family Work Relationship
General studies
Informal groups
Management
Managers
Occupational psychology
Policy
Sex
Social problems and social policy. Social work
Sociology
Sociology of work
Sociology of work and sociology of organizations
Special Needs Students
Studies
Women
Women workers
Working conditions
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Summary:This study compares work–family policy use among low wage, predominately female call center workers and their more highly paid managers. Both formal policies and the informal work–family arrangements that employees negotiate with their supervisors were examined. Consistent with the work devotion perspective, it was found that formal work–family policies are more widely used among hourly workers than managers, and those with better performance evaluations are less likely than their otherwise similar coworkers to use formal work–family policies. The ability to negotiate informal work–family arrangements and use them as a supplement to formal policies is also important to workers in this study, especially women with children and those providing care to people with special needs. Access to informal arrangements may be limited to the high performers, however. Overall, this research suggests that the work devotion framework, which derives from studies of elite workers, may be more broadly applicable than previously assumed.
ISSN:0730-8884
1552-8464
DOI:10.1177/0730888408316393