Work and Family: Allies of Enemies?

This book contributes to our understanding of the complicated relationship between work and family life. Based on an extensive survey of over 800 business school alumni, the book takes the reader on a thoughtful journey looking at the issues facing both working parents and the organizations employing them. Organized around six major themes, two particularly stood out for me. First, the authors make the point that work and family can be allies. When there is support for non-work lives, individuals experience greater well-being in the form of less role conflict and greater self-esteem. Another critical theme is that children are major stakeholders at work. Although others have made this point, Friedman and Greenhaus do a stellar job of describing the behavioral and psychological effects on children of having a mother or father deeply involved in work. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book is valuable to both human resource practitioners and scholars.

Stewart D. Friedman and Jeffrey H. Greenhaus conducted extensive research with 861 alumni of the business schools at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, both in Philadelphia. Their research yielded revealing results about the struggle of professionals to manage work and family commitments. However, Friedman and Greenhaus present these results in such overwhelming statistical detail that the average reader is in danger of being swamped. This is especially the case when the data proves principals that most people already grasp through common sense and experience. That said, we ... recognize that the authors have done working Joes and Janes a great service by aggregating numbers to back up the notion that it's getting tougher to balance family and career. As such, this is an important book for anyone in a position to set workplace policy.

The dilemma that working parents all face as they succeed in their careers is how to manage their emerging professional responsibilities with their nurturing responsibilities for children. When family demands escalate, typically women scale back, or opt out of, professional opportunities freeing men to climb the proverbial career ladder. An authoritative new book, Work and Family -- Allies or Enemies by authors Stewart Friedman and Jeffrey Greenhaus, makes the case that it is possible for both working parents to pursue a career and assume full parental responsibilities - and be happy doing it - if both are willing to work cooperatively.Based upon a pioneering study of 800 business professionals, Work and Family offers startling insights and lessons into how men and women, along with their employers, are dealing with the challenges of integrating parental and professional responsibilities. The book is formed around six key themes: 1) We can have (much of) it all, but it's especially difficult for working mothers; 2) Work and family can be allies; 3) Time is not the major problem; 4) Authority on the job is essential for work-family integration; 5) Women may be better adapted for jobs of the future; and 6) Kids are the unseen stakeholders at work. Friedman and Greenhaus weave these themes through the book in ways that puncture myths (keeping private and professional lives separate) and illuminate new understandings (acceptance of employers to new work processes to complement work-family integration).The authors offer three principles for integrating work and life. One, clarify what's important. Parents need to be clear with one another as well as with their employers about what they want to achieve in their lives. Two, recognize and support the whole person. Private and professional lives overlap; it is important that individuals integrate the best parts of themselves into all parts of their lives. Three, continually experiment with how goals are achieved. Blending work and family is an ongoing learning process that needs continuous evaluation to meet changing needs. Work and Family is as much for parents as it is for employers. The war for talent is continuous and escalating. As authors Friedman and Greenhaus demonstrate in their research, those employers who strive to meet employees' needs for an integrated work and life will be rewarded with more loyal and dedicated employees who are happier and more productive. They end up creating a win/win situation for employees as well as their shareholders.Work and Family is an important work deserving of inclusion in the lexicon of literature concerned with our changing workplace. Parents will find prescriptions for finding answers in their day to day work and life choices. Employers will find lessons that they can apply to their work environment. And researchers will find a fundamental study upon which to carve new understandings of work and life in our culture.