How do work–life conflicts come about? First, the creation of global organizations
means the world never sleeps. At any time on any day, thousands of
General Electric employees are working somewhere. The need to consult with
colleagues or customers eight or ten time zones away means many employees of
global firms are “on call” 24 hours a day. Second, communication technology
allows many technical and professional employees to do their work at home,
in their cars, or on the beach in Tahiti—but it also means many feel like they
never really get away from the office. Third, organizations are asking employees
to put in longer hours. Over a recent 10-year period, the average U.S. workweek
increased from 43 to 47 hours; and the number of people working 50 or more
hours a week jumped from 24 to 37 percent. Finally, the rise of the dual-career
couple makes it difficult for married employees to find time to fulfill commitments
to home, spouse, children, parents, and friends. Millions of single-parent
households and employees with dependent parents have even more significant
challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities.
Dr. Orit Wimpfheimer performs her
job by linking to others through
networks. Shown here at her home
office near Jerusalem, Israel, she
is a radiologist who analyzes test
results from hospitals in the United
States over the Internet. Networked
organizations that use e-mail, the
Internet, and video-conferencing
allow Dr. Orit Wimpfheimer and
other telecommuters to communicate
and work together even
though they are thousands of miles
apart. The manager’s job in a networked
organization requires different
techniques from those used
when workers are physically present
in a single location.
Source: AP