MAKING IT WORK:CORPORATE EXECUTIVE OPINIONS ON WORK-LIFE SUPPORTByTracy BrowerThis study examines the opinions of senior executives of corporations regarding work-life supports on the job. These work-life supports take the form of benefits as well as formal policies and informal practices. Work and the workforce are changing with more women and more dual earning couples in the workforce. Work-life is also shifting based on the increasing role of technology and the spillover that occurs between work and family. As a result, workers have changing needs related to integrating work and family. Quantitative studies have examined how companies are addressing the changing needs of workers. These studies have investigated what kind of work-life supports companies are offering. This study has built on existing quantitative work and investigates why. Specifically, this study explores senior executives' attitudes, opinions, and points of view regarding work-life supports offered by corporations. The central questions that this research answers are: 1) what are the factors or barriers that executives believe affect the adoption of work-life supports by companies? and 2) in what ways and to what extent do executives view work-life supports as linked to the organizational outcomes they are seeking to accomplish? The research findings in this study demonstrate that executives have authority and influence over work-life supports. In addition, there is a great variety in the extent and types of work-life support provided by organizations. These typically take the form of benefits, policies, practices, diversity programs, work environments, and work tools. Factors which enhance or detract from the provision of work-life supports are leader discretion, culture, the nature and demands of the work, globalization, technology, younger generations in the workforce, and performance management approaches. Gender is also a salient feature of women executives' experience with work-life support. Executives believe there is a connection between the provision of work-life supports and organizational outcomes such as employee engagement, attraction, and retention as well as productivity. In addition, executives in this study believe the provision of work-life supports will increase in the future.My research makes a unique contribution because it builds on the quantitative studies that already exist. Senior executive perspectives are crucial to expanding upon the quantitative data because the executives make decisions about work-life supports for their own companies. They also influence other senior executives through their personal and professional networks. In addition, they set examples for others in their organizations based on their visibility and status. The outcomes of this study are important because they contribute to an understanding of the pressure that men and women are under and the ways that corporations are seeking to offer work-life supports. Lacking comprehensive federal support for this work-life integration, the support offered by corporations is imperative. These findings inform the field and inform those who seek to increase the provision of work-life supports across organizations.
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