Extending Work-Life Balance Initiatives

Abstract

In the last decade, we have seen strong growth in published scholarly and practitioner-focused research on work–life balance initiatives which are implemented in organizations to assist employees with managing their work and non-work demands. Correspondingly, the goal of this book chapter is twofold. First, we seek to take stock of existing scholarly and practitioner-focused research conducted on work–life balance initiatives, and in so doing, provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of work–life balance initiatives on organizations and employees. Second, we contend that despite increased scholarly and practitioner attention on work–life balance initiatives, there remains a significant gap between the provision and promise of work–life balance initiatives and their actual uptake and outcomes. We also discuss how the nature of these issues has changed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what this means for work–life balance initiatives going forward. Finally, we propose several areas to extend existing work–life balance initiatives, which we hope can enhance the effectiveness and intended positive outcomes of work–life balance initiatives.