Work Family Conflict

One student of Pennsylvania state university involved in building this case study worked as a nanny for a family where both the mother and father worked outside the home. This student witnessed firsthand the struggles faced by both parents trying to balance hours at work versus hours at home. Both the mother and father struggled with work-family conflict however it manifested itself differently for each parent. The mother, a successful VP of marketing for a well known global company, seemed to display more concern for the way work interfered with time spent with her children. She was constantly stressed out over the fact that she did not feel she was spending enough time with her children. The need for power and achievement were being fulfilled at work but the need for affiliation was missing. The father on the other hand, also faced work-family conflict but the frustration seemed to be based more on interferences from family into his work.
General implications from the above study:
The level at which an individual works affect the work-family crisis.
The construct of work-family conflict (WFC) is multi-dimensional and refers to the following types
Time-based conflict:
Example :working overtime forces employees to miss a school performance of their child.
Strain based conflict :
Example: The stress of tending to a sick child affects one’s ability to concentrate at work.
Behavior-based conflict:
Example: aggression and emotional restriction required for managerial positions are incompatible with the need for harmony and emotional openness by family members

Strategies to prevent :
Training model for their employees that would ensure all needs are met. The focus in the study presented above is the need for affiliation.
Time-Shifting.
Tackling Small Stuff During Work Time.
Using “Time Holes.
Counseling Benefits and welfare services Family
Providing entertainment facilities Increasing supervisor support(formal or informal)
Training and education Health care benefits