Corporate Family Responsibility
Occasional Paper
OP no 06/3
March, 2006
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE
EMPLOYER?
Nuria Chinchilla
Elizabeth Torres
IESE Occasional Papers seek to present topics of general interest to a wide audience.
IESE Business School – Universidad de Navarra
Avda. Pearson, 21 – 08034 Barcelona, España. Tel.: (+34) 93 253 42 00 Fax: (+34) 93 253 43 43
Camino del Cerro del Águila, 3 (Ctra. de Castilla, km 5,180) – 28023 Madrid, España. Tel.: (+34) 91 357 08 09 Fax: (+34) 91 357 29 13
Copyright © 2006 IESE Business School.
IESE Business School-University of Navarra - 1
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER?
Nuria Chinchilla*
Elizabeth Torres**
Abstract
In this paper we examine the reasons why companies might want to become family-responsible employers. Three models of the relationship between people and organizations are used to illustrate. In the mechanistic model, work-family policies are adopted as a marketing strategy.
In the psycho-sociological model, companies use work-family policies to attract and retain talented employees. And in the anthropological/humanistic model, companies foster commitment through a family-responsible culture, as a consequence of treating employees as complete human beings
* Professor of Managing People in Organizations, IESE
** Research Assistant , IESE
Keywords: Family Responsible Employer (FRE) Model, Flexible policies, Work-Family.
IESE Business School-University of Navarra
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER?*
Over the last two decades, important socio-demographic changes have occurred: women have entered the labor market in large numbers, the rate of divorce has increased, the number of single-parent families likewise, the birth rate in Europe has never been lower. Indeed, Spain has one of the lowest rates: 1.3 children for every woman of childbearing age(1). Diseases such as stress and depression are also on the rise.
And yet, organizations do not take these changes into account
OP no 06/3
March, 2006
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE
EMPLOYER?
Nuria Chinchilla
Elizabeth Torres
IESE Occasional Papers seek to present topics of general interest to a wide audience.
IESE Business School – Universidad de Navarra
Avda. Pearson, 21 – 08034 Barcelona, España. Tel.: (+34) 93 253 42 00 Fax: (+34) 93 253 43 43
Camino del Cerro del Águila, 3 (Ctra. de Castilla, km 5,180) – 28023 Madrid, España. Tel.: (+34) 91 357 08 09 Fax: (+34) 91 357 29 13
Copyright © 2006 IESE Business School.
IESE Business School-University of Navarra - 1
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER?
Nuria Chinchilla*
Elizabeth Torres**
Abstract
In this paper we examine the reasons why companies might want to become family-responsible employers. Three models of the relationship between people and organizations are used to illustrate. In the mechanistic model, work-family policies are adopted as a marketing strategy.
In the psycho-sociological model, companies use work-family policies to attract and retain talented employees. And in the anthropological/humanistic model, companies foster commitment through a family-responsible culture, as a consequence of treating employees as complete human beings
* Professor of Managing People in Organizations, IESE
** Research Assistant , IESE
Keywords: Family Responsible Employer (FRE) Model, Flexible policies, Work-Family.
IESE Business School-University of Navarra
WHY BECOME A FAMILY-RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYER?*
Over the last two decades, important socio-demographic changes have occurred: women have entered the labor market in large numbers, the rate of divorce has increased, the number of single-parent families likewise, the birth rate in Europe has never been lower. Indeed, Spain has one of the lowest rates: 1.3 children for every woman of childbearing age(1). Diseases such as stress and depression are also on the rise.
And yet, organizations do not take these changes into account
References: (10) Perry-Smith and Blum (2000), Work-family human resource bundles and perceived organizational performance, p (13) Chinchilla, N. and León, C. (2005) Female Ambition. How to Reconcile Work and Family, Palagrave, UK