Sociology 1201 Families and Work Video: “Juggling Work and Family” Groups

Sociology 1201Sociology 1201

Families and WorkFamilies and Work

Video: “Juggling Work and Family”Video: “Juggling Work and Family” GroupsGroups


Family as an institutionFamily as an institution

Institutions are interdependentInstitutions are interdependentTrends in the economyTrends in the economy

Deindustrialization, globalization, and wagesDeindustrialization, globalization, and wagesNOW, Oct. 24, 2004: In 48 of 50 statesNOW, Oct. 24, 2004: In 48 of 50 statesindustries adding jobs paying less than industries adding jobs paying less than industries losing jobs (30% less in Minnesota)industries losing jobs (30% less in Minnesota)

Female work force participationFemale work force participation Chart 1. Married women, by age of childChart 1. Married women, by age of child Chart 2: By age, 1970 and 1990Chart 2: By age, 1970 and 1990


What happens to families? How are What happens to families? How are they affected by these trends?they affected by these trends?

Hochschild, Hochschild, The Time BindThe Time Bind Deutsch, Deutsch, Halving It all Halving It all

If and when you have children, how many If and when you have children, how many expect you’d be the one to:expect you’d be the one to:– Miss an important meeting at work to go to a Miss an important meeting at work to go to a

school conference for your child?school conference for your child?– Miss work to care for a sick child?Miss work to care for a sick child?– Cut back your hours if you can’t find good Cut back your hours if you can’t find good

childcare?childcare?


Hochschild, Hochschild, The Second Shift, The Second Shift, 19891989

Her female students at UC Berkeley:Her female students at UC Berkeley:Wishing for 50/50 marriageWishing for 50/50 marriageNot talking to potential marriage partners about itNot talking to potential marriage partners about itVery much affected by the divorce revolution: p. Very much affected by the divorce revolution: p. 265 265

During time of her study, men not necessarily doing During time of her study, men not necessarily doing more of 2more of 2ndnd shift, but feeling they should. shift, but feeling they should.

Feminism as a stalled revolution (Nina and Peter)Feminism as a stalled revolution (Nina and Peter)


Hochschild: Hochschild: The Time BindThe Time Bind

Research basis: 3 summers of fieldwork at Research basis: 3 summers of fieldwork at a Fortune 500 company in Wisconsin (1/3 a Fortune 500 company in Wisconsin (1/3 of workers and ¼ of managers women)of workers and ¼ of managers women)

Corporation identified by Working Mother Corporation identified by Working Mother magazine as one of ten most “family magazine as one of ten most “family friendly” companies in Americafriendly” companies in America

Interviewed top and middle managers, Interviewed top and middle managers, clerks, factory workers (N=130): clerks, factory workers (N=130): qualitative research. qualitative research.


Employee survey, mid 1980sEmployee survey, mid 1980s

““It is hard for me to manage my work and It is hard for me to manage my work and family/personal responsiblities” 75% of family/personal responsiblities” 75% of women, 50% of menwomen, 50% of men

““My health suffers as a result of meeting My health suffers as a result of meeting both my work and family responsibilies” both my work and family responsibilies” 60% of women, 50% of men60% of women, 50% of men

By 1990, 84% of its employees with By 1990, 84% of its employees with children under 13 had no stay-at-home children under 13 had no stay-at-home spousespouse


Package of family-friendly reformsPackage of family-friendly reforms

1. High quality childcare, childcare 1. High quality childcare, childcare for sick children, before- and after-for sick children, before- and after-school programs, referral for elder school programs, referral for elder carecare

2. Part-time work, job-sharing, 2. Part-time work, job-sharing, flexible hours, work as home as flexible hours, work as home as employee optionsemployee options


ParadoxParadox

““Amerco’s” workers consistently Amerco’s” workers consistently reported being strained to the limit.reported being strained to the limit.

The company offered policies that The company offered policies that would allow them to cut back.would allow them to cut back.

Almost no one took the policies; in Almost no one took the policies; in fact, most people she talked to fact, most people she talked to seemed to be increasing their hours!seemed to be increasing their hours!


PossibilitiesPossibilities

Men and women need to work long hours Men and women need to work long hours to support their families.to support their families.– Not supported by national studies of which Not supported by national studies of which

mothers return to work quickly and which take mothers return to work quickly and which take off a year or more (28)off a year or more (28)

Fear of being laid offFear of being laid off– Little fear expressed by Amerco employeesLittle fear expressed by Amerco employees– Hours of work just as long in divisions not Hours of work just as long in divisions not

downsized as in divisions that had been downsized as in divisions that had been downsizeddownsized


Possibilities IIPossibilities II

Perhaps employees know that the Perhaps employees know that the official line about work friendly official line about work friendly policies is just for showpolicies is just for show– Amerco employees generally believe Amerco employees generally believe

their CEO is sinceretheir CEO is sincere– Some middle managers seemed more Some middle managers seemed more

dubious but supportive managers had dubious but supportive managers had only a few more part-timers, job-sharers, only a few more part-timers, job-sharers, and flex-time workersand flex-time workers


Family values and reversed worldsFamily values and reversed worlds

Linda: “I usually come to work early just to Linda: “I usually come to work early just to get away from the house…. So I take a lot get away from the house…. So I take a lot of overtime. The more I get out of the of overtime. The more I get out of the house, the better I am. It’s a terrible thing house, the better I am. It’s a terrible thing to say, but that’s the way I feel.to say, but that’s the way I feel.

Home as the place where you emphasize Home as the place where you emphasize efficiency; work as the place you like to efficiency; work as the place you like to hang out. hang out.

A pattern that is predominant in about 1/5 of A pattern that is predominant in about 1/5 of Amerco families and an important theme Amerco families and an important theme in over half.in over half.


Top ManagersTop Managers

Bill: “The people at the top are very smart, Bill: “The people at the top are very smart, they work like crazy, and don’t flame out.” they work like crazy, and don’t flame out.”

Hochschild: “The twelve top managers I Hochschild: “The twelve top managers I interviewed all worked between 50 and 70 interviewed all worked between 50 and 70 hours a week.” hours a week.”

About their parenting: “If you had it to do About their parenting: “If you had it to do over again, would you do anything over again, would you do anything differently?” “I don’t know. I can’t answer differently?” “I don’t know. I can’t answer that. Probably not.” that. Probably not.”


How would you define How would you define commitment? commitment?

““I don’t’ think we can get I don’t’ think we can get commitment with less than fifty or commitment with less than fifty or sixty hours a week. That’s what other sixty hours a week. That’s what other corporations are doing.” corporations are doing.”

““Just because a few women are Just because a few women are concerned with balance doesn t’ concerned with balance doesn t’ mean we change the rules. If they mean we change the rules. If they chose this career, they’re going to chose this career, they’re going to have to pay for it in hours.”have to pay for it in hours.”


““I don’t know how they do it.”I don’t know how they do it.”

Documents

Sociology 1201 Families and Work Video: “Juggling Work and Family” Groups