WORK-LIFE IN THE MODERN ERA EXAMINING AND ADDRESSING THE CENTRAL PLACE OF WORK INTENSITY

Dr Natalie Skinner, Centre for Work + Life, UniSA

Information and insights …..2

Understanding the ‘WLB landscape’ in Australia today

Feedback on how workers in the education sector are faring, compared to other Australian workers

Insight into the central role of work intensity in job quality & WLB

Knowledge of how common intensive working is in modern Aust. workplace

Understanding links to other important aspects of job quality and wellbeing

Appreciation of general principles/strategies of creating ‘decent work’

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AWALI RESEARCH - BACKGROUND

A ustralian

W ork

A nd

L ife

I ndex

Data collection

2007 – 2010, 2012, 2014

Telephone interviews

2800 respondents each year (1400 in 2007)

Nationally representative sample of

Australian workers

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AUSTRALIAN WLB LANDSCAPE

Struggle to juggle7

Around 25% of workers chronically work-life stressed

Work is intrusive, lack of time, dissatisfied WLB

Women, especially mothers & women working FT hours, are chronically time pressured (around 70%) & fatigued

Men, especially fathers working long FT hours, are not getting sufficient sleep needed to support health

Consequences high work-life conflict /long hours

Individual Organisational/Business

burnout, depression, stress absenteeism & turnover (intentions)

general health (cardiovascular disease)

job satisfaction

family, life, marital satisfaction organisational commitment

family strain/dysfunction productivity – individual & organisational level

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HOW ARE EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS FARING?

Work-life conflict (2007 – 2010)

Education & training industry N = 1034 All industries N = 8292

% ‘often/almost always’ Education &

Training

All Industries

Work interfere activities outside work 25 23

Work restrict time family & friends 25 26

Rushed & pressed for time 62 54

% ‘often or ‘almost always’

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Cont. (2007 – 2010)

Work-life index Scaling: 0 (lowest work-life conflict) to 100 (highest)

Education & Training All Industries

All 44 43

Part-time 35 37

Full-time 50 46

mothers 57 53

fathers 47 46

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Education & Training All Industries

Work hours (average) 36 38

% long hours 45+ 32% 31%

% work longer than prefer 41% 37%

Full-time 34-44 hrs 45% 34%

Full-time 45+ hours 75% 69%

Mothers working FT 70% 57%

Fathers working FT 59% 48%

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Full-time workers only

E&T: N = 164

All: N = 1528

Education & Training All Industries

Used all paid leave in 2009 48 40

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Longer hours

flexibility

Higher worklo

ad

Full-time workers in education sector:

• 86% work unpaid hours from home

• Average 24 hours per month (highest of all industries)

• 80% agree have too much work for one person to do• (62% all Aust workers)

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WORK INTENSITY

AWALI 2012 – Australian workers

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¾ or more of working time Work at high speed 37% Work to tight deadlines 40%

Agree/strong agree Too much work for one person to do 32%

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Work intens

ity

Not taking paid leave

Working

longer hours

Not making flexibilit

y request

Working

unpaid hours

@ home

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Work intens

ity

WLB

Physical health

detriments

Decline in

family/ persona

l life

Stress/ burnout

38% men & 35% women ‘expected put work before family/personal life (AWALI 2008)

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WHAT TO DO?

22 Source: http://www.apha.org/membergroups/newsletters/sectionnewsletters/occupat/fall11/fenceattop.htm