Page Comparison

All of work? All of life? Reconceptualizing work-life balance for the 21st century (PDF)

This article calls for a reconceptualization of work-life balance to take into account broader and more contemporary definitions of “work”
and “life” than traditional caregiving (life) and single-employer, in-person (work) situations. Broadening these categories and doing research
studies to include other aspects of life (e.g. hobbies, education, religion, culture) and work (e.g. gig and zero-contract employees, teleworkers,
self/family-employed) would allow HR administrators and organizations to align research with contemporary social/economic trends, focus on
positive impacts of work-life balance, align with organizational and governmental policies, and overall provide better work-life satisfaction for employees. 

(Aug. 2018, Human Resource Management Journal*)

*Note: Need to be signed in to Wiley Online Library with NetID to access the article online

• work-life balance
• situationist approach
• subjectivist approach
• flexible work
• remote work
• telework
• gig economy

Remote work and work-life balance: Lessons learned from the covid-19 pandemic and suggestions for HRD practitioner

This article examines how the desirable image of remote work has been challenged by the involuntary nature of working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors examine literature about remote work prior to the pandemic and review 40 empirical studies examining work-life balance during the pandemic. They use the person-environment fit theory to conclude that a fit between remote workers’ expectations and the remote work environment increases work-life balance and leads to positive professional and personal outcomes, and they recommend strategies that Human Resource professionals can use to support remote work and employee work-life balance.

(Mar. 2022, Human Resource Development International*)

*Note: Need to be signed in to Routledge/Taylor and Francis with NetID to access the article online

• remote work
• work-from-home
• telework
• work-life balance
• person-environment fit
• ethics of care

Flexible work is feminist - and women won’t return to a system that hasn’t served them well to spare the feelings of powerful men (PDF) 

Despite the push for more in-person work (largely by men), women and other underrepresented genders have greatly benefitted from remote work and have made strides toward gender equality in the workplace. For these groups, remote work contributes to less burnout and more career advancement, as well as a greater sense of belonging, psychological safety, and fewer microaggressions. To make remote work stay, companies need to reimagine the “ideal” worker as one who has responsibilities outside of work and invest in policies that promote gender equality and improve the workplace. 

(May 2023, Forbes)

• remote work
• flexible work
• hybrid work
• career advancement
• mommy track
• pink collar

Will Remote Work Undermine Diversity Efforts? (PDF)

Studies have shown that for people of color and women especially, remote work has been beneficial in terms of minimizing microaggressions, code-switching, and tending to family care. However, this article warns that companies need to be intentional about remote and hybrid work culture so that these groups do not get left out of promotion considerations due to “proximity bias” of those in the office. Remote/hybrid work can help companies meet DEI goals by diversifying applicant pools if location is not an issue. Managers can also be more intentional in supervising hybrid teams by getting training in and implementing workflows and norms so that no one gets left out and there is not a “two-tier” system of employees.   

(June 2022, Society for Human Resources Management)

• remote work
• hybrid work
• proximity bias
• microaggressions
• intentionality
• code-switching

What is proximity bias? (PDF)

This article talks about proximity bias, a tendency to favor the people we’re physically closer to, and its effects on hybrid work environments post-pandemic. The article explains the psychology behind proximity bias and gives examples in different contexts. Overall, it offers strategies to overcome proximity bias in order to create more equitable workplaces.

• proximity bias
• remote work
• hybrid work
• flexibility
• code-switching
• digital-first systems
• equity

Authenticity: Who You Are is Non-Negotiable (Video)

Description from YouTube: "Target's Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer & Vice President of Human Resources Caroline Wanga explains why authenticity is critical for success. She shares her keys to being exactly who you are, while advancing toward senior leadership."

(April 2020, YouTube.com)

• authenticity
• success
• advancement 

Kenji Yoshino: Diversity Does Not Mean Having to Choose Between Identity and Inclusion (Video + Transcript)

Yoshino argues that Diversity and Inclusion in organizations often means Diversity OR Inclusion, as people find themselves “covering” or adjusting their true identities to conform to mainstream behaviors in order to be included. A study found that 45% of straight white men reported “covering” some part of their identity at work, which puts them inside rather than outside of the inclusion paradigm. This kind of paradigm shift allows for diversity and inclusion work to move forward in organizations. 

(Big Think)

• covering
• passing
• diversity and inclusion
• identity

The Librarians are Not OK (PDF)

The author describes "passion jobs" in the context of library professions, and the ways in which these sorts of jobs are at risk for burnout, exploitation of employees, and low morale long-term, and what can be done to address this.

(May 2022, SubStack)

• burnout
• librarianship
• workplace morale

Emotional Labor and Burnout: A Review of the Literature (PDF)

This article provides a breadth of research and cited articles on what burnout is, what emotional labor is, and the research that’s been done on linking the two.

(March 2018, NLM)

• burnout
• emotional labor

Agile Doesn't Work Without Psychological Safety (PDF)

This article covers suggestions and techniques about how to enable folks to be vulnerable during the agile process.

(February 2022, HBR)

• agile
• vulnerability

Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams (PDF)

This article aims to test the hypothesis that psychological safety in team makes learning easier or more effective, which then improves performance. To test it they surveyed and then watched a variety of teams to see how their psychological safety affecting their learning behavior. They found that learning behavior is a strong predictor of performance, that a team’s history matters in shaping psychological safety, and that psychological safety improves learning behavior.

(1999, SageJournals)

Research: To Excel, Diverse Teams Need Psychological Safety (PDF)

Diversity of perspectives on teams leads to innovation but can also slow down performance. Teams can only reap the benefits of a diversity of perspectives in their work if they operate with psychological safety (the ability to share ideas, make mistakes, raise concerns without fear of being called out or rejected for doing so). Leaders must foster a team environment of psychological safety, and here are some tactics to do so (including methods for creating a learning environment, enabling communication, etc).

(March 2022, HBR)

• diversity
• psychological safety
• teams
• communication
• tactics