Lewis, Jane and Campbell, Mary (2008) What's in a name?: 'work and family' or 'work and life' balance policies in the UK since 1997 and the implications for the pursuit of gender equality. Social Policy and Administration, 42 (5). p. 524. ISSN 0144-5596
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Since 1997, Labour has developed a wide range of policies on childcare services, care leaves and flexible working hours. In 2000, the term 'work-life balance' was introduced and has been used by Government Departments and by the academic community with very little discussion of its meaning vis à vis the use of 'family-friendly' policies, or the promotion of 'work and family balance'. We explore the introduction of the term work-life balance, the reasons for it, and its significance at the policy level, especially in terms of its implications for the pursuit of gender equality. We find that at the policy level, its use was more a matter of strategic framing than substantive change. Nevertheless, because of the UK Government's largely gender-neutral approach to the whole policy field, it is important to make explicit the tensions in the continuing use of the term work-life balance, particularly in relation to the achievement of gender equality.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0144-5596 |
| Additional Information: | © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
| Divisions: | Social Policy |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Mar 2009 14:27 |
| Last Modified: | 11 Dec 2024 23:19 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/23076 |
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