ABSTRACT
At one time, it seemed that individuals' decisions about how to allocate their time, energy, and psychological investment in work and family roles were straightforward. In addition to the hard choices faced by employees, families are facing increasing difficulties in dealing with the stresses resulting from both partners juggling work and family roles and in making decisions about who does what at work and home, which result in a high level of cumulative family stress. The consequences of blurred gender roles played out dramatically in the changing nature of family structures. The next trend in business environments that affected employees' work and family lives was the increased globalization of work. The available technology influences the nature of work itself, which in turn influences the relationship between individuals' work and family roles. One stream of research on contemporary career patterns focused on the boundaryless career. Career decisions are driven by family factors, although currently more so for women than for men.
