ABSTRACT
There is ample evidence that workers experience varying degrees of conflict, stress, and personal difficulties in trying to satisfy both career interests and life responsibilities. The successful integration of work and life requires different types of support: organizational support-family-responsive policies and practices, supportive superiors and coworkers; occupational support-flexible jobs, feedback, opportunities for socialization and interaction; and personal support-supportive and helpful family and friends (Barnett & Baruch, 1987; Bernas & Major, 2000; Friedman, Christensen, & DeGroot, 1999; Glass & Finley, 2002; Brough & Kelling, 2002; Kossek & Ozeki, 1998; Lechner, 1993; Ray, 1987; Ray & Miller, 1994; Scandura & Lankau, 1997; Thompson & Blau, 1994; Batt & Valcour, 2003; Voydanoff, 2002; Warren & Johnson, 1995). Although all of these types of support are important and facilitate work-life integration, the focus of this chapter is supervisor support.
