ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors discuss the concept of work–life balance, and then demonstrate the many ways in which their work and nonwork lives affect each other, negatively (as "enemies") and positively (as "allies"). They show how the society in which their live and the organization in which their work can make it easier to achieve a reasonable level of work–life balance. The authors explain how employees and their families play a vital role in achieving more balance in life, and offers suggestions to help them make better decisions. They provide insights into work–life challenges and opportunities that one can apply to the career management process. The authors discuss why organizations may choose to support their employees' efforts to balance their work with other parts of life, and briefly highlight the ways in which organizations can provide such support. They provide an examination of these practices in the context of an organization's human resource management system.
