A Framework for Work-Life Management in Multinational Corporations

Abstract

Work-life issues are a substantial concern for managers and employees in many multinational corporations (MNCs), as there are many challenges related to the need for MNCs to balance global policy guidelines with responsiveness to regional and local differences. Drawing on recent empirical advances, we offer a framework and a set of broad research questions to guide future scholarship in work-life management in MNCs. The framework identifies important external and organisational factors that influence the HRM function and specifically work-life policies and practices, in MNCs. Employee responses to work-life practices are proposed to mediate the relationship with the organisation's social and financial performance. Avenues for future research are discussed. Keywords Environmental dynamism • Human resource management processes • Multinational corporations • Organisational performance • Work-life managementMany managers in multinational corporations (MNCs) face challenges related to the often-competing pressures for global integration and local responsiveness. On one hand, there are efficiencies to be gained by global co-ordination and consistency of policies; on the other hand, local differences such as social and institutional variations create pressures for responsiveness (Doz and Prahalad 1991;Sparrow 2012). Achieving an effective balance between global and local pressures enables MNCs to integrate units into a cohesive, global organisation and maximise local responsiveness (Venaik et al. 2004). Recent arguments for regionalisation (e.g., Edwards et al. 2012;Rugman et al. 2011) suggest even more complexity and tension related to competing pressures at multiple levels, perhaps global, local and regional. We suggest that work-life management in MNCs provides an excellent case for analysis of the way in which MNCs manage these competing pressures

Social Support and Life‐Domain Interactions among Assigned and Self‐Initiated Expatriates

“…Third, concerning the social support expatriates receive, many studies show that, in comparison to AEs, SIEs relie less on their companies for providing services since they have more limited or no access to pre‐departure training, to benefits and compensation packages for their expatriation, to career progression and repatriation plans as well as organizational policies to help them balance their life domains (Andersen et al ., 2012; De Cieri and Bardoel, ; Mäkelä and Suutari, ) or to deal with structural and career constraints such as difficulties to obtain the necessary visas and work permits in their host countries (Al Ariss and Özbilgin, ). Given their lack of organizational support, SIEs face more risk, encounter more insecurity and job instability (Richardson and Mallon, ), and have a weaker company attachment or embeddedness than AEs (Reiche et al ., ).…”

No family left behind: Flexibility i-deals for employees with stigmatized family identities

“…Finally, multinational corporations often struggle to transfer WF policies catering to a "western" workforce to meet the needs of workforces in diverse or developing economies (Lewis et al, 2007). Country-specific cultural norms, societal trends, and laws create a need for distinction between employee WF support policies in different countries (De Cieri and Bardoel, 2015;Riva, 2016). Asian and western countries for example significantly differ in employee experiences associated with family relationships and well-being (Tsai and Chen, 2017).…”

Managing Work-Life Tensions: The Challenges for Multinational Enterprises (MNEs)

“…Legislative differences may in part reflect cultural differences, and those differences could similarly drive a wedge between the effectiveness of any specific work-life policy or practice across nations. For this reason, Von Glinow, Drost, and Teagarden (2002) Bardoel, 2015;Poster & Prasad, 2005).…”

“…Work-life management per se is increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect of HRM (De Cieri & Bardoel, 2015;McCarthy, Darcy, & Grady, 2010;Ryan & Kossek, 2008). Work-life management practices refer to those practices in organizations that are introduced by firms to facilitate employees' ability to meet work and non-work demands (McCarthy et al, 2010).…”