Linking the worlds of work and family: Beyond the productivity trap

Abstract

Corporate America began to explore employees' child-care responsibilities approximately fifteen years ago, yet today less than 1 % of US companies offer some form of childcare assistance. One of the primary reasons cited for companies' general reluctance to embrace family-oriented benefits for employees is the lack of data demonstrating that these initiatives result in productivity gains. This article examines the work-family and productivity research undertaken to date and suggests that to understand how corporate family-responsive initiatives affect the work place it is necessary (a) to expand the inquiry from a narrow focus on corporate productivity or efficiency gains to a broader assessment of organizational effectiveness and (b) to frame the question within a corporate or organizational culture context. © 1993 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.