Experiences with work-family arrangements in organizations during COVID-19. Elements of innovation

PLASOVÁ, Blanka and Iveta ZELENKOVÁ. Experiences with work-family arrangements in organizations during COVID-19. Elements of innovation. In Hospodářská politika: Post-pandemické výzvy a příležitosti české a evropské politiky v roce 2022. 2022.

Basic information

• Original name: Experiences with work-family arrangements in organizations during COVID-19. Elements of innovation
• Name in Czech: Zkušenosti s opatřeními na podporu sladění práce a rodiny v organizacích během pandemie COVID-19. Prvky inovace.
• Name (in English): Experiences with work-family arrangements in organizations during COVID-19. Elements of innovation
• Authors: PLASOVÁ, Blanka and Iveta ZELENKOVÁ.
• Edition: Hospodářská politika: Post-pandemické výzvy a příležitosti české a evropské politiky v roce 2022, 2022.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Requested lectures
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Keywords (in Czech): family-friendly opatření, zaměstnavatelé, pandemie, COVID-19
• Keywords in English: family-friendly measures, COVID-19, employers, pandemics
• Tags: International impact

Abstract

The presentation aims to identify elements of change and innovation in work-family arrangements at the employer level during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conduct a secondary analysis of qualitative data from the years 2020 to 2022. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the conflicts between work and family, employers have been extensively hit by them. Work-family arrangements seem to be no longer "nice to have" but something "must have" from the employer's perspective. In this respect, the most significant innovative moments include: 1) the development of home-office regimes and tools for dealing with day-to-day practical problems, 2) the ability to match the individual needs of employees with the performance of their work ("tailored solutions"), and 3) ability to address emergency care needs when there are disruptions to usual care.

Abstract (in Czech)

Cílem prezentace bylo identifikovat prvky změn a inovací v uspořádání práce a rodiny na úrovni zaměstnavatelů během pandemie COVID-19. Byly předloženy výsledky analýzy kvalitativních dat z let 2020 až 2022. Vzhledem k tomu, že vypuknutí pandemie COVID-19 vyostřilo konflikty mezi prací a rodinou, byli jimi zaměstnavatelé rozsáhle zasaženi. Ukázalo se, že uspořádání práce a rodiny již není z pohledu zaměstnavatele něčím, co "je hezké mít", ale něčím, co "mít musí". Mezi nejvýznamnější inovační momenty v tomto ohledu patří např: 1) vývoj režimů a nástrojů home-office pro řešení každodenních praktických problémů, 2) schopnost sladit individuální potřeby zaměstnanců s výkonem jejich práce ("řešení šitá na míru") a 3) schopnost řešit potřeby mimořádné péče v případě narušení běžné péče.

Abstract (in English)

The presentation aims to identify elements of change and innovation in work-family arrangements at the employer level during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conduct a secondary analysis of qualitative data from the years 2020 to 2022. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the conflicts between work and family, employers have been extensively hit by them. Work-family arrangements seem to be no longer "nice to have" but something "must have" from the employer's perspective. In this respect, the most significant innovative moments include: 1) the development of home-office regimes and tools for dealing with day-to-day practical problems, 2) the ability to match the individual needs of employees with the performance of their work ("tailored solutions"), and 3) ability to address emergency care needs when there are disruptions to usual care.