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Use of Formal and Informal Work–Family Policies on the Digital Assembly Line

Washington State University, wharton{at}vancouver.wsu.edu

Sarah Chivers

Washington State University

Mary Blair-Loy

University of California, San Diego

This study compares work–family policy use among low wage, predominately female call center workers and their more highly paid managers. Both formal policies and the informal work–family arrangements that employees negotiate with their supervisors were examined. Consistent with the work devotion perspective, it was found that formal work–family policies are more widely used among hourly workers than managers, and those with better performance evaluations are less likely than their otherwise similar coworkers to use formal work–family policies. The ability to negotiate informal work–family arrangements and use them as a supplement to formal policies is also important to workers in this study, especially women with children and those providing care to people with special needs. Access to informal arrangements may be limited to the high performers, however. Overall, this research suggests that the work devotion framework, which derives from studies of elite workers, may be more broadly applicable than previously assumed.

Key Words: work–family policy • call center • managers • gender

This version was published on August 1, 2008

Work and Occupations, Vol. 35, No. 3, 327-350 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0730888408316393


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