ABSTRACT

Leadership practices in organizations play an important role in shaping the conditions for employees’ work-family balance. Previous research on the topic has mainly focused on women; fathers are said to receive little support from leadership for combining work and family. In this study, the focus is on men working in six Finnish organizations representing male-dominated, female-dominated and gender-balanced organizations. Although Finland is considered a frontrunner in gender equality globally, Finnish women still carry the main responsibility for housework and child-care. Through a discursive approach, we seek to answer the following research question: What kind of discourses do working men construct of leadership practices that affect their work-family balance? This study offers insights into the variety of understandings of how men's work-family balance is constrained and/or supported through leadership practices. Our conclusion is that the gender composition and degree of hierarchy of an organization affect leadership practices regarding men's work-family balance. A good relationship between leader and employee supports balance. Fatherhood seems to be handled differently from motherhood in leadership practices. The information produced in this study is not only important with respect to the quality of life of men and their families, but also necessary to advance gender equality in organizational life and society in general.

摘要

组织中的领导实践在塑造员工工作与家庭平衡的条件方面发挥着重要作用。此前对该主题的研究主要集中在女性身上；据说父亲在工作与家庭相结合方面几乎得不到领导层的支持。在这项研究中，重点是在代表男性主导、女性主导和性别平衡的组织的六个芬兰组织中工作的男性。尽管芬兰被认为是全球性别平等的领跑者，但芬兰妇女仍然承担着家务和育儿的主要责任。通过一种话语方法，我们试图回答以下研究问题：工人构建什么样的话语来影响他们的工作与家庭平衡的领导实践？这项研究提供了对男性如何理解的各种理解的见解 工作与家庭的平衡受到领导实践的限制和/或支持。我们的结论是，组织的性别构成和等级制度会影响有关男性工作与家庭平衡的领导实践。领导和员工之间的良好关系支持平衡。在领导实践中，父亲身份的处理方式似乎与母亲身份的处理方式不同。本研究中产生的信息不仅对男性及其家庭的生活质量很重要，而且对于促进组织生活和整个社会中的性别平等也是必不可少的。领导和员工之间的良好关系支持平衡。在领导实践中，父亲身份的处理方式似乎与母亲身份的处理方式不同。本研究中产生的信息不仅对男性及其家庭的生活质量很重要，而且对于促进组织生活和整个社会中的性别平等也是必不可少的。领导和员工之间的良好关系支持平衡。在领导实践中，父亲身份的处理方式似乎与母亲身份的处理方式不同。本研究中产生的信息不仅对男性及其家庭的生活质量很重要，而且对于促进组织生活和整个社会中的性别平等也是必不可少的。