Publication details
Experiences with Work-Family Arrangements in Organizations during COVID-19 : Elements of Innovation
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference ECONOMIC POLICY : Post-Pandemic Challenges and Opportunities of the Czech and European Policy |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | |
| Keywords | work-family policy; employers; HR practitioners; COVID-19; post-pandemic time |
| Attached files | |
| Description | This article aims to identify elements of change and innovation in work-family arrangements at the employer level during the COVID-19 pandemic in a sample of Czech work organizations. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the discussion forum of the internship course at the selected university. The research population consists of master’s degree students in human resource management in combined form who are enrolled in a course focused on the reflection of experiences from professional internships. The students discuss and comment on the changes in human resource management caused by the pandemic and the main challenges they faced in human resource management. Based on this analysis, we distinguish three areas of the measures: flexible working arrangements, support for employees' care commitments, and other supportive mechanisms and arrangements. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the conflicts between work and family, employers have been extensively impacted by them. Arrangements supporting work-family balance seem to be no longer "nice to have" but something "must have" from the employer's perspective. In this respect, the most significant innovative improvements 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. |