The process of social change often leads to different adjustments in the life different areas of life. Getting a suitable balance between work and job is a major challenge for several workers. More so, families are usually affected. For many decades, there have been debates on who should be responsible for the issues that arise when both the parents are at work. The essays will mainly focus on the roles of the society towards tackling different work and family issues. The presentation will revolve around Australia while checking the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) website.
A majority of people have often perceived it to be ironical when the society becomes involved in the problem solving of the issues of work and family. In the conventional world, it was always assumed that one parent who is usually the mother should stay at home with the children. The other parent acted as the breadwinner and most times lived outside the home. However, the modern society has embraced a new system where both parents are likely to be found working. Research in Australia indicates that the working duration of parents is regulated depending on the gender (Strazdins, et al., 2012). For instance, in many organizations, one will discover that employed mother spend less time at work than the men. Besides, the gendered timings are based on the ages of the children. On the other hand, the fathers’ working time show different patterns because they work longer hours by 13% despite the age of their children and the employment status of their spouse (OECD Better Life Index, 2017).
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Therefore, one of the main issues seen in Australia when it comes to both parents working is a concept of different time resources for the two genders. In the context of Australia’s long full-term working hours as compared to other OECD countries, the common issue presented is gender equity in the workplace. There are several ways for the society to respond to such issues. For instance, societal stereotypes can be eliminated in the workplaces, and particular shifts should be made in the dual-earner arrangements.
Furthermore, studies have indicated that the needs of the children are often neglected whenever both parents work. Young children require constant love and care from their parents to prevent cognitive, mental, and physical developmental problems. In such instance, it is the parents, and the employers should be responsible. However, the government can be involved in cases of public organizations. For instance, the employer can offer to reduce the working hours of one parent to allow for more time spent with the children. It is highly likely that parents will be distressed whenever they undermine the well-being of the children. Therefore, the government can come up with organizational frameworks that are favourable for both working parents. Besides, parents should be responsible for their kids’ well-being because too much time away from home might make them feel neglected.
Even though the state of having both parents working may sabotage proper social development in children, economic benefits to reducing the hardship gap is an advantage. Besides, some ways have been used in Australia to balance the work and life. For instance, many OECD countries encourage their employees to learn to deal with burnouts through exercising, personal therapy, and taking leaves in case of increased pressure. Work-life balance is important because it ensures growth in both areas. When people exercise, they can refresh their minds and improve their cognitive functions. When parents cannot handle their home struggles, then they are incapable of delivering good results at work. On the other hand, when parents are experiencing economic, marital, or social issues at home, they are highly likely to get distracted at work thereby reducing their performance. Also, parents can adopt family-friendly and work-friendly conditions to balance their lives.
To sum up, it is the work of the parents, employers, and the government to tackle the issues arising from both parents working. Parents should not be discouraged to work, but they should be assisted with work-life balance strategies. Not only will it improve the economic status of a country, but also the well-being of the children.
References
OECD Better Life Index (2017) Work Life Balance. Retrieved on 24 January 2017 from http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/topics/work-life-balance/
Strazdins, L., Lucas, N., Shipley, M., Mathews, B., Berry, H. L., Rodgers, B., & Davies, A. (2012). Parent and child wellbeing and the influence of work and family arrangements: a three cohort study.
