Men Report Changed Attitudes Toward Work And Life

At last some hard data on what men want from life and work! The results of a study released in October 2004 titled “Generation & Gender in the Workplace” documents many things that change the equation regarding workplace attitudes. It was conducted by the Families and Work Institute and sponsored and funded by the American Business Collaboration (ABC), a group of eight major businesses, including two accounting/consulting firms, that believe collaboration can accomplish more than working alone.

The study contains rigorous research comparing the results of this 2002 study by generation and gender with 1977 and 1992 studies by the Families and Work Institute and the U.S. Department of Labor. While there is a plethora of data to chew on, some surprising and some confirming, the attitudes showing the most dramatic changes are from young men ' Generations X and Y ' as compared with Baby Boomers and Matures. I focus on the attitudes and objectives of young men because the spotlight regarding workplace flexibility has mostly been, both in organizations and in the media, on women ' predominantly mothers. Men have been mostly silent on their wants and feelings. Those of us who work on flexibility issues have had to ask for years, “Where are the men?”

When decision-makers in the workplace recognize that for the most part work and life objectives of both genders of the younger generations are similar, even though men are reluctant to speak up, the need to address changes in attitudes and responsibilities for everyone will be obvious and unavoidable.

Here are some of the most significant findings, particularly as related to men:

• Fathers' time with children has increased dramatically, especially for Gen X dads. Women's time spent with children has stayed the same, suggesting that children are getting more attention (if the attention is not diluted by multi-tasking).
• Generation X men spend significantly more time with their children than Boomer and Mature generation men, even adjusting the data to compare all fathers (regardless of generation) having children of the same age. Those of Gen Y with children spend even more time.
• 63% of Gen Y employees disagree that traditional gender roles are better.
• Men, but not women, have changed views on maternal employment.
• 82% of all Gen Y employees agree that a working mother can have as good a relationship with her children as a non-working mother.
• Married men spent significantly more workday's time on household chores in 2002 than 1977, which enabled women to reduce the time they spent.
• Employed women still do much more than men, working “two shifts” at work and home.

Nonetheless, law firms need to acknowledge and support men's changed responsibilities and behavior in their personal lives. Flexibility is a significant issue for both men and women.

Work-Centric v. Family-Centric

The “Generation & Gender in the Workplace” study compared the views of people who characterized themselves as “work-centric” vs. “family-centric” or “dual-centric” (managing demands on them in a way that serves both work and family well, regularly shifting priorities). The questions relevant to this issue asked in the survey are, “How often do you feel you put your job before your family?” and “How often do you feel you put your family before your job?”

Reasons why Gen X and Y might be more family- or dual-centric include:

• Firsthand experience with a working mother; witnessing parents being down-sized after pouring their heart and soul into work;
• Reaction to the all-consuming demands of the 24/7 global economy; and
• The impact of 9/11, which has caused them to re-examine their priorities.

Some key findings on this subject are:

• Of the generations, Matures were the most likely to be dual-centric.
• Boomers are the generation most likely to be work-centric.
• Gen X and Gen Y are more likely to be dual-centric or family-centric than work-centric. In the survey, 50% of Gen Y and 52% of Gen X put family first. And remember that relatively few Gen Y workers have children yet, so this is a strong value they hold and vision of how they want to live their lives. One would expect that Gen X might be the most family-centric as they are in prime childbearing years.
• Dual-centric or family centric employees have significantly better life and job satisfaction and mental health than the work-centric. That's a win-win situation for both employee and employer.

Though one might assume that employers (read “law firms”) want their personnel to be focusing on work to the exclusion or neglect, if necessary, of other things in their lives, achieving that state might be a pyrrhic victory given the costs of work stress on productivity and potential increase in health care costs.

In part two, next month, results from the study on men and women's ambition to take on positions of responsibility ' results that may suprise you

At last some hard data on what men want from life and work! The results of a study released in October 2004 titled “Generation & Gender in the Workplace” documents many things that change the equation regarding workplace attitudes. It was conducted by the Families and Work Institute and sponsored and funded by the American Business Collaboration (ABC), a group of eight major businesses, including two accounting/consulting firms, that believe collaboration can accomplish more than working alone.

The study contains rigorous research comparing the results of this 2002 study by generation and gender with 1977 and 1992 studies by the Families and Work Institute and the U.S. Department of Labor. While there is a plethora of data to chew on, some surprising and some confirming, the attitudes showing the most dramatic changes are from young men ' Generations X and Y ' as compared with Baby Boomers and Matures. I focus on the attitudes and objectives of young men because the spotlight regarding workplace flexibility has mostly been, both in organizations and in the media, on women ' predominantly mothers. Men have been mostly silent on their wants and feelings. Those of us who work on flexibility issues have had to ask for years, “Where are the men?”

When decision-makers in the workplace recognize that for the most part work and life objectives of both genders of the younger generations are similar, even though men are reluctant to speak up, the need to address changes in attitudes and responsibilities for everyone will be obvious and unavoidable.

Here are some of the most significant findings, particularly as related to men:

• Fathers' time with children has increased dramatically, especially for Gen X dads. Women's time spent with children has stayed the same, suggesting that children are getting more attention (if the attention is not diluted by multi-tasking).
• Generation X men spend significantly more time with their children than Boomer and Mature generation men, even adjusting the data to compare all fathers (regardless of generation) having children of the same age. Those of Gen Y with children spend even more time.
• 63% of Gen Y employees disagree that traditional gender roles are better.
• Men, but not women, have changed views on maternal employment.
• 82% of all Gen Y employees agree that a working mother can have as good a relationship with her children as a non-working mother.
• Married men spent significantly more workday's time on household chores in 2002 than 1977, which enabled women to reduce the time they spent.
• Employed women still do much more than men, working “two shifts” at work and home.

Nonetheless, law firms need to acknowledge and support men's changed responsibilities and behavior in their personal lives. Flexibility is a significant issue for both men and women.

Work-Centric v. Family-Centric

The “Generation & Gender in the Workplace” study compared the views of people who characterized themselves as “work-centric” vs. “family-centric” or “dual-centric” (managing demands on them in a way that serves both work and family well, regularly shifting priorities). The questions relevant to this issue asked in the survey are, “How often do you feel you put your job before your family?” and “How often do you feel you put your family before your job?”

Reasons why Gen X and Y might be more family- or dual-centric include:

• Firsthand experience with a working mother; witnessing parents being down-sized after pouring their heart and soul into work;
• Reaction to the all-consuming demands of the 24/7 global economy; and
• The impact of 9/11, which has caused them to re-examine their priorities.

Some key findings on this subject are:

• Of the generations, Matures were the most likely to be dual-centric.
• Boomers are the generation most likely to be work-centric.
• Gen X and Gen Y are more likely to be dual-centric or family-centric than work-centric. In the survey, 50% of Gen Y and 52% of Gen X put family first. And remember that relatively few Gen Y workers have children yet, so this is a strong value they hold and vision of how they want to live their lives. One would expect that Gen X might be the most family-centric as they are in prime childbearing years.
• Dual-centric or family centric employees have significantly better life and job satisfaction and mental health than the work-centric. That's a win-win situation for both employee and employer.

Though one might assume that employers (read “law firms”) want their personnel to be focusing on work to the exclusion or neglect, if necessary, of other things in their lives, achieving that state might be a pyrrhic victory given the costs of work stress on productivity and potential increase in health care costs.

In part two, next month, results from the study on men and women's ambition to take on positions of responsibility ' results that may suprise you