Illusions and Ignorance About the Family-Responsive Workplace

Abstract

After reviewing the operational meaning of the “family-responsive” workplace and assessing relevant data about its extent, it is concluded that American businesses have made modest headway in instituting such practices and that it is illusory to expect that market solutions will deliver good or equitable family policy in the forseeable future. The economic benefits of these policies for businesses have not been demonstrated, and impending labor shortages offer uncertain promise of basic change in business policy. Considering the political weakness of “profamily” forces and the organizational and ideological obstacles they face, halting, uneven realization of the responsive workplace is predicted.