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Work-life balance and male lawyers: a socially constructed and dynamic process

Galina Boiarintseva (School of Human Resources Management, York University, Toronto, Canada)
Julia Richardson (School of Management, Curtin University, Perth, Australia)

Personnel Review

ISSN: 0048-3486

Article publication date: 2 May 2019

Issue publication date: 23 May 2019

1243

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to theorize men’s experiences of work-life balance in male-dominated, high-performance industries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study provides an in-depth qualitative study comprising interviews and informal conversations with male lawyers in Canada.

Findings

This study highlights the socially constructed nature of male lawyers’ experiences of work-life balance and the recursive impact of industry, professional and societal expectations and norms.

Research limitations/implications

A relatively small sample size, suggesting the need for further study with a larger and more diverse sample. The study was conducted in Canada – other national contexts may furnish different results.

Practical implications

This study identifies the need for greater awareness of how institutional, professional and societal expectations and norms impact on men’s experiences of work-life balance in male-dominated, high-performance industries.

Social implications

This paper indicates that greater attention needs to be paid to work-life balance among men in male-dominated, high-performance industries.

Originality/value

This paper explores men’s experiences of work-life balance in a male-dominated industry within an interpretivist paradigm.

Keywords

Citation

Boiarintseva, G. and Richardson, J. (2019), "Work-life balance and male lawyers: a socially constructed and dynamic process", Personnel Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 866-879. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-02-2017-0038

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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