Work-Life Inclusion: Employee Experiences Across the Life Course

How can organizations and human resource practitioners view employee life-work experiences, across the life-course? What new considerations might emerge through more dynamic frameworks that include the changing needs of employees throughout their work lives? For decades, research on Human Resources Management (HRM) frameworks has largely reflected approaches driven by the presumption of employee needs and experiences, based on status quo expectations. Workplace policies designed from these assumptions constitute employee privilege based on marital and parental status, and the unequal, inequitable treatment of historically marginalized groups. The emergence of EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion)/DEIBAJ+ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, Access, Justice & Beyond) frameworks has heightened awareness, and encouraged organizations to adopt more inclusive approaches to HR policy and organizational culture. However, HR perspectives most often do not take into account the needs of employees who live outside of status quo identities, whether at different life stages (as traditionally/socially presumed), or permanently. Our guests today will offer listeners in-depth perspectives around the need for and impact of multi-disciplinary HRM frameworks, which span the life-course. We will be in conversation with Dr. Krystal Wilkinson, co-editor of the 2024 book: 'Work-Life Inclusion: Broadening Perspectives Across the Life-Course' (Emerald Publishing), and Dr. Robin Hadley, who contributed to the book, and addresses the experiences of childless men in the workplace. We'll discuss the importance of these expanding perspectives for HR practitioners, the challenges of and possibilities for creating an inclusive workplace, and specific considerations for lesser acknowledged work-life realities. Tune in live to learn more!