Summary

The need for employers to become more 'family-friendly', and to support 'work-life balance' is now widely accepted. It is on the agenda of senior managers, policy-makers, the UK government and the EU. Yet this study shows that many line managers are tackling these issues without adequate training in how to respond to their employees' needs and requests for flexible working arrangements. Based on interviews with over 100 managers in over 30 workplaces, this report:·[vbTab]focuses on the role of line managers in implementing family-friendly employment policies;·[vbTab]considers day-to-day issues that arise, as employees and managers negotiate appropriate responses;·[vbTab]explores the relationship between managers' personal attributes, attitudes and experiences and the organisational and policy context in which they operate.