2010 UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND PUBLIC LECTURE, SENIOR WOMEN SEMINAR SERIES

BARBARA POCOCK, CENTRE FOR WORK + LIFE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

(my) Working life in universityA personal account of academic work in the larger

context of work/life in Australia in 2010

What I will talk about

Our context at work What work does to us

Some things I have learned…. 14 lessons

We all work in a context that shapes our possibilities

Work is part of the happiness story

Secret of happiness…

Someone to love Something to look forward to Something good to DO – a good ‘occupation’

How is work affecting us?

AWALI survey Annually around 2800 working Australians Randomised survey which is reasonably representative

Focusing on: Working hours Work hours preferences – who wants to work less or more? Quality of work (security, intensity, control) Management and supervision Consequences of poor work-life interaction

How do we measure work-life outcomes?

How often does work interfere: with activities outside work? with enough time with family or friends? with community connections

How frequently do we feel rushed and press for time?

How satisfied are we with our work-life balance?

Four years of AWALI

Who is negatively affected and how many?

Work negatively impacts on personal, family and community life for the majority of workers For ¼ of workers this is often or ‘almost always’ the

caseThe same groups of workers continue to

have the worse work-life outcomes

Women are more at risk of work-life strain

Combining work & care continues to be challenging

Managers & professionals have poor work-life outcomes

Those in service industries also worse

Working mothers rushed and pressed for time

Working fathers not immune

Time is of the essence ...

Long hours are a problem

Little appetite for longer hours for most

Around half of all workers do not have a good fit between actual & preferred hours

Many workers want to work less (by 4+ hours) 32% of women 40% of men

48+ hours 72% of men & 77% of women would like to work

less

Ideal work week – 35 hours

So that is (some of) the context….

Asked to talk about my career, I want to talk about my own career, in that larger context…

It shapes my possibilities like everyone else’s…

Many possible paths

We need women leaders, managers…..

Without them, perverted policy, research, learning….

But we don’t need them in a ‘careless’ image

My turn came

My pathway

2 years working on farms after yr 12 (1973-4)B Ec Hons Uni of Adelaide (1975-78)10 years in NSW – Reserve Bank, NSW Government women’s

employment and job creation programs; Research on women in Voc Ed; working for unions

Drifted into teaching adult workers about work in 1988First child 1990 (now 20)Phd, second child 1993 (now 17)All forms of leave (18 mths parental leave, unpaid leave, 1 yr

job share, part-time, extended leave….)Teaching and research academic 1989-2003Research Fellowship 2003-2007Moved to UniSA in 2006…

A plan, what plan?

Followed my values and inclinations: political change, justice, women

Worked out had to get Phd in late 30s amongst kids & work with lots of leave…., with lots of support Including a research grant

My family and friends most important things to me Had supportive partner Had healthy kids, and own health And money (good wage in 1.5 wage household)

Have got a great deal from work sense of self, friends, laughs, accomplishment, standing, money

Made many mistakes. Learned to forgive myself.

14 lessons

1. Know yourself

2. Know your workmates, team and environment

3. Have confidence in yourself

Not unreflectively, but… more often than not, women underestimate

themselves‘Back yourself’

4. Know when to step back

Consider the life cycle….Careers and the ‘care cycle’Many opportunities, over time….Many ways of having a great working life

without formal leadershipLeadership is almost always more stressful

than not leading

Know when to step off the trail

Know when to step off the trail….

Rest, rehydrate, re-armour yourself, reassess…

Or turn back

5. Make your own ‘way’

Interrupted leadershipEthical leadership

Often means questioning, challenging Very uncomfortable Often meets resistance and punishment

‘Sleep faster’?Making ‘Career limiting’ choices to:

Have kids Have friends Have a life Be healthy

6. Learn the skill of management

If you are a leader who must manage, learn to do it

A high order set of skillsEspecially pay attention to learning to

manage people wellBe ready to make change, even when it is

uncomfortable

7. Choose staff, colleagues carefully

These are the most important decisions you make

8. Choose boss carefully

Don’t be afraid to changeDon’t be afraid to ‘manage upward’,

assertively

9. Get good fit between values and situation

Fuels workMuch more pleasure to be hadDon’t be afraid to change

Unhappiness is often the first signal of poor fit Depression is often the second

10. Don’t take things personally

Distinguish between your self and your roleBut not too much:

Hitler’s generals did this too much (“I was only implementing orders”, “I was only implementing the ERA”)

11. Accept being unpopular, at times

Leaders, managers exercise powerAlmost all acts of power disadvantage

someoneYou will be criticised, right or wrong

women cop this more than men, especially from our sisters

and we take it in more…

12. Have a plan: without it you are sure to take longer and get lost

13. De-brief… Get supportRegularly, and in a 100% supportive environment

De-brief… Get support, organise, collectivise

14. Have a trusted mentor

Research shows…good outcomes flow from:

Taking leave Good supervisionSupportive workplace culturesAvoiding long hoursEmployee-centred flexibilityQuality jobs (control, security)Reasonable workloads

Keep perspective: ‘Most things don’t matter very much’