"Work-in-Life" : reconsidering work-life balance in Singapore

Abstract

This study examines how organizational control affects employees’ perception of work-life boundaries. The objective of this research is to provide insights on employees’ lived experiences and to reconsider the work-life balance debates. Despite the potential implications of work-life integration on their personal lives, employees’ demand for work-life balance remains strong. Therefore, by drawing on the discourse of organizational control and Foucault’s governmentality, this paper seeks to address why this is so. More importantly, this study attempts to uncover the larger social implications of organizational control on employees’ perceptions of work-life boundaries. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from twelve Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). The results reveal the importance of normative control on employees’ perception of work-life boundaries and highlight the integration between their work and personal selves. The findings then question the effectiveness of work-life balance policies on reducing work-life conflict and the necessity of the policies propagated by the government and corporations.