Harmonization of Paid Work and Family Life for Female Members of the Croatian Armed Forces

Abstract

Cilj ovog rada bio je utvrditi doživljaj stupnja usklađenosti plaćenog rada i obiteljskog života majki zaposlenih u obrambenom sustavu RH te ustanoviti radne, obiteljske, socijalne i demografske prediktore obje vrste interferencije, doživljaja interferencije plaćenog rada s obitelji i doživljaja interferencije obitelji s plaćenim radom. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku koji su činile 624 zaposlene majke, djelatne vojnikinje, dočasnice i časnice zaposlene u Ministarstvu obrane i Oružanim snagama RH. Rezultati pokazuju da zaposlene majke statistički značajno većim procjenjuju stupanj ometajućeg utjecaja plaćenog rada na obiteljski život nego što obiteljske obveze ometaju njihovo radno ponašanje. Odabrani prediktori objašnjavaju približno 38% varijance u procjenama ometajućeg utjecaja plaćenog rada na obiteljski život te 29% varijance u procjenama ometajućeg utjecaja obitelji na radno ponašanje. U predikciji interferencije plaćenog rada s obiteljskim životom najboljim su se prediktorima pokazale radne varijable (vremenski pritisak i konfliktnost zahtjeva na radnom mjestu, tjedno radno vrijeme, dani odvojenosti, sigurnost posla i dostupnost mjera organizacijske potpore), a značajan je i samostalni doprinos nekih obiteljskih varijabli (dob najmlađeg djeteta, vrijeme posvećeno obiteljskim obvezama i potreba skrbi za stare/nemoćne). U predikciji interferencije obiteljskog života s plaćenim radom značajnu snagu predikcije osim obiteljskih varijabli (dob najmlađeg djeteta, raspodjela obiteljskih obveza, potreba skrbi za stare/nemoćne, dostupnost pomoći šire obitelji i prijatelja), pokazale su i radne varijable (nedostatak ključnih informacija na radnom mjestu, sigurnost posla, vrijeme putovanja na posao, važnost posla i dani odvojenosti od obitelji ) te socijalna varijabla dostupnosti javnih usluga potpore obiteljima u mjestu prebivališta. Najznačajniji samostalni prediktor interferencije obitelji s plaćenim radom je radna varijabla nedostatak ključnih informacija na radnom mjestu.The aim of this study is to identify the perceived degree of harmonization of paid work and family life in employed mothers within the Croatian Armed Forces and to determine work, family, social and demographic predictors of both types of intereference, the perceived work to family intereference and the perceived family to work interference. Research was conducted on a sample of 624 employed mothers, active soldiers, NCOs and officers, employed in the Croatian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces. Results show that employed mothers perceived a significantly stronger degree of work to life interference than the degree to which family obligations interfered with their work behaviour. Chosen predictors explain about 38% of variance of evaluations in the interfering influence of work to family and 29% variance of evaluations in the interfering influence of family to work behaviour. In prediction of the work to family interference the best predictors proved to be work variables (time pressure and conflicting demands in the workplace, weekly working hours, days of seperation, job security and availability of organzational support measures), while the independant contribution of certain family variables (the age of the youngest sibling, time dedicated to family obligations and the need to care for the elderly/weak) also proved significant. In the prediction of family to work interference, beside family variables (the age of the youngest sibling, the apportionment of family obligations, the need to care for the elderly/weak, availability of assistance for the wider family and friends), work variables (lack of key information in the workplace, job security, time to commute to work, importance of work and days seperated from the family) also proved to be significant, as well as the social variable of availability of public services for supporting the family where they live. The most significant independant predictor of family to work interference is the work variable of a lack of information in the workplace