Women’s work: How mothers manage flexible working in careers and family life

Drawing on over 100 hours of interview data, this book is the first to go inside women’s work and family lives in a year of working flexibly.The private labours of going part-time, job sharing, and home working are brought to life with vivid personal stories.It explores contemporary motherhood, work-life balance, emotional work in families, couples and housework, maternity transitions, interactions with employers, work design and workplace cultures, and employment policies, concluding that there is an opportunity to make employment and family life work better together and offers unique insights from women’s lived experiences on how to do it.

Reviews of Women’s work: How mothers manage flexible working in careers and family life

"A vivid account of the trials and tribulations of professional mothers who aim to combine caring responsibilities with paid employment while desperately trying to cling onto their middle class dreams." Elisabeth Kelan, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University "Women's Work is in the very best tradition of policy-relevant social science research. Zoe Young's thoughtful and sensitive exploration enmeshes us skillfully in the everyday struggles and impressive resilience of women's lives." Ann Oakley, University College London Institute of Education