This dissertation investigates the work-life system through the lens of organizational culture. It is composed of four interrelated papers that are intended to complement one another but are written to stand alone. Chapter 1 provides a conceptual framework for the work-life system. Chapter 2 (NSCW Study) uses data from the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce to examine the linkages between employee and employee work characteristics and the use of work-life initiatives within different organizational cultures. Chapter 3 (NOS Study) uses data from the 2002 National Organizations Survey to examine the linkages between work-life initiatives and outcomes of organizational performance within different organizational cultures. Chapter 4 discusses policy implications, conclusions regarding typologies of organizational culture, data limitations and suggestions for future work-life research.
Both the NSCW and NOS Studies use factor analysis to identify measures of organizational culture and cluster analysis to identify types of organizations based on organizational culture. Logistic regression was used in the NSCW Study to determine that the use of education/training, working from home, paid vacation, flexible scheduling and health insurance are differently impacted by employee and employee work characteristics within a less favorable and a more favorable organizational culture. Ordinary least squares regression was used in the NOS Study to determine that work-life benefits had no significant impact on labor productivity, job security, job injury, and worker compensation within a morale-centric or environment-centric organizational culture. A statistically significant relationship only exists between work-life benefits and financial performance within an environment-centric organizational culture.