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Sustainable Working Lives pp 87–105Cite as

Socialization into Organizations and Balancing Work and Family

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Part of the book series: Aligning Perspectives on Health, Safety and Well-Being ((AHSW))

Abstract

Organizational transitions represent particularly important challenges for both employees and employers. The present chapter summarizes and contextualizes the demands and outcomes of organizational socialization processes. With respect to socialization outcomes, we differentiate between proximal and distal outcomes as well as between work-related and health-related outcomes. We embed organizational socialization and individual self-regulatory strategies in the broader life context of the individual by drawing specific attention to the family domain. The return to work after maternity leave is selected as a sample case to demonstrate how both work-related and family-related experiences and characteristics impact occupational adjustment processes in young adulthood. Finally, we make suggestions how empirical findings on the work-family interplay might be integrated into new organizational socialization programs and initiatives.

The work on this chapter was made possible by a grant to the first author from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF; Grant-No.: PP00P1_123530) as well as by a grant to the second author from Suzanne and Hans Biaesch Foundation. In addition, while preparing the chapter, both authors were members of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research “LIVES – Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives” (also funded by the SNF). The second author has a post-doctoral position financed by this latter grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Bettina S. Wiese

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Michaela Knecht

Authors
  1. Bettina S. Wiese
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  2. Michaela Knecht
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Correspondence to Bettina S. Wiese .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Development of Work and Organizations, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland

    Jukka Vuori

  2. TNO Sustainable Productivity and Employability, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Roland Blonk

  3. Department of Psychology, Organizational Studies, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Richard H. Price

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Wiese, B.S., Knecht, M. (2015). Socialization into Organizations and Balancing Work and Family. In: Vuori, J., Blonk, R., Price, R. (eds) Sustainable Working Lives. Aligning Perspectives on Health, Safety and Well-Being. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9798-6_6

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