Advances and ambivalences : organisational support to work-life balance in a police service

This article studies organisational support to work-life balance in a demanding work environment: a municipal police service in Québec. Based on case study methodology involving a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with police officers and agents, the findings substantiate the importance for organisations to offer formal and informal support to employees in the work environment with regard to work-life balance. While support among colleagues and supervisors is significant, we observed that supervisor support is often insufficient. Our research goes beyond the statement that informal support is important as was highlighted in previous research. It shows how this may and does occur with colleagues filling in for the lack of supervisors and bringing supervisors to accept schedule changes when agreed between colleagues. The findings should lead employers to develop programs and measures for employees who face work-family conflict