Work/family benefits: Variables related to employees' fairness perceptions

This study investigated relations between several individual (parental status and gender) and situational (organization size, task interdependence, and productivity maintenance) variables with perceptions of the fairness of work/family benefits. Benefit availability, personal use, and coworker use along with age and race were included as control variables. A total of 253 employees from a variety of organizations participated. Results indicated that age, race, personal use of flexible work arrangements, and task interdependence related to fairness perceptions of work/family benefits. Specifically, younger workers, minorities, those who had used flexible work arrangements, and workers in jobs requiring a greater degree of task interdependence had more favorable perceptions concerning work/family benefits than did older workers, Caucasians, individuals who had nor used flexible work arrangements, and those working in jobs requiring a lesser degree of task interdependence. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed. (C) 2001 Academic Press.