Care for the self, overcompensation and bodily crafting: The work–life balance of disabled people

doi:10.1111/gwao.12531

Paper

Care for the self, overcompensation and bodily crafting: The work–life balance of disabled people

Published 2020 · E. Jammaers, Jannine Williams

Gender, Work & Organization

Q1 SJR score

15

Citations

1

Influential Citations

Full textSemantic Scholar

Abstract

This article argues that studies on work–life balance have neglected the impact of the self‐care needs of disabled people in managing their health in and outside the workplace. Taking a social constructionist approach, we outline how the heteronormative discourse of work–life balance is not only gendered but also ableist in that it assumes an individual who is able‐bodied. By analysing the narratives of 66 male and female employees with a broad range of impairments, this article investigates how they experience work–life balance issues and reflects on how gender intersects with these. It further highlights the strategies disabled people develop, conceptualizing the individualized work of ‘bodily crafting’ that is undertaken to articulate work and life. Through the perspective of the Othered body, we extend current critical debates on fitness and health discourses in organizations.

Study Snapshot

Disabled people experience work-life balance issues differently, highlighting the need for individualized self-care strategies and highlighting the importance of 'bodily crafting' to manage health in and outside the workplace.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

Paper

Care for the self, overcompensation and bodily crafting: The work–life balance of disabled people

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