‘Setting boundaries’ often features in advice columns for managing romantic relationships. Delineating what you’re willing to compromise on can be a valuable activity to protect your energy and ensure the relationship is serving you. But what about when it comes to your relationships with your boss, colleagues or organisation?
In this article, we introduce the concept of Boundaried Workers and suggest tips for individuals to navigate work-life boundaries. Without further ado…
After extensive research, we’ve identified a group of professionals that we call the Boundaried Workers. They have essential commitments or factors in their life outside of their work, meaning they are ‘bound’ by responsibility; for example, illness, religion, or caring responsibilities.
Both men and women can be Boundaried Workers, but it’s much more common for women to become Boundaried Workers earlier in their careers. For instance, after the birth of a child, 90% of fathers return to full-time work, compared to only 20% of women. Similarly, when caring for elderly relatives, responsibilities fall on women a decade earlier than men.
These boundaries can cause a lack of availability of time, flexibility, or geographical mobility. These limits can impact an individual’s capacity to be fully flexible and adaptable to an organisation, hindering progression. When you think about how women make up 74% of part-time workers and are less likely to work abroad than men, the pieces that make up the Boundaried Worker puzzle start to come together.
In theory, an inclusive workplace culture should bend and flex to the worker’s needs. What happens in practice can vary greatly.
Unfortunately, this reality means that Boundaried Workers often feel that they have lost out on opportunities to progress at work because of their boundaries. They might feel that their manager has – unconsciously or consciously – rewarded others with a boundless work style.