When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work

Abstract

The Time Bind: When Work Becomes Home and Home Becomes Work, from which this article is excerpted, is based on the author's field work at "Amerco," the fictitious name for a Fortune 500 company headquartered in the midwestern town of "Spotted Deer." It describes how employees at all levels of the corporation have handled the conflicting demands of family life and the workplace. This article demonstrates that even though Amerco has "family-friendly" policies, relatively few employees take advantage of them. Many appear to want to spend more time not at home but at the office.