The New Normal: All in the Family

It was so prevalent, so everyday that most of us (well, at least most of us old enough to live through the time), never really even thought about it. From Father Knows Best to Leave It To Beaver to even All In The Family (Archie Bunker’s family if you recall), it was a given. And systems of society were built around it. (If you’d like a little trip down memory lane, just go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Knows_Best, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_it_to_Beaver, and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_the_Family.)

What, pray tell, is the ‘given’? A traditional family structure where dad went off to work and mom stayed home, running the household and raising the children. Nearly two-thirds of American households in past generations fit this model.

But, my oh my, have times changed. Today, only 17 percent of U.S. households fall into this traditional model, which makes most of us nontraditional, I guess. (Yep, I’m one of the 83% in the nontraditional family structure camp.) And if you think about it, a whole crop of consumer products and services has responded in kind. There are lots of day care centers, more restaurants than ever (did you know that Americans now spend half of their food budgets eating out?), merry maid services, easy-to-put-on-the-table packaged meals, dog walking services, and on and on all targeting this new family normal.

But there is one laggard in the group—one really big, giant part of U.S. society that hasn’t quite grasped this yet. And chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you are a part of it: big business. The very organizations that you and I and, well, millions of us work for, the companies who contrarily produce goods and services to serve this new reality, aren’t themselves organized to structurally respond to it. Not-a-one.

There have been some who have made dents, but not-a-one has structurally changed their traditional workplace (think a continual climb up the corporate ladder, 40 or so hours a week, in the office (no matter how long your commute), breaks in employment only for a few and by exception, etc.) to align with the nontraditional needs that most of us have today. Many are well-intentioned for sure, doing things ‘on the margin’ like flexible work arrangements (that carry their own baggage as many of us well know!), some telecommuting (particularly on Fridays), etc. but no one has figured out that, well, the workforce has changed forever, and now, too, must the workplace.

We think it’s a worthy cause to take on—and it’s about time that someone did something so that concepts like off-ramps and opt-ins don’t have to be part of our realities. Whatta ya think? Is it worth it? Could it ever be? 

Cathy

By blogger Cathy Benko, Deloitte LLP

Comments

[JD in San Jose]

I first met you, (from a distance) at the PBWC conference in 2005. The session was on Worklife Balance and how companies tackle that issue. I recall an extensive segment on Deloitte's strategy for managing this modern phenom and was fascinated with what I heard. It fascinated me to the point of pursuing a career with Deloitte. Please keep up the great work as this is sorely needed in our hectic lives.

[Jim in Hermitage]

I'm not sure what to suggest. In a way, I'm from one of those 17% traditional households, but for non-traditional reasons. My spouse is caregiver for her parents in our home. But at the same time I feel the compelling need to help move to a greater level of support for non-traditional needs. It's hard. It means giving up traditional control of your subordinates. You have to trust them to a degree not seen much and figure out how to check up on them when your trust isn't high enough.

The changes have to flow through the structure and the sinew of the organization as well. Figuring out how to accommodate different people rotating through a single assignment while not diminishing quality and levels of service, smoothing transitions, juggling resource availability as never before. Today's businesses are extended groups of complex systems bound together, from Human Resource to accounting to customer service, all interlocked into an operational collage of confusing mutual dependence. What this new world requires is a complete redesign of the systems to operate according to the needs of the new workers. I expect that highly structured companies will have a harder time with the changes. The cheese hasn't just been moved. Something else has been substituted for the cheese.

[Anonymous]

I work extremely hard. I log in from home when I'm 'off' to follow up on projects and I offer to work on weekends to meet our customer's satisfaction. But when my kids get sick, it's usually a rollercoaster. One gets sick, the next gets sick, before you know it I'M SICK TOO! There have been one or two weeks when I've had to miss several days for doctor's appointments or what have you. Regardless of how much I contribute, I still feel guilty. Every day I have to miss because I have to be MOM instead of EMPLOYEE, I feel like someone is marking another point off my performance rating. The work place needs to change. No doubt about it.

[Anonymous in Boston]

Since the portrayal of the traditional family’s priorities have changed, so too will the working world’s persona change as well. Whether it is sooner than later, is the valid question, however people are the chief resource of any company, and if people are going to change their makeup of what is important, so will the company. Those companies that fail to do that will potentially fail in business. If you treat people right, they will produce better and more time efficient work. I am pleased to see the glass ceiling is being lifted by those women who have worked so tremendously hard to pave the way for the many others that will follow them. Having to be that much smarter, that much faster, and that much better than many of their co-workers, time will reap rewards.

[Diane in Las Vegas]

This topic will remain on the back burner of business until women in the work environment become a complete partner in business. That means women must move from the "poor me" class, looking for ways to change the system to accomodate their needs, to ibeing in such demand that the workplace will change as a result of their accomplishments. Corporate America in the US cannot compete with international markets if its constantly worried about how to accomodate are needs for more flexible schedules. Women must do better, faster, smarter and without all the drama that is woman in order to help US Corporations compete. Once we can gain an advantage then we can put in for a flexible vacation schedule!

[Kevin in St. Louis]

Much of this issue comes down to how companies measure performance/contribution. For all the bright minds in business, there is still a lot of tactical thinking when it comes to managing people. The "what have you done for me lately" mindset is just as prevalent as ever. One step in getting past the issue is to expand the way performance is measured. Why just look at it quarter to quarter, or year to year? Why not look at it over five years? Taking a more strategic view will allow a more accurate measurement of total contribution. In turn, that will allow more flexibility for when people need time for temporary "rest stops" in their careers.