TITLE:
Can We Manage a Balance between Care and Employment?—The Compatibility of Informal Care and Employment at the Alpen-Adria University
AUTHORS:
Nadja Frate, Brigitte Jenull
KEYWORDS:
Informal Care, Employment, Compatibility
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Applied Sociology,
Vol.5 No.7,
July
24,
2015
ABSTRACT: Thedemographic trend confronts the younger generation with the decision to care for family members. The care of a loved one is seen as not only a challenge but also a burden. The aim of the present study is to investigate the compatibility of care and employment in the university context by a multilevel triangulations design. First we determined the amount of persons concerned by all staff members of the Alpen-Adria University (AAU) (n = 919). Subsequently we discussed the problems in depth with ten employees. The results show that 11% of the employees are caring for a family member and are exposed to a variety of burden. In addition to physical and mental disorders, there are changes in the work style. The affected employees kept the care secret and formulated fears of job loss and degradation of efficiency. These results formed the basis for expert interviews (n = 7) and the development of concrete solutions.