Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility

Download Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : DIANE Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1437936202
Total Pages : 35 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (379 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility by : Christina Romer

Download or read book Work-Life Balance and the Economics of Workplace Flexibility written by Christina Romer and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2011 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Workplace Flexibility

Download Workplace Flexibility PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 0801457203
Total Pages : 423 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (14 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Workplace Flexibility by : Kathleen Christensen

Download or read book Workplace Flexibility written by Kathleen Christensen and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2011-03-15 with total page 423 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although today's family has changed, the workplace has not—and the resulting one-size-fits-all workplace has become profoundly mismatched to the needs of an increasingly diverse and varied workforce. As changes in the composition of the workforce exert new demands on employers, considerable attention is being paid to how workplaces can be structured more flexibly to achieve the goals of employers and employees. Workplace Flexibility brings together sixteen essays authored by leading experts in economics, demography, political science, law, sociology, anthropology, and management. Collectively, they make the case for workplace flexibility, as well as examine existing business practices and public policy regarding flexibility in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan. Workplace Flexibility underscores the need to realign the structure of work in time and place with the needs of the changing workforce. Considering the positive and negative consequences for employer and employee alike, the authors argue that, although there is not an easy solution to creating and implementing flexibility practices—in the United States or abroad—redesigning the workplace is essential if today's workers are effectively to meet the demands of life and work and if employers are successfully able to attract and retain top talent and improve performance.

Work, Family, and Workplace Flexibility

Download Work, Family, and Workplace Flexibility PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : SAGE
ISBN 13 : 1452225346
Total Pages : 184 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (522 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Work, Family, and Workplace Flexibility by : Kathleen Christensen

Download or read book Work, Family, and Workplace Flexibility written by Kathleen Christensen and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2011-10-10 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains a collection of articles that examines workplace flexibility, work-family conflict, and workers' increasing lack of leisure time and how it pertains to long-term U.S. national stability. The contributors argue that current workplaces are not meeting the needs of today's workers, and the lack of workplace flexibility is having huge human capital costs that are affecting every sector of society. They explore how flexibility, despite having fixed costs, can be an effective tool for attracting and retaining employees and increasing productivity -- the key being to make the workplace flexible in ways that are profitable for employers and also engage workers to feel more satisfied and committed to their jobs.

The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family

Download The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199337535
Total Pages : 529 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (993 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family by : Tammy D. Allen

Download or read book The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family written by Tammy D. Allen and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Oxford Handbook of Work and Family features 35 chapters from leading scholars that focus on the worker, family, organization, community, and how these issues intersect. It includes razor-sharp reviews of long-standing topics of interest, fresh ideas to propel work-family research in new directions, and evidence-based practical recommendations to improve organizational practices.

The Future of Work: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review

Download The Future of Work: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harvard Business Press
ISBN 13 : 1647822297
Total Pages : 88 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (478 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Future of Work: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review by : Harvard Business Review

Download or read book The Future of Work: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review written by Harvard Business Review and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2021-08-17 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The future is here. How is your organization responding? Amid the turbulence of a global pandemic, worldwide social justice movements, and accelerated digital transformation, one thing is clear—work will no longer be the same. Employees now expect a flexible, inclusive workplace and a deeper connection to their employer. Organizations must commit to doing good for their people and communities. What should you and your company be doing to adapt? The Future of Work: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review will provide you with today's most essential thinking about creating a work-from-anywhere organization, harnessing AI as part of your team, creating an inclusive culture, and building a purpose-driven organization. Business is changing. Will you adapt or be left behind? Get up to speed and deepen your understanding of the topics that are shaping your company's future with the Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review series. Featuring HBR's smartest thinking on fast-moving issues—blockchain, cybersecurity, AI, and more—each book provides the foundational introduction and practical case studies your organization needs to compete today and collects the best research, interviews, and analysis to get it ready for tomorrow. You can't afford to ignore how these issues will transform the landscape of business and society. The Insights You Need series will help you grasp these critical ideas—and prepare you and your company for the future.

Flexibility at Work

Download Flexibility at Work PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Gower Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN 13 : 9780566082597
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (825 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Flexibility at Work by : Peter Andrew Reilly

Download or read book Flexibility at Work written by Peter Andrew Reilly and published by Gower Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2001 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flexibility at Work shows you how to obtain the business benefits of flexibility whilst addressing the needs of both employer and employee. Peter Reilly breaks down flexibility into five different types, from functional through to financial. He introduces a model of how mutual flexibility might be developed and the preconditions necessary to make it successful. Along the way he cites much evidence of how employers are introducing alternative working arrangements that provide benefits to both parties.Flexibility can reduce costs, improve quality and service, increase productivity, hedge against change, and meet supply needs.

The Flexible Workplace

Download The Flexible Workplace PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 0313004196
Total Pages : 220 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (13 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Flexible Workplace by : Christine Avery

Download or read book The Flexible Workplace written by Christine Avery and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2000-10-30 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flextime, telecommuting, compressed work week, job sharing, downshifting, and hot desking—these terms are infiltrating our vocabulary at an increasing rate, keeping pace with change in the workplace. Although there is a large body of literature on the changing nature of work and workplace flexibility, there is no handbook that synthesizes the research on all aspects of this topic. Pulling together the vast literature on this subject, Avery and Zabel explain the concept of flexible work, trace the origin and growth of this workplace trend, and review the research on a range of flexible work arrangements. Workplace flexibility is international in scope. Companies, both in the United States and abroad, have become increasingly interested in implementing flexible work arrangements. The authors include a chapter on companies in North America, Western Europe, and the United Kingdom that have been leaders in implementing flexible work arrangements. They identify areas ripe for additional research, suggest a broad array of resources, and discuss strategies for locating additional information, including relevant databases, Internet resources, organizations, and search terms. This is a valuable handbook for managers, researchers, and students working or studying in the areas of human resource management, industrial/organizational psychology, and the sociology of work.

The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace

Download The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : BabyDreamers.net
ISBN 13 : 1776983726
Total Pages : 39 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (769 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace by : Aurora Brooks

Download or read book The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace written by Aurora Brooks and published by BabyDreamers.net. This book was released on 101-01-01 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace is a groundbreaking book that explores the transformative impact of flexible work arrangements on the modern workplace. In this short read, you will discover how working dads are challenging traditional gender roles and reshaping the way we think about work-life balance. The book begins by examining the shifting gender roles in society and how they have paved the way for working dads to take a more active role in parenting. It delves into the benefits of paternity leave, highlighting how it not only benefits fathers but also promotes gender equality and reduces gender stereotypes. One of the key themes explored in this book is the importance of supportive work cultures. It discusses how companies can create an environment that encourages flexibility and accommodates the needs of working dads. From flexible work arrangements to on-site childcare facilities, the book explores various strategies that organizations can adopt to support working dads. The book also delves into the challenges and barriers that working dads face in the workplace. It addresses the stigma and discrimination that can be associated with men taking on caregiving responsibilities and offers insights on how to overcome these obstacles. It also emphasizes the importance of support networks, both within the workplace and outside, and how they can contribute to the success of working dads. Throughout the book, you will find inspiring success stories of working dads who have successfully integrated work and family life. These stories serve as a testament to the power of flexibility and provide practical tips and advice for other working dads. Looking towards the future, the book explores the impact of technological advancements and changing family structures on the workplace. It discusses how these trends will continue to shape the way we work and the opportunities they present for working dads. In conclusion, The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the evolving dynamics of the modern workplace. Whether you are a working dad, a manager, or an advocate for gender equality, this book offers valuable insights and practical strategies for creating a more flexible and inclusive work environment. Have questions or comments? The book also includes a Frequently Asked Questions section where you can find answers to common queries. This title is a short read. A Short Read is a type of book that is designed to be read in one quick sitting. These no fluff books are perfect for people who want an overview about a subject in a short period of time. Table of Contents The Power of Flexibility: How Working Dads are Changing the Workplace Shifting Gender Roles Benefits of Paternity Leave Improved Work-Life Balance Reducing Gender Stereotypes Supportive Work Cultures Flexible Work Arrangements Childcare Facilities Advocacy and Policy Changes Government Initiatives Corporate Policies Challenges and Barriers Stigma and Discrimination Workplace Culture Support Networks Peer Support Managerial Support Workplace Flexibility Initiatives Flextime Telecommuting Success Stories Leading by Example Work-Life Integration Future Trends Technological Advancements Changing Family Structures Conclusion Frequently Asked Questions Have Questions / Comments?

Mothers Unite!

Download Mothers Unite! PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 0801467454
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (14 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Mothers Unite! by : Jocelyn Elise Crowley

Download or read book Mothers Unite! written by Jocelyn Elise Crowley and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2013-05-24 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Mothers Unite!, a bold and hopeful new rallying cry for changing the relationship between home and the workplace, Jocelyn Elise Crowley envisions a genuine, universal world of workplace flexibility that helps mothers who stay at home, those who work part time, and those who work full time balance their commitments to their jobs and their families. Achieving this goal, she argues, will require a broad-based movement that harnesses the energy of existing organizations of mothers that already support workplace flexibility in their own ways. Crowley examines the efforts of five diverse national mothers' organizations: Mocha Moms, which aims to assist mothers of color; Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), which stresses the promotion of Christian values; Mothers & More, which emphasizes support for those moving in and out of the paid workforce; MomsRising, which focuses on online political advocacy; and the National Association of Mothers' Centers (NAMC), which highlights community-based networking. After providing an engaging and detailed account of the history, membership profiles, strategies, and successes of each of these organizations, Crowley suggests actions that will allow greater workplace flexibility to become a viable reality and points to many opportunities to promote intergroup mobilization and unite mothers once and for all.

Flexibility at Work

Download Flexibility at Work PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 0230581935
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (35 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Flexibility at Work by : V. Pulignano

Download or read book Flexibility at Work written by V. Pulignano and published by Springer. This book was released on 2008-09-02 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An examination of the form and character of recent transformations in the international automobile industry. Using comparative and national-based case study analysis, it explores the nature of such recent developments (outsourcing, modularization, high performance workplaces, etc.) and their impact on issues in the sector on a world scale.

Flexible Work

Download Flexible Work PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000042693
Total Pages : 231 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Flexible Work by : Sarah H. Norgate

Download or read book Flexible Work written by Sarah H. Norgate and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-03-27 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flexible Work: Designing Our Healthier Future Lives examines flexible working through the lens of social science, in particular using psychological perspective to address not only what forms of flexible working there are and how they are evolving but also their prospect in the future of work. Bringing together views from thought-leaders and underpinned by research evidence, this book addresses two of the most fundamental business challenges for large and medium organisations – mental health and productivity – calling for the bridging of science and policy to design flexible working for our future healthier lives. Growing from these foundations, this book explains the latest landscape in flexible working, looking at employee psychological health and productivity, including showing up for work sick. Perspectives are provided from around the world on leadership, line management, ‘over attachment’ with technology, commuting, skill-based inequality and control over working time. Readers are offered insights into the relevance of flexible working for a diverse workforce – invisible disabilities, disabilities, older workers and blended families. Throughout, the book offers suggestions for shaping future policy, practice and research. Each chapter concludes with recommendations, making this essential reading for students, academics, human resource practitioners, policy-influencers, policymakers and professionals interested in flexible work.

Flexibility at Work

Download Flexibility at Work PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 9781138728820
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (288 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Flexibility at Work by : PETER. REILLY

Download or read book Flexibility at Work written by PETER. REILLY and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-03-31 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title was first published in 2000. Workplace flexibility polarizes opinion; it is either a necessary prerequisite to survival in the global market or a means by which the rights of workers are eroded. The difference comes from a lack of shared understanding of the concept. Organizations need to get to grips with flexibility, not only to address business problems and cope with legal regulations, but also to respond to the pressures of workforce diversity and labour market tightness. Flexibility at Work brings clarity to this misunderstood subject. It will show you how to obtain the business benefits of flexibility through an approach which addresses the needs of both employer and employee. Peter Reilly breaks down flexibility into five different types, from functional through to financial. He introduces a model of how mutual flexibility might be developed and the preconditions necessary to make it successful. Along the way he cites much evidence of how employers are introducing alternative working arrangements that provide benefits to both parties. Flexibility can reduce costs, improve quality and service, increase productivity, hedge against change, and meet supply needs. Can you afford to ignore the benefits it will bring?

The Flexibility Stigma

Download The Flexibility Stigma PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell
ISBN 13 : 9781118789278
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (892 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Flexibility Stigma by : Joan C. Williams

Download or read book The Flexibility Stigma written by Joan C. Williams and published by Wiley-Blackwell. This book was released on 2013-07-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compendium of research studies from some of the most prominent researchers studying the dynamics of workplace flexibility in organizational psychology, sociology, and law. They explore gender inequality in access to and rewards/punishments from flexible work schedules, paid leave, and telecommuting.

Organisational Flexibility and Competitiveness

Download Organisational Flexibility and Competitiveness PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 8132216687
Total Pages : 358 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (322 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Organisational Flexibility and Competitiveness by : M. K. Nandakumar

Download or read book Organisational Flexibility and Competitiveness written by M. K. Nandakumar and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2014-03-20 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The proposed book is intended to provide a conceptual framework of ‘Organisational Flexibility and Competitiveness’ supported by research studies in various types of flexibilities exhibited by an organisation. The need for enterprise flexibility in an era of rapidly advancing technology, increasing competition, and globalization, is apparent. Flexibility can be thought of as an ability of the enterprise to quickly and efficiently respond to market changes and to bring new products and services quickly to the market place. Beyond this definition, a truly flexible enterprise should proactively change the market through its ability to create truly new and innovative products and services. The book applies the concept of flexibility to various functional areas: strategy and competitiveness, organization and HR management, information systems, finance and risk management, operations and supply chain management.

Solving the Childcare and Flexibility Puzzle

Download Solving the Childcare and Flexibility Puzzle PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Universal-Publishers
ISBN 13 : 1599428687
Total Pages : 123 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (994 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Solving the Childcare and Flexibility Puzzle by : Arthur C. Emlen

Download or read book Solving the Childcare and Flexibility Puzzle written by Arthur C. Emlen and published by Universal-Publishers. This book was released on 2010 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shines a light on the dynamics of parental decisions and discovers a remarkable ability. Disputing idealized professional measures as irrelevant to the everyday life of most families, Professor Emlen describes detailed evidence from his own research and arrives at a simple but profound conclusion: that parents have a propensity to make the best choices possible. It all depends on how much flexibility they can marshal from work schedules, shared family efforts, and helpful providers of childcare. Based on successful measurement of childcare quality from a parent's point of view, the findings show that as parents solve their flexibility puzzle, the more flexibility from any or all sources, the better the quality of care. Emlen gives the familiar concept of flexibility new scope and depth, as a necessity for any planned activity, as a resource that comes from multiple sources within the immediate environment, and as a creative problem-solving ability that parents possess. This satisfying explanation of parental choice contradicts prevailing opinion and has pivotal importance for policy. Emlen traces how an influential vanguard within the childcare profession gave parents a bum rap that led to bad policy, as advocates sought a system of childcare that left parents behind and ignored the vulnerability of families. Emlen charts a new direction, with policies that will increase the wellsprings of flexibility, while respecting freedom of parental choice of childcare. Many readers will hail a book that makes a case for policy that strengthens the wellbeing of families, improves employment policies, and offers ways to enhance the big picture of childcare in America in all its diversity. This book will be read by those interested in an ecological study of the nature and dynamics of parental judgment and decisions-particularly in the author's fundamental hypothesis explaining the relationship between flexibility and optimal choice. The book will be read also by corporate managers of human resources, early childhood experts, childcare professionals, and by working parents themselves, who will appreciate the book's thoughtful defense of parental choice.

Smart Flexibility

Download Smart Flexibility PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1317054210
Total Pages : 407 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (17 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Smart Flexibility by : Andy Lake

Download or read book Smart Flexibility written by Andy Lake and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2016-04-01 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smart Flexibility: Moving Smart and Flexible Working from Theory to Practice is an engaging and practical management book to help organisations implement Smart Working, and take a business-focused approach to ’Flexible Working’. Written for managers at the leading edge of change, Andy Lake takes a strategic, comprehensive and integrated approach to Smart and Flexible Working. Taking an evidence-based approach, he sets out how to achieve measurable benefits across the Triple Bottom Line. Starting from the underlying principles and the compelling context for change, he takes a pragmatic approach to delivering change in each of the key areas of People (HR), Property and Technology. The book is designed to help professionals understand the vital connecting points across disciplines as well as innovations in their own fields. And there are separate chapters that look at the real impacts for sustainability, the impacts for ’Smart Government’, how to manage the ’Anywhere Anytime Team’ and how to take people on the journey towards a Smart Flexibility organisational culture. The book includes many insights based on the author’s experience and the latest research, many practical techniques for implementing change plus ten new case studies. Smart Flexibility is essential reading for anyone involved in workplace change and increasing the efficiency of organisations. It is aimed at managers who need to deliver change, and will be of great interest to consultants in the fields of workplace design, new technologies and HR/OD/Training.

Unequal Time

Download Unequal Time PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Russell Sage Foundation
ISBN 13 : 161044843X
Total Pages : 340 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (14 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Unequal Time by : Dan Clawson

Download or read book Unequal Time written by Dan Clawson and published by Russell Sage Foundation. This book was released on 2014-07-10 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life is unpredictable. Control over one’s time is a crucial resource for managing that unpredictability, keeping a job, and raising a family. But the ability to control one’s time, much like one’s income, is determined to a significant degree by both gender and class. In Unequal Time, sociologists Dan Clawson and Naomi Gerstel explore the ways in which social inequalities permeate the workplace, shaping employees’ capacities to determine both their work schedules and home lives, and exacerbating differences between men and women, and the economically privileged and disadvantaged. Unequal Time investigates the interconnected schedules of four occupations in the health sector—professional-class doctors and nurses, and working-class EMTs and nursing assistants. While doctors and EMTs are predominantly men, nurses and nursing assistants are overwhelmingly women. In all four occupations, workers routinely confront schedule uncertainty, or unexpected events that interrupt, reduce, or extend work hours. Yet, Clawson and Gerstel show that members of these four occupations experience the effects of schedule uncertainty in very distinct ways, depending on both gender and class. But doctors, who are professional-class and largely male, have significant control over their schedules and tend to work long hours because they earn respect from their peers for doing so. By contrast, nursing assistants, who are primarily female and working-class, work demanding hours because they are most likely to be penalized for taking time off, no matter how valid the reasons. Unequal Time also shows that the degree of control that workers hold over their schedules can either reinforce or challenge conventional gender roles. Male doctors frequently work overtime and rely heavily on their wives and domestic workers to care for their families. Female nurses are more likely to handle the bulk of their family responsibilities, and use the control they have over their work schedules in order to dedicate more time to home life. Surprisingly, Clawson and Gerstel find that in the working class occupations, workers frequently undermine traditional gender roles, with male EMTs taking significant time from work for child care and women nursing assistants working extra hours to financially support their children and other relatives. Employers often underscore these disparities by allowing their upper-tier workers (doctors and nurses) the flexibility that enables their gender roles at home, including, for example, reshaping their workplaces in order to accommodate female nurses’ family obligations. Low-wage workers, on the other hand, are pressured to put their jobs before the unpredictable events they might face outside of work. Though we tend to consider personal and work scheduling an individual affair, Clawson and Gerstel present a provocative new case that time in the workplace also collective. A valuable resource for workers’ advocates and policymakers alike, Unequal Time exposes how social inequalities reverberate through a web of interconnected professional relationships and schedules, significantly shaping the lives of workers and their families.