An ongoing study led by Dr Giulia Giunti from the University of St Andrews Business School is highlighting forms of workplace discrimination towards those without children.
This can be particularly acute over the Christmas period as single and/or childfree workers are often selected as first choice for longer shifts often at unsociable hours compared to their colleagues with children.
The research, currently under review, shows that 'nonwork' time for those without children is seen as less legitimate, as it is time not spent parenting.
The researchers talked to 42 respondents from UK universities, a third of whom were partnered/married with children, a third partnered/married without children, and a final group included single people without children.
The two groups without children reported a range of experiences from being asked to take up the work of colleagues on maternity leave or those with parenting duties, or been selected for unfriendly hours of teaching, and who felt that their time spent outside work was not viewed as legitimately as those who had parental responsibilities.
For those who are both without children and single the situation is further complicated. Being the first choice for weekend or statutory holidays shifts decreases the chances of socialisation (also potentially leading to romantic relationships), and therefore increases loneliness which is more typical amongst single adults without children. Consequently, they are prone to experience stress, low mood, or exhaustion.
Work-life balance is one of the most studied and talked about topics of the last decade. It is considered essential to wellbeing, career sustainability, and overall health yet, in most organisations, it is mainly framed as work-family balance, with policies and practices which tend to be driven by family-friendly concerns. This leaves out other aspects of life not related to parenting or partnering roles.
However, living alone, being single, and not having children is increasing. In the UK in 2023 there were 7.96 million households composed of couples without children, which was the most common registered household in 2023. This is mirrored at EU level where, in 2023, there were 48.4 million couples without children.
Solo living is also on the rise. In the UK, there were 8.4 million people living alone in the UK in 2023 and 48.4 million in the EU.
As populations and workforces are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of familial and relationship status, researchers are urging organisations to ensure policies cover the diversity of work-life conditions, to prevent dissatisfaction, conflicts, and ultimately a poor work-life balance for some demographics.
Author Dr Giulia Giunti, from the University of St Andrews Business School, said: "The study does not deny the difficulties of parents in juggling multiple roles, but it suggests that there is a portion of the workforce, those without children, and even more so if also single, that is mistakenly perceived as 'unburdened', and their non-work time is perceived as less 'worthy', and therefore less protected.
"Those without children, and especially the single without children, are instead at great risk of stress, due to difficulties in setting boundaries between work and nonwork (and of having these boundaries been legitimised through policies, but also perceptions of colleagues and superiors), and of loneliness, a documented increasing pandemic.
"As populations are changing, so should policies, if we want fairer societies.
"As we are, towards Christmas, thinking of how to juggle parenting, let's pause for a second and think how could it feel like being alone, when everyone else is celebrating with others, and what it could imply been asked to do a night shift on New Year's Eve, because you do not have children and/or a partner."
Category Research
