Analysis of the impact of private contextual factors on work decisions

The question concerning the compatibility of work and private life has been receiving progressive attention in the past decade. On the one hand, private coordination problems are increasing due to a rising number of dual-career partnerships; on the other hand, enhanced mobility and flexibility are required and expected in the work environment. As a result of these changing and progressively conflicting demands, employees face new challenges. In the past, employees have usually used monetary criteria such as compensation or prompt career opportunities to evaluate career decisions. In contrast, nowadays the process of career decision-making is increasingly influenced by the private social environment. Accordingly, based on demographic change and a changing value system of the younger generation of employees, the so-called Generation Y, employers face more and more difficulties in generating performance and motivation through monetary incentives such as a high salary or a company car. Instead, employers which consider their employee’s needs concerning their private life are likely to win the “war for talents”.

The question arises what factors of employee’s private life have an impact on decision-making in the professional context such as the basic employer choice, the acceptance of a foreign assignment or the willingness to take over/accept a new project? 

Based on social psychological theories such as the identity theory, a research model is developed in order to explain the influence of spouses and life partners on various work decisions. Subsequently, the validity of this influence is investigated in the context of a dyadic, empirical study. Therefore the aim of this research project is to gain a better understanding of the extent to what life and work concepts as well as values and beliefs of the partner are determinants of work decisions, and how employers can positively influence this decision-making process.