Abstract
This chapter sets out to discuss the notion of what is the perception of faculty work-life in academia, grounding examples of faculty work-life from research studies conducted in the United States. Specifically, the discussion ponders if there is an understanding or an inherent understanding of a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life and offers recommendations for practice and suggestions that may guide policy considerations for faculty work-life in academia. The authors first discuss the concept of all-access to technology as the premise that faculty work can conceivably be done anytime, anywhere as faculty see fit to do so. This discussion anchors the premise that a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life is predicated on engaging in time for work that can vary from a so-called typical 8 am to 5 pm schedule. Next, a discussion of empirical research on faculty-work life in U.S. institutions is added to further the readers’ understanding on some issues explored about the integration of faculty work-life aspects. The concept of “work-family boundary management styles” (Kossek & Lautsch, Organizational Psychology Review, 2(2), 152–171, 2012) is also discussed to further our notion in understanding a consideration of a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life, whereby the authors of this chapter extend assumptions made for a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life and higher education institution’s role in defining and shaping the ‘ideal worker in academia’. The chapter proffers some suggestions for practice and plausible considerations for policy as a meKathrinens to further understanding and acknowledging a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life as it relates to reflective questions and responses particular to pondering a ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life. Lastly, a summary discussion considers the notion of technology as part of understanding the ‘new’ normal of faculty work-life and recommendation is extended for research consideration.
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Gutierrez, K.J., Worley, J.A. (2020). Pondering an Ideal Worker in Academia and Consideration of a ‘New’ Normal of Faculty Work-Life. In: las Heras Maestro, M., Chinchilla Albiol, N., Grau Grau, M. (eds) The New Ideal Worker. Contributions to Management Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12477-9_6
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