Schools as Family- Friendly Organizations from Teachers’ Perspectives

Schools as Family- Friendly Organizations from Teachers’ Perspectives

Aynur BOZKURT BOSTANCI, Yusuf GİDİŞ & Ali TOSUN

ABSTRACT
Family-friendly organizations are considered to be sensitive towards employees, to have a resilient organizational culture and to develop and implement programs oriented at achieving a balance between one’s family life and proffesional life. The present study is designed to elucidate whether the schools are family- friendly organizations based on teacher opinions. The method used in this study was qualitative research with phenomenological approach. The study group of the study was made of 22 voluntary teachers working with the same school principal for at least 3 years in the province of Uşak. The data were collected through semi- structured interwied forms developed by the researchers. The analysis of the data was conducted through content analysis. According to the results of the study, teachers opinions on the schools as family- friendly organizations were gathered under the themes of ‘Formal’, ‘Informal’ and ‘Organizational Culture.’ The theme of ‘Formal’ includes the domains of leave of absence, regulations and decentralization. In addition, the theme of ‘Informal’ consists of the domains of social life, psychological support and school resources. Ultimately, the theme of ‘Organizational Culture’ comprises of the sub-themes of supportive, special days, being cared for by the principal and not giving care. The results of the study have suggested that the duties of school principals must be increased and certain regulations on developing policies of family- friendly organizations made in order for schools to become family- friendly organizations.

KEYWORDS: Work-family balance, policies of family- friendly, family-friendly school

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