Fall 2001, Vol. 9, No. 1

Book Reviews

Harvard Business Review on Work and Life Balance,
Harvard Business School Press, 2000

By Andrew Brown, MD
Boston, MA

Two central ideas led me to this book. First, I was interested in exploring why an individual might become distressingly and pathologically preoccupied with work. Second, I wished to indulge my interest in interdisciplinary approaches by improving my understanding of how a business professional might look at the same problem.

The book, comprised of eight articles previously published in the well-respected business journal, is refreshingly devoid of jargon. Much of the book's content-relationship difficulties (and their frequent association with work) and the "burn out" syndrome-is familiar to psychiatrists. Less familiar, but of equal interest to psychiatrists, are such selections such as "The Alternative Workplace." Also relatively unfamiliar-but memorable-is a description of how to add value to businesses by systematically identifying and respecting the personal priorities of their employees. In Work and Life: The End of the Zero Sum Gain by Friedman, Christiansen, and Degroot, the authors expose as erroneous the notion that "life" must be sacrificed if we are to succeed at "work," and vice-versa. The article presents a highly pragmatic approach to integrating those spheres, which might be of considerable use to the psychiatrists who consult to management in the arenas of employee satisfaction and workplace productivity. The central idea is that by enhancing the quality of workers' lives through appreciating their more personal life goals, managers may very well increase productivity in the workplace. Three principles are discussed: identifying what is important to the worker; supporting the worker in his/her effort to develop these interests; and experimenting with the way work is accomplished in order to facilitate these non-work related goals.

The usefulness of this article in particular, and the book in general, however, is limited to the extent that many of the obstacles that interfere with the expression of the worker's interests are intrapsychic in origin, and, as such, would not be particularly amenable to the type of interventions outlined here. Nor would it be reasonable or productive to expect management to assume full responsibility for the cultivation and personal growth of employees. This article's strength resides in its description of principles for a management which, while not necessarily responsible for the personal growth of the employee, is nevertheless responsive to the needs of the individual. In practice, limitations in personal growth are often self-imposed; it is difficult to envision either managers or a work environment that can comprehensively address that dilemma. In sum, it is vitally important to acknowledge the importance of these self-imposed limitations, but the reader should be aware that such a discussion is beyond the scope of the articles contained in this book. Nor is it likely that the reader will find, in the book, penetrating explanations for the motivation or behavior of individual patients.

The emotional dimensions of work in a person's life and how they relate to organizational operations, management structure, and workplace dynamics are acknowledged in this book, however. Must Success Cost So Much?, by Bartolome and Evans, is a straightforward discussion of some of the emotional difficulties that often accompany success in the workplace. Why is hard work sometimes invigorating, and at other times, stultifying and fatiguing? Why are some people capable of working with great intensity and duration while enjoying rich and gratifying social lives, while others, exposed to the same demands, experience emotional constriction? How do we determine whether a particular job will facilitate growth or regression for the individual worker? The concept of "negative emotional spillover" is introduced in discussing these questions, a problem that a psychiatrist might label "work-related obsessions." The authors identifying three major problems that can emerge in the context of an individual's success at work: "the problems of adapting to a new job, the lack of fit between a person and his job, and career disappointments." Like the other articles in this book, management behavior that is responsible to the emotional needs of its employees is described. This is in the management's best interest. This behavior is, in essence, characterized by the implicit recognition that the emotional aspects of work are of paramount consideration when considering the health of a person and the health of an organization.

The Work Alibi, by Batolome, explores an aspect of the work life balance problem with which most psychotherapists are familiar: the use of work as a means of avoiding intimacy. The main strength of this article is that it exposes the "not enough time" explanation as rationalization. This excuse for lack of emotional engagement is so pervasive that many of us accept it as a plain and simple truth. Many of us are used to invoking time constraints to explain our impoverished social lives. Bartolme not only offers deeper explanations for these limitations in our lives, but describes concrete steps that can be taken to cope with the underlying problem. For example, "I will stop and think about what is causing problems between my daughter and myself." These steps involve setting goals, and these goals do not involve production, revenues, or status, but, rather, require a deepening of relationships. In essence, he compels the reader to recognize that while it seems like scarcity of time is the problem, it is not. The real issues are intrapsychic, and relate to fear and trust. Ironically, perhaps, the solution invoked is hard work; the work described, however, is not customarily identified as "work" by the afflicted, as it involves focus and sustained effort in the direction of deepening relationships. By emphasizing the fact that strong relationships often require work, the person who works to excess may understand this concept and be encouraged to take concrete steps to address those aspects of his personality that are not fully developed. Indeed, an essential aspect of the problem for many of us is that relationships are not immediately recognized as an area of life that should require effort, or "work."

In A Second Career, by Levinson, I would refer the reader to eight questions that comprise an excellent method for tapping into the ego ideal of our clients as well as that of ourselves. Examples of questions for a dissatisfied worker include Who are or who were your models? What did they do that made you admire them? Of all the things you have done, at which were you the most successful? What were you doing and how were you doing it? How do you handle aggressive energy? Dependency? This is an excellent place to begin if engaged in attempt to identify job fit. It is of obvious relevance to the occupational psychiatrist consulting with the dissatisfied party.

While this selection of Harvard Business Review articles is primarily written for, and by, business professionals, its importance to psychiatrists resides in its appreciation of the business value to be had in responding to the emotional needs of the worker. Business people have developed some potentially solid ideas about mental health in the workplace and they find straightforward expression in this book.

 
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