Chapter 1: Introduction: Exploring the Under-Explored

While there is a large volume of research and publications (academic and practitioner) on the work-life interface, especially focusing on work-life balance and work-life conflict, most of this work has adopted a narrow conception of both work and life (Kelliher, Richardson, & Boiarintseva, 2018; Warren, 2021), with the latter largely being equated to family, or more specifically parenting young children (Powell, Greenhaus, Allen, & Johnson, 2019; Wilkinson, Collins, & Antoniadou, 2022; Wilkinson, Tomlinson, & Gardiner, 2017). This edited collection broadens the focus to include a range of non-work or “personal” issues that occur at different stages of the life course and considers the intersection with employment. Importantly, we focus on issues which have received limited practitioner attention in the field of work and employment; are new and emerging topics in the work and employment literature, and/or are considered “taboo” in a work context (Grandey, Gabriel, & King, 2020). The chapters bring together considerations of the work-life interface, well-being at work and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to consider how those with diverse needs can be best included and supported in the workplace.