The Family-Friendly Advantage: Evaluating the Effects of Instrumental and Symbolic Organizational Attributes on Efforts to Attract the Emerging Workforce

Using an experimental design, we investigate the degree to which instrumental (family-friendly policies) and symbolic (family-friendly image) signals increase organizational attractiveness by addressing individual work-family conflict and work-family social-identity concerns, respectively. Results indicate family-friendly attributes predict attractiveness beyond effects of compensation and support a moderating effect of work-family social-identity needs.