Managers, balance, and fulfilling lives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a reflection on the author's earlier paper published in Gender in Management: An International Journal (formerly Women in Management Review ) in 2000 titled “Do managerial men benefit from organizational values supporting work‐personal life balance? Design/methodology/approach – The paper is examined in the context of the author's research and writing program. Findings – The 2000 paper built on the author's previous research and writing and informed their current research activities. In addition, the 2000 paper seemed to reflect emerging interest in work‐personal life balance or integration, as well as the experience of men at work, that was emerging at this time. Research limitations/implications – Greater attention to the work and life experiences of men at work is warranted. Practical implications – The paper finds that men benefit from organizational values supporting work‐personal balance as do other studies involving managerial and professional women. These collective findings suggest that organizations would benefit by supporting both male and female managers and professionals in their efforts to lead more complete lives as employees and family members. Originality/value – The paper indicates that a greater understanding of men's lives would benefit not only men but also women and employing organizations.