Beyond parenthood: anticipatory fairness in work-life balance, career progression, and organizational support

Purpose This study aims to examine how employees with children, employees without children by choice, and employees without children who wish to have them evaluate fairness in work-life balance, career progression, and perceived organizational support (POS). Drawing on Equity Theory, it considers both current family circumstances and an anticipated transition to parenthood. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative-configurational design based on 65 semi-structured interviews with employees from a single Big Four consulting firm. Interview data were thematically coded, calibrated into fuzzy-set membership scores, and analysed using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Findings Fairness perceptions varied both across and within family-status groups. Employees with children evaluated flexibility positively when accompanied by managerial support, although some reported career disadvantages associated with caregiving. Employees without children by choice perceived inequity when parent-centred arrangements generated additional availability expectations without corresponding recognition; more inclusive configurations were associated with favourable evaluations. Employees who wished to have children assessed current policies prospectively, considering whether support and career opportunities would remain equitable following a transition to parenthood. Originality/value The study extends Equity Theory by developing anticipatory fairness as a transition-specific evaluation of expected future equity. It shows that family status provides a context for fairness comparisons without uniformly determining their outcomes and offers a more inclusive, life-course-sensitive understanding of work-life policies, career progression, and organizational support.