Up, up and fading away: the work and family life of executive international travellers

This paper explores the work-life issues faced by executives of a global professional services organisation whose roles involve frequent air travel. It highlights how this aspect of their work, while boosting and advancing the worker’s career, can lead to stress, a progressive disconnection from family, friends and work colleagues and, for men at least, a loss of role within the family unit. The paper questions the organisation’s lack of proactive intervention in the management of this travel and its consequences, and issues a reminder about its legal responsibility to its workers.