There is an increasing discrepancy between what employers say about work-life balance and how they actually act, finds a recent global study by WFD Consulting and WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress.

"We set out to study men and work-life integration, but, instead, uncovered workplace trends showing employees suffer a variety of job repercussions for participating in work-life programs, even when their leaders insist they support the business value," says Kathie Lingle, executive director of WorldatWork's Alliance for Work-Life Progress. "This conundrum can be so oppressive that some employees go underground, resorting to 'stealth maneuvers' for managing their personal responsibilities.

"The good news is that 80 percent of employers around the globe avow support for family-friendly workplaces. The bad news is they are simultaneously penalizing those who actively strive to integrate work with their lives."