Seamus Hayes B Phil B Theol
Life Coach, Trainer, Corporate Stress Consultant, Psychotherapist

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Work/Life Balance

Work-life balance means different things to different people.
The organisations involved in Employers for Work-life Balance are committed to the following principles:

UK employers operate in an increasingly competitive environment in which flexibility is key to meeting customer demands. At the same time, employees need to be able to balance work with their other interests. Employees are more productive if they are able to balance their work and personal lives effectively, thereby facilitating enhanced delivery of organisational objectives. An organisation committed to work-life balance:

Recognises that effective practices to promote work-life balance will benefit the organisation and its employees
Acknowledges that individuals at all stages of their lives work best when they are able to achieve an appropriate balance between work and other aspects of their lives
Highlights the employers' and the employees' joint responsibility to discuss workable solutions and encourages a partnership between individuals and their line managers
Develops appropriate policies and practical responses that meet the specific needs of the organisation and its employees
Communicates its commitment to work-life strategies to its employees

Demonstrates leadership from the top of the organisation and encourages managers to lead by example. The issue of work-life balance is a burning issue for both individuals and organisations because of a combination of economic, demographic and social factors.

The new economic reality is that we now exist in a globally competitive marketplace, where de-regulation of labour markets, demanding consumers and the impact of information technology have all meant that organisations must get more from less as we learn to survive in a service and information economy.

At the same time, the nature of the workforce has changed dramatically. In addition, dual earner families are now the norm, we are experiencing an ageing population and a shift in the expectations of quality of work-life by younger generations.

Organisations recognise that they need to attract and retain good people, have them working productively and be able to tap into that discretionary energy that can be a source of competitive advantage. Employers cannot tap into these resources if their employees cannot balance work and life. Companies are now researching the expectations of their employees to understand their issues and values.

 
.New Economic Reality

Family Change

Dual Breadwinners
Single Families
Divorce (Custody issues)
Starting Families Later
Care of Elderly and Children
Rich/ Poor Gap

Work Place

Women/Mothers
Care demands
Women interrupt Career for family
Students work/Immigrants
Life Long Learning
Overtime/Shift-work/Multiple jobs

 
Survey on over 4000 Job Seekers
Almost half of the respondents (46%) chose flexible working as the benefit they would most look for in their next job, with only 1 in 14 (7%) choosing gym membership and 1 in 10 (10%) opting for a company car;
A third of them would prefer the opportunity to work flexible hours rather than receive £1,000 more pay per year;
7 in 10 (68%) jobseekers would like the chance to work more flexibly when necessary;
8 in 10 (77%) parents with children under 6 said that work-life balance is an important factor in deciding whether to apply for a new job; and
six out of ten workers view work-life balance as an important factor in assessing a potential new job.
Less than 2 in 10 (18%) job-seekers would happily work much longer hours for more money
4 in 10 (43%) men chose flexible working as the benefit they would most look for in a new job, compared with just 13% who would look for company car and only 7% who would look for gym membership
45% of undergraduates or recent graduates would prefer flexibility in hours to a company car (14%) or gym membership (4%)
Nearly a quarter (24%) of managers/ directors said that work-life balance was an extremely important factor in deciding whether to apply for a new job
4 in 10 (37%) women chose flexible working over £1000 more pay per year, compared to 3 in 10 (27%) men

 

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