What is Work-Life Balance ?Work/Life Balance: A state of
equilibrium in which the demands of both a persons job and personal
life are equal.Why is W-L-B important?Juggling competing demands is
tiring if not stressful and brings lower productivity, sickness,
and absenteeism, so work/life balance is an issue for all employees
and all organizations.Work/life balance from the employee
viewpoint:The dilemma of managing work obligations and
personal/family responsibilities.
Work/life balance from the employer viewpoint:The challenge of
creating a supportive company culture where employees can focus on
their jobs while at workWork/life programs: Programs (often
financial or time-related) established by an employer that offer
employees options to address work and personal
responsibilities.
The Workforce
Employed men and women who are married and living with spouse
and children. Dual career couples.Single-earner mothers and
fathersSingle and childless employees with extensive responsibility
for eldercareBlended families with children from both partners
prior marriagesFamilies with shared custody of children
Grandparents raising their grandchildren.
Dual Centric Individuals
Work Devotion vs Family Devotion
Features of Work Life Balance Programs Dependent care facilities
Flextime Family leave above the CLand SL Telecommuting on a
part-time basis Compressed workweeks
Organizational Benefits of Work Life BalanceEmployee Time
SavedAbsenteeismEmployee RetentionIncreased Motivation and
ProductivityDecreased Health Care Costs and Stress-Related
Illnesses
Is there a need for Work Life Balance Programs and who are Work
Life Balance programs targeted at?Are WLB initiatives industry
specific? Are they restricted to a few industries? Do managers and
supervisors understand the impact work/life balance has on their
workforceWork devotion is both coercive and seductiveDo Employees
make use of work life balance programs?It is easier for women to
make avail of WLB initiatives than men.Do men achieve work life
balance at the expense of women What are some of the unrevealed
repercussions of WLB programs?Blanket WLB programs dont work? They
have to be adapted and customized for employees.
