Work-life balance has been shown to result in increased productivity and better health for employees. However, it cannot be offered in every job situation or to every employee. Work-life balance is an important benefit that should be included in all jobs where it is feasible. Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardyn (2012) describe a case about work-life balance. One individual in this case had the misconception that working his way up the corporate ladder to an executive at a major bank would result in less work, which would allow him to spend more time with his family. In reality, it resulted in working six or seven days a week at multiple locations and spending more time on the road. The promotion allowed him to see his family only on the weekends …show more content…
(2012) referenced another individual who was recruited by a company. She was able to negotiate work-life balance by getting the company to agree to a four-day workweek and the option to work from home when client visits were not needed allowing her more time with her family. This individual was able to increase productivity while maintaining work-life balance. However, the company did find that work flexibility does not work for everyone, but seems to be a good fit for individuals that are motivated, disciplined, and have concise performance measures (Gomez-Mejia et al., …show more content…
Jobs requiring employees to be physically present at the worksite, such as teachers, sales clerks, and assembly-line workers would not be able to complete the required tasks off-site (The Executive Office of the President Council of Economic Advisors, 2010 March). However, many jobs can incorporate work-life balance. Sarbu (2014 April) states there are factors in determining if employees can have flexible work arrangements. Those with higher education, tenure with the company, and the use of computers in the job increase the likelihood of having flexible work arrangements and firm size and young employees reduce the likelihood. Examples of jobs best suited for flexible hours or location are senior project managers working in Information Technology, actuaries, attorneys, management consultants and tax managers (Smith, 2013). Smith (2013) also shares that working from home is a privilege is usually granted to experienced workers who have proven to be trustworthy in the work
Previous generations have a strong belief of keeping work and home life separate; that work is for work and home is for play (Rampell, 2011, para 21). Today’s professionals do not seem to abide by similar beliefs, constantly crossing the borders of one into the other. While many recognize this as an issue that could result in employees being less productive, it has actually resulted in them accepting that their work may run late into the evening or even into the weekend. I agree with this completely in that I grew up being taught that business is business and personal is personal; you leave your home life at the door. But now times have changed, and my weekends are no longer dedicated to my home life, but for work, because I attend classes during the week. Also, in my line of work in the Allied Health industry, it is a requirement to work off hours. Long gone are the days of working nine to five, Monday through Friday; technology and the demand of wanting affairs done and done as soon as possible, has made it so the “work week” is now 24-7. “Jon Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard Institute of Politics, said, ‘Some experts also believe that today’s young people are better at quickly switching from one task to another, given their exposure to so many stimuli during their childhood and adolescence’” (Rampbell,
at some point all employees will eventually need time off from work to deal with either a serious personal illness or other family obligations. “Many European nations took to the idea of making balancing family and work easier for employees but the movement did not gain momentum in the United States until the late 60s and 70s when working women were no longer the minority” (AAUW). There was a general shift in the nature of the common everyday american household and a two income household was slowly but surely becoming the new reality of american life.
Flextime - a versatile work program - permits individuals to determine on when they work, as long as they place in their total range of hours each week. Counting on the leader could mean complete freedom to style their work schedule, or having the ability to decide on from among many predetermined sets of choices. Two (or a lot of, though not sometimes the case,) workers could share one position, every worker operating some of the specified time. That way, individuals will hold, or still hold, the position they need, and still build time to play with young ones or aging oldsters, carry out of different family
This source explains the relationship between working overtime and the work-family conflict. With this source, they “investigated whether work-family conflict is prospectively related to adjustments in work schedules… in this relation”. (Jansen) They also wanted to prevent work- family conflict. They also know that balancing work and family is a challenge in today’s society for individuals. Consequences associated with work and family “job burnouts, psychological distress, depression, life dissatisfaction, elevated need for recovery from work, prolonged fatigue, and increased sickness absence”. (Jansen) The companies are starting to notices that employees are looking for other jobs that support them balance their work and family. Jansen used questionnaires to figure out the work-family conflict investigation. Each questionnaire was use with different types of working people. For example, the part-time and full-time workers. The results for the work-family conflict, “employees might adjust their working time arrangement to better reconcile work and family life…” (Jansen) They are considering their next research on the adjustments to “result in an improved work-family balance, improved health outcomes, and ultimately whether these adjustments prevent workers from leaving the labor force early.” (Jansen)
Poor, R. (2010). How and why flexible work weeks came about. Connecticut Law Review, 42(4), 1047-1057.
Employees are increasingly interested in jobs with flexible work schedules. What factors are driving this interest?
Employees are increasingly interested in jobs with flexible work schedule. What factors are driving this interest?
But, it is also important for employees to balance their life. Undoubtedly, there are some ways;
Work-Life Balance: Personal and Organizational Perspectives on Balance and Flexibility, HRM 6920 – Fall 2014
Employees are increasingly interested in jobs with flexible work schedules. What factors are driving this interest?
Human resources will need to place emphasis on employee wellness my initiating programs that “include work-life balance processes, stress management, and therapy programs, and facilitating an open dialogue about mental health and illness to remove much of the stigma that plagues the conversation and ailments (Guppta, 2016).” By utilizing flexible work schedule options, demanding jobs with high-stress levels are possible because employees’ free time does not have to be sacrificed.
A proper flexible organization provides its work force arrangements where employees are given greater freedom to balance their work and personal commitments such as family, higher education, community activities, religious commitments, professional development, and general interests.
Various scholars have studied different factors that influence on work family issues and common aspects of the work life balance concept. Based on their view work family conflicts could occur because of various reasons arising both work and family life. This may be either Work to Family Conflict or Family to Work Conflict and personal life enhancement. People have limited number of time for all the activities. Personal issues can be more time consuming that it is difficult to keep them separate from work time that may
There have always been various problems on how employees balance family life and work life. This is a problem that many employees from different organizations face. The challenge here is that they are not able to balance both lives. This in most cases leads to neglect of one life and giving too much attention to the other. This has been a major problem to many employees. They have always complained of how difficult it can be when a person tries to balance both lives (Philipsen & Bostic, 2010). This has been a big issue that should be tackled with a lot of concern. There has always been a need for people to be able to live comfortably with their families and to have a good working life in the work area. People should be taught on how to balance family life and work and to be able to give equal attention to both lives. This can be made possible by training and enlightening people on how these two can be achieved. There is need for all employees to learn how they ensure that they give equal attention to their family life and work life.
Heathfield, S. M. (2017, November 8). How Can Employers Best Encourage Employee Work Life Family Balance? Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/top-ways-to-encourage-employee-work-balance-1919353