The typical 1960s-70s employees showed up at work Monday to Friday and did his or her job in eight- or nine-hour chunks. The workplace and house were clearly specified. Thats no longer true for a large segment of today’s workforce. Employees are increasingly complaining that the line between work and no work time has become blurred, creating personal conflicts and stress. Various forces have blurred the lines between employee work and personal lives. Various forces have blurred the lines between employee work and personal lives.
First: The creation of global organizations means their world never sleeps. At any time and on any day, thousands of Daimler Chrysler employees are working somewhere. The need to consult with colleagues or customer 8 to 10 time zones away means that many employees of global firs are “on call “24 an hours a day.
Second: Communication technology allows employees to work at home, in their car or in anyplace hotels etc. Many people in technical and professional jobs can work any time and at any place.
Third: Organizations are asking employees to put in longer hours. It’s not unusual for employees to work more than 45 hours a week, and some work for 50 hours a week. Finally, a fewer families have only a single breadwinner. Today’s married employee is typically part of dual-career couples. This makes it increasingly difficult for married employees to find the time to fulfill commitments to home, spouse, children, parents, and friends.
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Employee increasingly recognizes that work is squeezing out their personal lives, and they’re not happy about it. For example, recent studies suggest that employees want jobs that offer flexibility in work schedules so they can better manage work/life conflicts. The next generation of employees is likely to have similar concerns. A majority of college and university students say that attaining a balance between personal life and work is a primary career goal. They want “a life” as well as job. Organizations that fail to hello their people achieve work/life balance will find it increasingly hard to attract and retain the most capable and motivated employees.
History:
Work life balance was first introduced in 1800’s. It was first used in United Kingdom where people want to balance between their work and personal life. The use of work life balance is to shift the workplace as a result of advances in technology. Employees have such methods like email, mobile phones, and indoor games which enables them to accomplish the work and to get early leave from the office.
The change that brings companies to think is the change of Technology. The technology that organization uses to encourage the employees via email or smart phones to stay connected to the office. In this way employees are connected to the office beyond the boundaries from which they are getting afraid. These difficult and exhausting conditions are having adverse effects. According to the study, fifty percent of top corporate executives are leaving their current positions. Although sixty-four percent of workers feel that their work pressures are “self-inflicted”, they state that it is taking a toll on them. The study shows that seventy percent of US respondents and eighty-one percent of global respondents say their jobs are affecting their health.
How Experts React to Work Life Balance:
For Vicki Hess, RN, a consultant, speaker and author of SHIFT to Professional Paradise: 5 Steps to Less Stress, More Energy & Remarkable Results at Work,
Work-life balance to me is a state of mind where you feel like you have energy and enthusiasm for the events of your personal and professional life. As an independent consultant and speaker, I work from home so the lines are blurred .I indulge myself in different things like giving time to family, friends, spouse, pets and going out for party, restaurants, swimming, golf etc. It’s all about how you get into your work, if you love your work you will never get hectic or feel stress and you can enjoy your life as you want to like I’m enjoying.
Balance between the personal and professional isn’t a concern for psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, PhDs, either. According to Palladino, also author of Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload: “My life is much bigger than my work. I feel balanced when I center myself in my life, not my work.”
According to Sara Caputo, MA, productivity coach, consultant and trainer at Radiant Organizing and author of the forthcoming e-book The Productivity Puzzle, it means attending to all areas of her life. She said:
Work Life Balance to me means I can divide my work and cut it down into small things and make my work feasible for myself. For Example from home I can manage to do my work, attend meetings, see clients, check my emails and answer them to my boss, and on the other hand I can also look after my family too. By working like this I feel I can touch all the areas that are important for me in my life and now.
Balance between the personal and professional isn’t a concern for psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, PhDs, either. According to Palladino, also author of Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload: “My life is much bigger than my work. I feel balanced when I center myself in my life, not my work.”
How Experts Achieve a Balance:
Managing your personal and professional life is very difficult job. It requires proper planning, plotting, time management and effort, by working on such things you can get the reward that is of worth.
To achieve the balance in life Palladino works out to get a balance life and for that she makes some rules. “I use rules for daily exercise, bedtime, caps on screen time, caffeine, and the time I allow to elapse between contacts with family and friends.” Of course, life still gets in the way. But when Palladino breaks her own rules and becomes immersed in work, she asks herself “What am I not doing now?” and makes sure she returns to them.
The experts interviewed many people in their organization and outside the organization as well to know about the results of how people get balance in their life and work. Sara Caputo, “MA, productivity coach, consultant and trainer” said I Love to spend some time alone, I celebrates my each and every success, birthdays, go party with friends , family gathering etc are on the top of my priorities every time. I busy myself in working out to be mentally as well as physically strong. I go to Swimming, Jacuzzi and recreation center. Spend time with my pets.
Caputo, a self-professed “compulsive planner and priority setter” says, I Look ahead into things such as look ahead to coming year, month, week, and sometimes a day too, it helps me to plan my things so that I can find myself in proper place without any problem. I plan for exercise A.K.A Manicure and Pedicure, Massages and off course works and time for my family too. Caputo and her husband find time for themselves, support each other in planning things. They plan things by giving times to each other weekly 30-minutes meeting to talk about things like “kids, finances, schedules and vacations”.
Need and Benefits of Work Life Balance:
The first and the foremost thing to understand is the need of work life balance, to understand the imbalance between work and life so that the origin of balancing the life becomes easier. As the world is growing larger the importance of work becoming very important, it varies from person to person and now from organization to organization.
Now there is a competition at each level of work. Every individual has to perform his task and the meet the goals of the organization. With this deadline to each individual it is very difficult to perform the work and to give quality output that matches the organization’s goal. Due to this pressure on each individual it is very difficult to balance a life with work and families. In every individual’s life there are four stakeholders- own personality, job, family and society.
Now days it is very important for each person to give equal importance to all the stakeholders of his life. A person is workaholic and if he doesn’t spend his time with the family he would not considered a successful person by not treating his family right or not giving them proper time. If the person imbalance the life in such way he cannot find peace in his life and the harmony of life vanishes and all he gets is the shadow of work. If a person tries to imbalance his life between work and life he tries to avoid such conditions so he can get love, care, and attention from his family.
At the organization level, if the person balances his work and social life he will be enable to increase in productivity and can perform his work more efficiently and that will be in the favor of the organization. The balance between work and life make the person more relax and he can perform well at work by showing creativity, art, technical work and get satisfaction from work. Better team work and better communication with other employees and will be better in commitment levels from the employee increase.
Work Life balance brings a phenomenal change on an individual life’s and heavily impact a society. A balanced work brings advantage to an employee’s health. The stress of the employee declines drastically to healthy levels, he feels good at work, enjoy his work in the environment. Employee life leads to a greater satisfaction and is also seen as a mode of self actualization.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Organizations are now become more productive in nature, as the demand for a value of work from each of the employee in terms of output. Each employee has to perform an extra ordinary work in terms of output and not in terms of values. This pressure of work disturbs the employee’s competency to work and to maintain a life which he wants to live. The organizations are becoming so incorporative with the employee’s in their demands and because of very high competition; they are able to dictate terms upon the individual.
Organizations are profit driven entities and they don’t bother about the employee’s personal life and work satisfaction issues of the employees. Organizations are least concerned with the employee’s imbalance of life and work satisfaction; they want the employee to work like a robot and to maximize their output by giving them profit on each second. Organizations have the work force in plenitude and when the people are ready to work of three people instead of one, the organization is least bother to think about the employees stress and mental disturbance.
Individual are equally responsible for taking the bundle of responsibilities from the organization, by silently taking all the responsibilities of the work he feels pressure and would not be able to maximize the output that creates the negative impact on the organization and the performance of the individual consider as not up to the mark. Employee do not raise the voice when the unfair attitude of the organization implements on them with a aim that they are delegated the work and they need to perform by showing their importance and not letting down their image in front of others. Due to “High Ambition” of the employee that they will perform the task they put themselves under much more pressure than they can handle.
Efforts made by Organizations & Individuals:
Today’s organization has realized the importance of employee as well as his work-life-balance. The ideas that most of the organizations have adopted is the employees working from virtual offices in their homes and this idea is adopted now all over the world. This idea has maximized the output of organization and to put more efforts of the employee by giving him some work space from office. The flexibility of working by their homes makes them more work oriented and as well as family oriented.
In offices, efforts are also being made to satisfy the employee by providing him good atmosphere, friendly environment, engaging the employees in different activities like Indoor games, work out facilities, swimming pool etc. The employees are given the freedom to have their own ways of doing work. The work are given in the form of assignments with the deadline that with the due time they have to submit the work, doesn’t matter how they perform and how much time they spend on office by what kind of work they are doing. Some organizations have created family atmosphere and realizing them that they are also a part of the organization that influence a employee to work more efficiently, and to provide the employee more satisfaction they introduce special leaves for the attending to sick parents, to attend the children.
Working Women: Are they apart of Organization?
Work life balance is also implemented on different aspects of social life, perspective and on the different people as well, as women’s is also one of the important parts of organization. Now the question that pop up in the mind is that how to address the work-life imbalance in the lives of the women work force. The society over the years has noticed that women all over the world want to be independent and they are also good in work force. Women workforce now constitutes good percentage of the total work force in an organization.
Gender equality should be considered in an organization however, women’s are more responsible and work oriented to the organization. The transition that is rarely found in women is that when they are moved from professionalism to unprofessionalism. When women takes break from work and take care of her family it is considered un professionalism. Things that women want in work force to be as equally treated as men. They need proper attention, working condition and safety. Many women have to make tough choices between work and families.
Maternity leaves and various holiday packages are being made for the women employees just to know them they are also an asset of the organization. Women are always family oriented and to provide them the family atmosphere they also have introduce some packages like insurance, health care, baby care etc. Organizations are now trying to take care of the employees by not to take over loads of the work and to concentrate on their work more relaxing.
How To Find That Elusive Balance Between Work and Life:
Following are the points that are elusive for balancing your Life and work.
Work *Is* Life, To Some Extent:
The first thing to understand is that the work is the most important thing you have to perform- your life is not away from it- you have to perform it in all circumstances, because work is Passion for some people. Same in our case it is important for us either in bad or good condition. People love to talk about work life balance and some people at great extent are tired from their work, it’s about how you carry your work, if you love you work you will enjoy it and you will not cut it short and love to spend more time in working.
What Do You Love?
What are the things you love to do? We’ll start with this question. Many people in the world are confused with this question that what they love to do and what are they doing now. As I love to spend time with my family, friends, beside this I also love my work like reading, writing, and workout.
As you’re doing your work now, maybe it’s your work favorite work but you’re not aware of it. Look for the things that you love and timeline that with your work because if your Love matches with the work you’re doing then it became your passion.
Creating Space in Your Life:
Now it’s the time you should know at what extent you have to work, for how lone, with whom and with whom to spend your time. How you’re spending your time, what do you do before and after work? That’s the question that arise in one’s mind that how he’ll going to create space in his work and life.
Now start thinking about your work and life, how each work has to be performed, what thing is your first priority and what is your last priority, what work to eliminate and what work to perform first. Some things might be big commitments that are hard to get out of – but over time, you can get out of them. Learn to say no, and learn how to tell people that you can no longer commit to doing something.
Finding That Balance:
Once you have settled with everything it will be very easy for you to find that balance between your life and work. After finding the balance in your work and life you could have a life filled with the things you love to do, whether it relates to your family or your work. Well there is nothing wrong with it if you love to spend time in your work; it doesn’t have any negative consequences (on your health, family and relationships).
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Examine your life regularly:
Try to examine your life regularly, indulge yourself with the daily activities, Running, Gym, Swimming other sports that takes your stressed beside and allow you to have a good and stress free life. Tackle the worst first, it allows you to face the difficulty and gives you a confidence that you can face any situation at any time. Give yourself at least 30-35 alone in your room to plan a day, week or think about how you get along with your day.
Benefits & Work / Life Programs:
Following are the benefits and advantages that an employee perceives from an organization. There are several benefits which an employee facilitates from an organization but here is some important one which most organization offers.
Benefits Package:
Organizations make such benefit packages for employees that help an individual to work efficiently and effectively for the organization. Organization try to me more competent in balancing the employers work/life balance so they offer such benefit packages that creates the interest of the employee to work obediently and positively for an organization.
Pension:
Employers also take advantage and associates with the company pension system. It helps them to relax in the future period cycle. They take loan from the company which cut off from their salary each month . By pension system an employee can take benefit from the company.
Vacation & Sick Leave Program:
Employers are well aware of the fact that they can take advantage of the vacation leave and their organization can also offer them a vacation leave so that they can have a good time with their family.
They can also take sick leave, if they want to visit a doctor or go somewhere for some purpose.
Health Works:
This is also an important benefit for the employees of the company from this they can avail the benefit for the health works. They made such programs for the employees so that they can take health work by taking life insurance, health insurance, medical insurance, pet insurance that motivates the employee that their company is sincere for what they are performing and taking keen interest in their employers life .
Counseling, Education Resource & Referral Services:
This service offers employees to facilitate their proper counseling, how they can resource their educational issues and what are their future programs and how it can help them to get into touch with the world. Employers counseling is important for the company so that they can get to know what is going around the globalization and what services they are getting from the company.
Disadvantages of Work Life Balance:
Non-Serious Attitude:
By giving such advantages to the employees, some employees try to misuses the opportunities by taking incentives as a negative way of work. When an organization try to create an environment which is familiar to their family, friends gathering employers attitude towards work get disturbed. They don’t take work for granted. Employees attitude towards work changes, this non serious attitude towards work insist organization not to create friendly atmosphere.
Flexibility of Work:
Organization tries to create policies which are in the advantage for the employers. Some organization make flexibility in time and some try to create flexibility in work. Flexibility in work time means by distributing the duties of employees in the working shifts of every 8 hours. Employers have the choice to choose the working hour which is suitable to their schedule. Flexibility of work inherent the employee to get his work done in office or he/she can take it for home as well.
Advancement in Technology:
This point is inter-related to the advantage sides of the company as well as employees. By introducing new technology in an organization employers get to complete their work as soon as possible. By using laptops, new software’s, net books, net diaries employers are capable to cope with the work quickly.
Home Assignments:
Organizations give benefits to the employees to get their work done as home assignment which sometimes cause delaying in work. Work delayed because the employers are more family oriented and busy themselves in family so they don’t give proper time to their work. Some employee get relaxation at home or some have their family, friend to hang out with and the home assignment will remain as home assignment.
Implementation of Work Life Balance Globally:
Work Life Balance in Nokia-Siemens:
Nokia-Siemens as being the big names in telecommunication network are also implementing work life balance. Balancing the work life is more important to the employees who are family oriented and work oriented as well. Life is more than just working, successful life is based on balancing your schedule. Whether you’re working from home or in office, your output is important to us which maximizes the profit of the company.
We offer following programs to our employees from which they can have a good healthy life and can also get relaxation from work. We offer comprehensive occupational health and safety policy, life and medical insurance benefits. Our retirement plans and programs are designed to encourage employee participation and savings to meet long-term retirement objectives.
In addition, NOKIA SIEMENS provide facility for the employees to work from home or take their work as home assignment, they provide the submission date of the work and employee have to submit their work on certain time period and this flexibility of work based on their tenure and job requirements.
We recognize the value of a healthy and happy workforce, for the good of your future, and ours.
Work Life Balance in Pakistan:
Work Environment of Pakistan State Oil (PSO):
Since 2003, PSO observes World Day for Safety and Health at Work stressing is the prevention of accidents and illnesses at work. This observation prevents the employee’s awareness about the balance in work and stress from up the work. Realizing the importance of the day in the local context, the Executive Director, Pakistan State Oil, Mr. Yaqoob Suttar, said, “PSO acknowledges this day by promoting the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases within the organization. We have in place an awareness-raising campaign intended to focus attention on the magnitude of the problem and on how promoting and creating a safety and health culture can help reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries.”
At PSO, following steps are taken in the favor or the employers to balance their work and life issues so that they won’t be stressed with the work. They offer such advantages to employees like flexibility of timing and to facilitate multi tasking, Work-life balance is also maintained through various entertainment events organized specifically for the staff to relax and unwind.
WORK ENVIRONMENT OF Unilever (so_logo.gif):
Our basic motive is to stand for the employer’s right by satisfying them with their needs and comfort. We recognize that people are motivated if their wishes are fulfilled in their career.
Individual personal life:
Knowing the value of an individual’s personal life we make such schemes that are in the favor of the employee, for that we make every possible policy that are feasible to sustain by the employee. We as an organization offer them to work from their homes, flexibility in work, shifts in working hours, career breaks and vacations leave.
Usually people who are parents have such work balance that they can easily rotate their time with their family and their work as well.
The way we work:
The way we used to do work is now changed to a new level of work in which we are more concerned with the satisfaction of the employee. We offered the travelling cost money to our employees, and by sending their families with them. That’s why we have introduced effective ways for teams to communicate and share information remotely. These include virtual meetings, videophones and online collaboration environments. We also have new-generation video-conferencing that’s so real it’s like meeting face to face.
Health & well-being:
Our Personal Vitality campaign promotes programmers and activities which are designed to help everyone in the company take care of themselves.
On the one hand we concentrate on body fitness through encouraging better nutrition, hygiene and personal care. This includes initiatives ranging from health assessments to opportunities for physical activity.
On the other we focus on fitness of heart, mind and spirit by creating a vitalizing work experience and environment for our people. This helps them feel energized and able to perform to the very best of their ability.
Conclusion:
The concept of Work life balance is becoming more and more relevant in a never-dynamic working environment. The role played by the individual is as important as that of the organization in managing this tumultuous see saw. One of the novel approaches to this is by the use of one’s emotional intelligence.
This will help people realize what they want to do, which in turn will lead to stronger organizations based on stronger values, orientations and ethics.
Research review:
“What is Work Life Balance” This article is written by DAVID A. DECENZO. He received his PhD from West Virgina University. Dean of Wall College of Business at Coastal Carolina University.
This text is taken from the book “Fundamentals of Human Resource Management” (8th Edition).
“How Experts Achieve a Balance” is taken from the article written by Vicki Hess, RN, a consultant, speaker and author of SHIFT to Professional Paradise: 5 Steps to Less Stress, More Energy & Remarkable Results at Work.
Palladino, also author of Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload: “My life is much bigger than my work. I feel balanced when I center myself in my life, not my work.”
Sara Caputo, MA, productivity coach, consultant and trainer at Radiant Organizing and author of the forthcoming e-book The Productivity Puzzle, it means attending to all areas of her life.
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