Work- Life Balance-How is the case of work-life balance currently being made in the work place and what are the existing policies?

Introduction

Work –life balance it is very important issue in people’s life is affecting the health and well being of every each person and their families. Life balance is crucial for our overall economic competitiveness. (Work life balance Guide, 2010, online).

Working people have the flexibility to their lives. In 21^st century work-life balance policies are having an impact on the way people work and how companies operate and are becoming a big part of highly performing sector in the market. Workers have opportunity to feel in control of their working live.

This report tells us about work-life balance and will answer question about: How is the case for work-life balance currently being made in the work place and what are the existing policies?

How is the case for work-life balance currently being made in the work place and what are the existing policies?

Work-life balance is about the harmony between people’s work and private life. Individuals seem to be happier when their private life is stable and the work is giving opportunity to achieve their goals. Work-life balance is giving opportunity which can benefit everyone:

·         Customers, because organisations need to respond to the demands of their customers , it is important to do that to keep customers satisfied and to continue to be successful

·         Organisations, need to be able to manage costs, maintain profitability and ensure that teams work effectively together

·         Employees, take to the consideration that different individuals always have different expectations and needs at different times in their life.

Work –life balance policy should be established in every organisation and handed to the employee in recruitment process. The policy should state clearly what are the forms of flexible working and how should be that requested .Every organisation may have different forms of flexible working that are better suited to the employee and employer. (Human Fertilisation, 2010, online) Common types of flexible working are:

·         Job sharing, two people share one job position and are responsible together

·         Working from home

·         Part time, working less hours or days but keeping the same pay

·         Working hours, different starting, break and finishing times for employees in the same organisation

·         Time off  in lieu, overtime hours used as days off, instead being paid for them

·         Flexible working  time

Everyone can ask their employer for flexible work arrangements but the law provides some employees with the statutory right to request a flexible working pattern but their must:

·         Be an employee but not agency worker or in the armed force

·         Have worked for an employer for 26 weeks continuously before applying

·         Not have made another application to work flexibly under the right during the past 12 months

·         Have or expect to have parental responsibility of a child under 17( from April 2011 a child aged under 18)

·         Have or expect to have parental responsibility of a disabled child under 18 who receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

·         Are the parent /guardian/special guardian/foster parent/private foster carer or as the holder of a residence order or the spouse, partner or civil partner of one of these and are applying to care for the child

·         Are a carer who cares, or expects to be caring, for an adult who is a spouse, partner, civil partner or relative; or who is not related to you, lives at the same address as you.(Directgov, 2010, online)

Everyone who will meet the above conditions will be able to request flexible working and consider an application, which means people have right to request flexible working, not to have it. The employer can only reject the application if there are good business reasons to do so. (BERR, form, 2010, online)

“By 2010 one in five UK workers will be mothers; 25% of all families will be single parent families; and up to 10 million people will be caring for elderly relatives. By 2022 there will be 1 million fewer workers under 50 and 3 million more over 50. “(The work foundation, 2010, online).

According to that situation, organizations should be well prepared to face the problem and to organize appropriate policies which will show fairness to the employees and employers. In that case HR is playing important role with creating suitable work-life balance. HR is trying to bridge the gap between theory and practice in work life balance for example HRM guide published article about HR surveys which helps understand more about professional working mothers which are struggling to pay fees for childcare and are using mostly grandparents to help them out. That is why most of the respondents of the survey agreed about the important role in flexible working arrangements. More than two-thirds of mothers are in employment, but 40 per cent reported that the cost of childcare inhibited their return. Of those paying for a service, monthly rates vary from £250 or less (23 per cent), £250-£750 (24 per cent), to over £750 (9 per cent). (HRM Guide, 2010, online)

Another fact about working-life balance was published by CIPD which has created survey to check if employees likely to have caring responsibilities for a partner, relative or friend as they are for children. From the result they considered that:

·         A third 34% of employees have some form of caring responsibilities

·         With 20% citing children

·         12% relatives

·         6% their partner

·         2% a friend

·         36%woman citing caring  responsibilities and 33% of men

The survey shown that not only mothers needs to take care of small children as also men are wheeling to use flexible working for relatives, partners or friends. “However, our survey also indicates that employees with other caring responsibilities such as ageing or sick parents will increasingly expect the same sort of work-life balance opportunities as working parents.”(CIPD, Survey, 2010)

            In 21^st century , broadband internet ,mobile telephony and mobile internet are spreading fast around which give great opportunity for people who need to work flexibly, quick connection,  getting fast information are important in people’s busy life’s as also crucial for the organisations. The terms of teleworking and telecommuting were created by American Jack Niles in 1973 and development is rising fast every day. (Kolom.Pacific.2010.online)  There is lot of job vacancies placed on the internet for people who wants to work from home, for example Lonbridge company offered work of 10-20 hours per week, £8 per hour. (L10BRIDGE, 2010, online).

TIP   The life balance wheel is a tool which allows consciously look at the areas of life and rate current satisfaction. From the middle of the circle 0 point – outside 5 points, less points in the area means that our life needs more improvement in that sector.

(Picture, Positive Training, 2010, online)

            That tool may help people discover their week areas and use as a starting point in learning about themselves. That may be a good idea for the HR practice to help employees improve their weaknesses. (Mind Tools. 2010. Online)

CONCLUSION

The work life balance strategy offers a variety of means to reduce stress level and increase job satisfaction in the employee while enhancing business benefits for the employer, so how is the case for work-life balance currently being made in the work place and what are the existing policies?

Human Resource Professionals, as well those of people interested in reducing stress and keep harmony in the work place should provide access and information to employees about flexible working policies and opportunity to apply for it. Very often employees are not clearly informed about it.HR should give better support direct to line managers for adopting flexible work practices. Currently the policy about work-life balance exists in organizations but is up to HR and line managers to give information to employees but also employees should know their right and be not afraid to ask questions. (Redman, T.2009, p 367)

To have a better work –life balance, we should strive to “Work to Live and not Live to Work” (Work-life balance Conference, 2010, online)

references

·         CIPD Survey, Press Office, 2010, online source. Accessed on 09.12.2010

Available from

http://www.cipd.co.uk/pressoffice/_articles/EOcaring180310.htm?IsSrchRes=1

·         Corporate Voices Contributes Foreword to “Work-life balance” Special Report, 2010, Accessed on 08.12.2010

Available from

http://corporatevoices.wordpress.com/2010/12/05/corporate-voices-contributes-foreword-to-work-life-balance-special-report/

·         HRM guide, Working Mums, 2010, online source. Accessed on 09.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/jobmarket/women_employment.htm

·         Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, Flexible Working Policy, 2010, online source. Accessed on 07.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/2010-06-30_Flexible_working_policy.pdf

·         Kolom.Pacific.net, Jack M Niles, 2010, online source

Accessed on 09.12.2010

Available from

http://kolom.pacific.net.id/ind/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=170

·         L10 NBRIDGE. Internet Assessors Program, 2010, online source. Accessed on 10.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.lionbridge.com/lionbridge/en-US/company/web-site/internet-assessors.htm

·         Media planet. Work life balance. Guide to full time happiness, 2010, online source. Accessed 08.12.2010

Available from

http://doc.mediaplanet.com/all_projects/6062.pdf

·         Mind Tools. Essential skills for an excellent career. The wheel of life. Finding balance in your life.2010, online source.

Accessed on 09.12.2010

Available from

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_93.htm

·         Positive Training. Empowering your retail food team. Online source, 2010. Accessed 09.12.2010

Available from

http://www.positivetraining.com.au/blog/

·         Redman,T,Wilkins,A,2009,Conteporary Human Resource Management, Third Edition, Harlow, Ft Prentice Hall

·         The work foundation. Work life balance, 2010, online source. Accessed on 07.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.theworkfoundation.com/research/health/worklifebalance.aspx

·         Uk Government Directgov, Flexible working, 2010, online source. Accessed on 06.12.2010

Available from

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm

·         Work Life Balance Conference, 2010, online source. Accessed on 10.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.ashacarlos.com/blog/2010/07/22/work-life-balance-conference-2010/

·         Work life balance, Media Planet, 2010, online source. Accessed on 10.12.2010.

Available from

http://www.corporatevoices.org/system/files/u822/fe_Balance_Special_Report_USA_Today_Dec_2010.pdf