Impact of Cloud Technologies on Work-Life Balance in Washington D.C.

Introduction

In a 2013 article in the Guardian, a business director said the following when discussing the introduction of cloud technologies, the age of work/life balance is over, its now about blend (Davidi). Cloud technologies have indeed revolutionized both the jobs in various sectors and daily life. Its capabilities are increasingly impact the manner firms operate, providing capabilities such as collaboration, workplace mobility, and information access at distance. Washington D.C. is home to numerous government and business organizations that have benefitted or will significantly if the technology is widely implemented. In combination with a highly stressful culture of work in many sectors in D.C. that promote long-hours as well as overloaded infrastructure, cloud computing can potentially shift the status quo of work-life balance.

Washington D.C. Culture and Economy

Washington D.C. serves as the capital of the United States, home to the large federal government. This has also brought numerous firms to the district including legal and lobbying firms, social organizations and thinktanks, and financial institutions. In addition, the region has also become a hub for various technology firms working with the government and other companies. Finally, the city hosts a significant hospitality and tourism sector.

The citys sectors, particularly federal government, legal firms, and others are known for their long work hours culture. Meanwhile, due to high costs of living with rent for two bedrooms starting at $1,500 is causing many workers to work overtime. Washington D.C. metro area has a population over 6 million people and holds an above average density. The citys infrastructure is significantly worn due to the number of people commuting to work in the city, with some of the most congested roads and public transportation in the country, resulting in residents spending hours commuting (Harkness).

Cloud Technology

Figure 2: Basics of cloud computing (What is cloud computing).

A brief overview of cloud technologies is necessary to demonstrate their purpose and effect on changing the Washington D.C. economy. Cloud computing is a model which enables on-demand convenient access to a shared pool of computing resources. These can include networks, storage, servers, applications, analytics, or artificial intelligence that are provisioned and released with minimal management. The purpose is to deliver these computing services over the internet (the cloud). Cloud computing offers various benefits ranging from flexibility and innovation to efficiency and economies of scale. Since the IT resources are stored on the cloud, it creates cost-saving for businesses and effectively provide elastic scaling since the the cloud is virtual and one receives the right amount of IT resources when they are needed at the proper geographic location. Elimination of on-site hardware provides two benefits of eliminating the need for maintenance, taken care of dedicated cloud service providers. Furthermore, it offers the essential benefit of accessibility to all these digital services are available remotely from home and mobile devices with proper access credentials.

Figure 3: IT Life cycle (Metheny 40).

Washington D.C. firms and federal governments have taken initiatives to implement cloud computing into the operations of organizations. Due to the sensitive nature of operations, the adoption of cloud technologies has been carefully overseen by the development of standards which focus on areas of interoperability, portability, and security. The cloud services must follow standards of an interoperable platform where providers can work together using various delivery models and securely. The process is painstaking but follows the IT standards life cycle which can be seen at both government and private sector industries as seen in the figure (Metheny 39). Therefore, it can be argued that cloud technologies are effective and well-tested before being integrated into practice, making them reliable to use for professional purposes.

Work-Life Balance

Figure 4: Features of Cloud Computing (Dataflair Team).

Cloud computing offers a number of features that are integrated into business or organization operations such as on-demand services, accessibility, availability, automation, and economics among others. In the modern digital world, the workday often intrudes into personal lives. Furthermore, in the economic culture of Washington D.C. where domestic and international politics are always turning and affecting markets, policy, and influences on the population, some professionals find themselves constantly on alert or working long hours. While technology does bring work into personal lives, it can also relieve it and establish a better work-life balance.

Figure 5: Continuum of Individuals Perception on Work-Life Relationship (Sarker et al. 147).

Work-life relationships are commonly perceived in three distinct categories of compartmentalized, overlapping, and encompassing. Compartmentalized individuals see a clear boundary between work and life and are able to get work done efficiently while rarely using devices for work outside of hours. That is rare, and most individuals hold an overlapping perspective assuming that it is not feasible to separate work and personal life.

They hold an elastic tolerance level on work spilling into personal lives (Sarker et al. 146). This is common among many sectors that deal with international partners with increased globalization and interconnectivity among time-zones, common for Washington D.C.

Cloud computing offers the potential for improved productivity by transforming business operations and offering integration of all fundamental features. For example, Google through its platform which is cloud-based has simplified and integrated email, document collaboration, instant messaging, and video conferencing tools. Better efficiency leads to better overall productivity, allowing to get more done during normal work hours, freeing up more time for personal lives (Weir).

Cloud technologies provide greater opportunity of remote work that holds significant benefits for companies. Employees are more flexible with their time boosting productivity and significantly benefiting their health and well-being. Furthermore, companies can hire for positions in a wider area in the region due to the possibilities. Practically all known challenges of remote work can be easily solved through cloud computing solutions (Messier 167).

The concept of mobility frightens organizations that are fixed, such as many established firms or government agencies. However, mobility ensures a greater level of access to work from any device or network connection that is available, setting up the technological and cultural ability to work from anywhere and collaborate through the cloud-based services. In some circumstances such as the government shutdown seen periodically, or as seen in China with the coronavirus outbreak that could easily impact the United States  such capabilities are highly beneficial for management of time and work-life balance.

Periodic instances of remotely working from home, even if it is one or two days a week has both personal and social benefits. Workers are able to save significant time by avoiding commutes in D.C. and also achieve increased productivity working from the comfort of home. Furthermore, employees are able to dedicate greater parts of such days to family matters or personal development by scheduling appropriately and having the time and capability to get rest.

Research also shows generally less stress in mobility work. Cloud computing serves the purpose of improving the quality of IT services which is positively associated with better work-life balance. Meanwhile, the consequences that concern many enterprises such as lack of discipline and poor social cohesion which may arise with this model, can be mitigated by introducing more virtual networking options and alternating between work-in-the-office and remote-work days (Holland and Bardoel 2580).

Conclusion

Cloud computing is an innovative technology which is seeking greater integration into modern businesses and agencies. Washington D.C. which sees long hours, round-the-clock alertness, and social infrastructure overload, the technologies will positively impact work-life balance. By increasing mobility of remote work capabilities, employees can benefit from increased time otherwise spent on commuting and inefficient productivity waste in the office.

References

Davidi, Adam.  The Guardian. 2013. Web.

Dataflair Team.  DataFlair. 2019. Web.

Harkness, Peter A.  Government Technology, 2016. Web.

Holland, Peter, and Anne Bardoel. The Impact Of Technology On Work In The Twenty-First Century: Exploring The Smart And Dark Side. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 27, no. 21, 2016, pp. 2579-2581. Web.

Messier, Ric. Collaboration with Cloud Computing: Security, Social Media, and Unified Communications. Elsevier, 2014.

Metheny, Matthew. Federal Cloud Computing: The Definitive Guide for Cloud Service Providers. Syngress, 2017.

Sarker, Suprateek, et al. Managing Employees Use of Mobile Technologies to Minimize Work-Life Balance Impacts. MIS Quarterly Executive, vol. 1, no. 4, 2012, pp. 143-157. Web.

Weir, Jaspar.   Forbes. 2019. Web.

 Microsoft Azure. Web.

Wiener, Aaron.  . Washington City Paper. 2015. Web.

Work Life Balance Essay

Introduction

Choosing what kind of job to take is perhaps the most challenging task that everyone faces. Numerous college students have found themselves being victims of wrong decision-making as far as this choice is concerned. Specialists are usually attracted to monetary benefits, failing to consider other important aspects of jobs like non-monetary advantages.

These benefits include the number of hours that a person is expected to commit to the job. However, only the employee themselves determines their work-life balance. This essay explores this issue in particular.

The more time passes, the harder it becomes to consider options regarding the hours spent at the workplace. So, the sooner people realize the importance of work-life balance, the easier it will get to deal with any problem.

In this essay on work-life balance, the author examines its importance and provides tips on how the balance can be achieved.

Importance of work-life balance

Work-life balance can be defined as arrangements employers make to enable their employees to live full lives. This implies that as much as they give their best to the job, the employees will have a chance to do other things in their lives. Work-life balance is a very important aspect of any working environment. Among its advantages is that employees are more motivated to perform their duties since they do not get overworked. This is advantageous to both employers and employees.

The employees benefit in that they develop healthy relationships with their employers, and at the same time, they get time to build non-professional aspects of their lives. This way, they can develop their careers positively and engage in productive activities as they build their careers. On the other hand, employers are able to achieve greater productivity in their firms since employees are greatly motivated to work.

Employees give their best to the job due to motivation; thus, quality and greater production volume are guaranteed (Clayton, 2005, p. 27). The employers also benefit in other ways since the benefits they give their employees enable them to gain good publicity that attracts more productive workers and customers if the firm is in the hospitality industry.

From the above discussion, it is apparent that work-life balance is of utmost importance in organizations. Firms should therefore know how to appropriately establish appropriate measures to enable their employees to live a full life. On the other hand, employees should strive to live a balanced life even in conditions that are seemingly unfavorable. The following paragraphs explore how employees and employers can achieve work-life balance.

Strategies for attaining work-life balance

Even though the relationship between a persons professional life and his/her personal life is indubitably rich, it may prove to be tricky to attain and keep a healthy work-life balance. The following are some of the strategies that employees can use to live a full life. First of all, it is of utmost importance for an employee or employer to keep calm in challenging situations.

For instance, if a person is experiencing personal problems like problems of marriage, he/she should ensure that the same does not affect his/her professional life. If the person is an employer, he/she should not, for instance, fire an employee due to his/her personal problems. On the other hand, an employee should ensure that he/she does not let his/her personal life affect his/her professional performance.

For instance, if the employee is experiencing family problems, he/she should maintain the same level of performance as when he/she does not have such problems (Gordon, 2003, p. 1). Likewise, stress in the workplace should not affect the personal lives of the employees. Employees should ensure they live their personal lives to the fullest while ignoring any problems that may have occurred in the working environment.

An employee should also ensure that he/she engages in important bodily activities to live a well-balanced life. He/she should thus engage in physical activities and ensure that he/she sleeps and eats well.

It is thus apparent that any job that gives an employee time to engage in the aforementioned activities can be considered to be offering work-life balance. It is also important for the employee to set boundaries for both professional and personal activities. This will ensure that both lives do not clash (Clutterbuck, 2003, p. 112). This way, the employee will be able to achieve enviably in both realms of life.

Conclusion

As evidenced in the discussion above, work-life balance is a very important determinant of professional performance. It is thus of essence for employers to ensure that they give their employees adequate time to engage in personal activities. On the other hand, employees should ensure that they use the free time they are given by their employers wisely.

They should ensure that they engage in productive personal activities and, at the same time, avoid taking their professional problems home. It is thus of essence that people evaluate prospective employers keenly to make wise choices as they choose between jobs. This will ensure that they do not take jobs and regret them later.

Reference List

Clayton, D. (2005). The Work-life Balance Program. University of California.

Clutterbuck, D. (2003). Managing the Work-Life Balance. Journal of Management, pp. 101-120.

Gordon, M. (2003). 9 Strategies For Regaining Your Work Life Balance. Web.

Studying and Working Balance

Following the changing business environment and the demands at work place, the need for cash when one is at school is currently compelling people to work and at the same time they are doing/taking some courses. Balancing studies while at the same time one is in school is not an easy task; it requires one to sit down and plan his or her time so as to have sufficient time for both causes. One should be aware that the two have targets that have to be obtained for success. This paper gives an analysis of how I have managed to allocate time for working and studying; it will aim at assisting my fellow students to know the considerations that they need to make when making such a decision.

Before one decides to go back to class, he should make the decision without underestimating his capabilities; what one can do should be well interpolated so as to venture in the area that one is capable of doing. If one wants to go back to school alongside his job, then he should start by having a vision of what he want to attain after the completion. Then choose a course that will lead him to the destiny that he aims to reach. If it is the case of a student, then he should be able to know the available jobs that are in line with what he can offer in terms of experience, interests, and the time that is available. The period that the study will take should be analyzed in making the decision as well as the third parties that will be affected by the decision. If for example you have realized that you have some potential in accounting; it will be more affordable if you go and start a course in accounting (Fink, p. 32).

The fact that a person has decided to go back to school doesnt make the day any longer; what will be important is to create time this means that the individual prioritizes the activities that he has to do in such a way that he can have extra time that he can then devote to either studies or part time job. There are some things that we may not be able to change and thus we will analyze the situation knowing that there are some hours that are already dictated. This is done by understanding the work or study schedule. The start point that I took was having the institutes time table and the job time table then I analyzed the time that I was likely to be free. When terming a certain hour/time as free, I also allocated time for domestic attention. If there is something that can be done to schedule the time tables to fit ones need then it should be done. For example there are some days that I am supposed to work in an afternoon shift,-the same time that lessons are taking place, however it is possible to talk to my supervisor to allocate me morning shifts instead.

This is more felt when one is making a decision of going back to school; he should be sure that he will raise the fees required over the entire period of study. Talking to people who have prior experience in the area of study or work is important so one can understand how demanding the job/studies are. Other than finances, there is the issue of materials that are required for the course (Harris, p. 72). Before making the decision, its important to be sure that the material that may be required in future will be available. We always think that we can stop doing this or that so we can have extra coins or some time; however it isnt always as easy as it is to say. After we have created the finances and time by sacrificing something, individual efforts should be made to ensure that one lives to the promise that he has made to himself. Self discipline and self leadership is required. Those parties that you think are time wasters or money wasters are important in life but can hold as one takes a different course to education or work. Managing time is all about managing oneself, before I decided to take an extra course, there are some social activities that I left, they include playing golf an supporting an England football league team -Arsenal. This requires hard work, determination and self discipline.

One may be willing to do something but may be out of reach, in terms of distance/ accessibility. With technology there is the advantage of distance learning and thus though as much as distance may not be a big issue, however it comes with its challenges. For example, when I decided to double deal studies and work, I ensured that my locality had power and network to access the internet any time I wanted to (Durand, p. 10).

Life changes in terms of technology and social factors and before one takes a long term decision, there is the need to interpolate the effect that the decision will have for the current, medium, and long term life of the decision maker for example if a bachelor who undertakes classes until 9.00 at night, that will last for five years; what will be the effect of the decision if he decides to get married only three months into the program?, the result may not be favourable for the man. The above example illustrates the need to think of the future when making the decision. When planning the time that I had, I thought of when Im expecting to get married, this is because marriage comes with responsibilities, thus I chose a course that wont extend past the marriage date.

Works Cited

  1. Fink, Philip R. Education Savings Planning Guide, Including 529 Plans. The Tax Adviser 36.6 (2005): 366. Academic OneFile.
  2. Harris, John M. Financial planning for major initiatives a framework for success. hfm (Healthcare Financial Management) 61.11 (2007): 72. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO.
  3. Durand, Dave. Self-Discipline. Personal Excellence 14.1 (2009): 10. Business Source Complete. EBSCO.

Work-Life Balance: Emirati Men and Women Comparison

Abstract

A survey was conducted by Zayed University students about work-life balance amongst Emirati men and women. In the survey, work balance was defined as achieving equilibrium between work and home. The survey focused on Emirati individuals.

Background Information

Are you Emirati?

Respondents were screened as Emirati. Among all the 42 respondents who participated in the interviews, 100% were Emiratis.

Gender

Both men and women in the survey formed 50% respectively.

Gender

Age

Further analysis of the age categories indicated that those aged below 25 years of age formed 11.9%. 25-30 year category formed 54.8%. Those aged 31-34 were 21.4%. 35-40 categories formed by 11.9%. The highest numbers of respondents were mid-age in the late twenties forming 55%. A general observation indicated that the Emirati community comprised of mainly young men and women below 40 years.

Age

Type of organization

The Emirati community worked mainly in the public sector forming a significant number of 93%. Those in the private sector formed 7% which was a minimal number as compared to the public sector.

Type of organization

Number of Years Working

Emiratis had been working for mainly 6-10 years in the public sector. This category formed 52%. A few of them had worked for 0-5 years, a category that formed 28%. The least of them who had worked longest between 11-15 years formed 19%.

Number of Years Working

Marital status

Among those interviewed, 81% were married. 9.5% were either single or divorced. It can be deduced from the findings that a substantial number of Emiratis valued family values and that is why they stuck to their marriages.

Marital status

Do you have children?

Most interviewees have had children, a proportion that formed 79%. Only 21% did not have children. Among those who had children, 33% had two children, 23% had three children while 11.9% either had four children or had no child.

Emirati Men and Women

Using a Likert scale where 1-3 meant extremely important, 4 meant important and 5-7 meant not extremely important, they were asked to rate how important work was to them. 83% felt that work was extremely important. 17% felt it was moderately important.

The same rating was applied to the family, and 100% felt it was extremely important. Their opinion on how important maintaining work-life balance was to them and 38% felt it was not extremely important. 35% felt it was moderately important while 26% felt it was extremely important.

Organizational Policies

The respondents were asked to describe their workplace environment. A statement was put to them that my workplace has policies which attempt to produce a healthy work-life balance and they were to rate it on a scale of 1-7 using the Likert scale. From their opinions, 41% extremely agreed with the statement, while 59% extremely did not agree.

A similar statement was put to them that Emirati men and women utilized work-life policies equally in my workplace, and 5% strongly agreed with the statement, 33% were moderate in opinion while 62% did not extremely agree.

Recommendations

On a scale of 1-5, they were asked to rate work-life balance strategies applied at the workplace, and 57% extremely agreed while 43% did not extremely agree they were present. One of the strategies tested was flexible time at the workplace, and 79% extremely agreed that it was necessary while 21% felt contrary. A similar statement was put to them about maternity leave, and 67% were extremely in agreement. 33% were not in extreme agreement. Another strategy put to them was part-time at the workplace, and 26% were in extreme agreement while 74% did not extremely agree.

Furthermore, the amount of work at the place was rated and 14% extremely agreed that it was necessary to apply it at the workplace. 26% were in moderate agreement while 60% did not extremely agree. Finally, they rated whether workplace child care should be applied and 79% extremely agreed, 11% were not in extreme agreement while 10% were moderate about the issue.

Roads and Transport Authority Work-Life Balance

Introduction

Every company depends on its employees greatly. To ensure that they do their best and constantly improve their performance to meet organizational goals, managers should pay much attention to employment relationships, aligning them both with national legislation and company policies.

Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance should be emphasized because it prevents employee burnout. By having enough time to rest and communicate with their families, staff members receive an opportunity to recharge and continue working, increasing overall performance levels. Thus, employees are healthy and satisfied with their work, which reduces the turnover rate. People tend to become more attentive when they have enough time to focus on work and home separately. The legislation recognizes the necessity to maintain work-life balance, and legislative bodies can make companies alter their organizational culture to support this initiative. Being located in Dubai, RTA follows the Human Resources Management Law (Dubai Government Human Resources Management Law No. (27) 2006). This law determines the limits of paid annual leave; regulates health, safety, and work environment; and more.

As a family member, a worker can receive legal support in several areas. Maternity leave is offered to any woman, but it can be offered with full pay or only half. This leave lasts for 45 days but can be extended for ten unpaid days (Majid). Still, the UAE President has shared his ideas of extending paid leave. Paternity leave is another worker guarantee usually supported by law. Still, it has not yet been considered in the UAE. However, it is expected that three-day paternity leave will be provided to men who work in government bodies (Kantaria and Barr). There is no separate adoption leave for working women in Dubai. However, if the adopted child is less than three months old, women are supported under the general maternity legislation. Even though there is no dependent leave for employees, they benefit due to the opportunity to obtain health insurance for themselves and those relatives they take care of.

Fair Treatment

For employee pay, it is critical to follow legislation, organizational policies, and the work contract. Being fair to workers, especially in terms of wages, is significant because it ensures the establishment of trust-based relationships. By being closer to employees and paying much attention to mutual trust and respect, the management receives more consistent support from the team. Organizational goals are likely to be accepted and reached efficiently with no issues. Also, fairness contributes to employee loyalty, engagement, and satisfaction, all of which reduce employee turnover.

Discrimination Legislation

To improve the organizational culture and environment, companies follow discrimination legislation that focuses on religion and race/ethnicity. These laws cover both oral and written communication. Thus, people can share their ideas using books, leaving online comments, or just speaking. This legislation prohibits acts of hate and labeling and protects minorities in this way. It also promotes the establishment of an equal rights society. According to the anti-discrimination law, acts that insult people regarding their religion and race/ethnicity are treated as crimes. Finally, legislation controls the information available in spoken and published media. It outlaws expressions of hate against peoples religion and race/ethnicity (The National Staff).

Organizational Policies and the Psychological Contract Support

Companies should develop organizational policies that benefit both employees and employers so that their psychological contract is maintained because the relationship between them determines organizational success. This idea is supported by Scheepers and Shuping, who defined a good practice as one that supports these policies and contracts (1). They found out that training and development practices help workers improve their knowledge and skills and strengthen the relationship between employers and their workforce. These practices are the most beneficial because they are developed based on organizational goals and needs and help them perform better.

Conclusion

Thus, every organization must focus on its employees and ensure they are satisfied. Following the law, employers should ensure that employees operate in a positive environment and have good relationships with one another and the leaders. Much attention should be paid to work-life balance and trust-based relations as well.

Works Cited

Dubai Government Human Resources Management Law No. (27) 2006. Dubai Courts, Web.

Kantaria, Samir and Gordon Barr.Practical Law. 2016, Wen.

Majid, Jason.UAE Labor Law, 2016, Web.

Scheepers, Caren, and Johannes Shuping. The Effect of Human Resource Practices on Psychological Contracts at an Iron Ore Mining Company in South Africa. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 9, no. 1, 2011, pp. 1-19.

The National Staff.The National. 2015, Web.

Cost Center Employees Work-Life Balance

The cost center is tasked with numerous roles that must be completed diligently. However, such responsibilities have not been completed successfully in the past. As the new supervisor, I will implement potent changes to improve the level of collaboration and ensure scheduling is done efficiently. I am requesting for more staff members since the current workforce is overwhelmed. I am also encouraging the institution to implement new career development programs and seminars. Such efforts will foster teamwork, creativity, and performance. Finally, the organization stands a chance to benefit from the concept of work-life balance. This model will ensure more staff members are willing to support the institutions objectives. I am looking forward to receiving your response as I focus on this tremendous obligation.

Analysis of the Problem

Realistic Assessment

The described cost center has recorded numerous challenges such as low morale, discontentment, and reduced performance. The situation is attributable to the ineffectiveness of the previous supervisor. Scheduling has been done by two lead workers. The vacation needs of specific workers are usually ignored. The two lead workers do not communicate effectively. Senior staff members have their vacation needs met while the needs of new employees are ignored. The center does not have a backup system when workers call in sick. Scheduling changes are not communicated effectively.

Recommendations and Rationale

The first recommendation is identifying a new person to complete scheduling tasks. The rationale for this argument is that a competent individual will support staff members equally. The second recommendation is that scheduling should be done by a competent person. The rationale is that satisfied and empowered workers will collaborate with each other to achieve their goals. The third recommendation is for the supervisor to support the communication process. The rationale for the suggestion is that the leader will ensure every persons needs are met.

The fourth recommendation is ensuring that every employees vacation needs are addressed. The rationale is that the practice will streamline operations in the unit. The fifth recommendation is to have an effective backup plan. The rationale is that the system will ensure that there are professionals to offer emergency services. Finally, scheduling changes should be communicated efficiently. The rationale for this recommendation is that the move will support every individuals needs and improve performance. These attributes will be done in accordance with every leadership function such as planning. Stakeholders will be empowered, led, and informed using adequate leadership concepts.

Action Plan

The proposed strategy will be implemented using Kurt Lewins change model (refreeze-change-freeze). During the first stage, the supervisor will communicate the proposed changes and their benefits. Every individual will be sensitized about the centers mission. The stage will be completed within two weeks. During the period, a skilled person will be identified to complete scheduling tasks. The supervisor will also undertake the major organizational duties such as leading, organizing, directing, and planning.

The second step is implementing the proposed scheduling model for two months. Every employee will be informed about the plan. Communication procedures will be improved during the phase. Employees will receive timely e-mails whenever there are changes in the work schedule. The employees will also be supported using powerful work-balance initiatives. An efficient conflict resolution strategy will be implemented. Effective training programs will guide the targeted employees to work as teams. Tasks and leadership roles will be delegated evenly. The final stage will be used to make these changes an integral part of the center.

Work-Life Imbalance, Its Reasons and Outcomes

Description of Topic and Research Questions

Topic Description

The topic I would like to research is the life-work balance. In the modern world, this issue is becoming more and more actual. People spend a lot of time commuting to work. Sometimes, they work long hours or have an unsociable work schedule. Due to these circumstances, health problems such as depression or anxiety or even more serious ones may appear. Most of all, however, family life is hurt. Parents are not able to spend enough time with their children. Working students do not have enough possibilities to visit their parents and have some rest. Everyone suffers when work occupies too much time. Therefore, I believe that the question of the proper balance between work and personal life should be investigated thoroughly, and the ways of reaching harmony between these two significant components of any persons existence should be reached.

Research Questions

  1. What are the major reasons why people cannot reach a balance between work and personal life?
  2. What are the possible ways of finding the life-work balance?
  3. What kinds of specialists tend to achieve life-work balance worst of all?
  4. How can technology promote reaching life-work balance?
  5. What are the most dangerous outcomes of not achieving the life-work balance and how should people avoid these adverse effects?

Purpose of Research

The purpose of the research is to raise peoples awareness of the issue and inform them about the seriousness of its negative consequences. The topic is crucial since more and more employees and managers suffer from insufficient life-work balance (Todd & Binns, 2013). I have seen the impact of the insufficient work-life balance in my family. My father had to combine several jobs, and he was practically never at home. As a result, my mother got frustrated frequently, since neither she nor the children received enough attention from him. I want people to understand how important it is to set the priorities and adjust every aspect of life so that there would be harmony in the family.

Preliminary Research

Article 1

Koubova, V., & Buchko, A. A. (2013). Life-work balance: Emotional intelligence as a crucial component of achieving both personal life and work performance. Management Research Review, 36(7), 700-719.

The major argument of the article is that there is a close connection between emotional intelligence and life-work balance. As Koubova and Buchko (2013) mention, personal experiences enhance the growth of emotional intelligence that, in turn, promotes life-work balance. The key subtopics of the article are the impact of emotions on the personal life and the impact of work on private life. The major examples suggested by the authors reflect how peoples achievements or failures in personal life influence their accomplishments at work, and how professional success or deficiency may impact ones relationships with family members (Koubova & Buchko, 2013). The authors identify several dimensions of emotional intelligence: perceiving emotions, using them, understanding, and managing emotions. The authors conclude that it is quite possible to reach a balance between personal life and work with the help of emotional intelligence.

Article 2

Munn, S. L. (2013). Unveiling the work-life system: The influence of work-life balance on meaningful work. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 15(4), 401-417.

The main argument of the article is that in the investigation of work-life balance, the actors such as people, companies, and governments are considered separately (Munn, 2013). Meanwhile, as the author emphasizes, all of these components should be studied in a close association to provide the fullest scope of the problem. Munn (2013) discusses the following subtopics in her research:

  • the work-life system;
  • work-life and work-family balance;
  • an altering workforce: linking work-life balance with substantial work;
  • an introductory analysis of meaningful work and work-life balance.

The major examples suggested in the article are concerned with demonstrating the mutual impact of life and work on the successful functioning of each of them. Munn (2013) concludes that reaching a balance between the various demands of family, community, personal needs, and work is a crucial issue not only for employees but also the employers and even professionals in the sphere of human resource management.

Projects Audience

The primary audience of my research is represented by adults at the age of 30-50 who are actively working and have children. These peoples needs, motivations, and influences are connected with the aim of keeping healthy relationships within the family while simultaneously earning enough money to provide their children with everything they require. I would like the audience to know that the insufficient balance between work and life may lead to more than fatigue and stress. I want people to understand that their relationships with the closest ones may suffer if they fail to set the priorities correctly. To appeal to the audience, I will start the paper with statistical data concerning how many people feel uneasy and trapped when they fail to find a balance between their personal and professional life, and how many relationships have been broken due to this issue. Then, I will discuss the main causes of the problem along with the ways of eliminating them.

A Narrowed Focus of Research

A unique angle of my research will be investigating the impact of emotional intelligence on reaching the life-work balance. A preliminary thesis of research is, Promotion of emotional intelligence promotes peoples life-work balance and enables them to live a full life.

References

Koubova, V., & Buchko, A. A. (2013). Life-work balance: Emotional intelligence as a crucial component of achieving both personal life and work performance. Management Research Review, 36(7), 700-719.

Munn, S. L. (2013). Unveiling the work-life system: The influence of work-life balance on meaningful work. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 15(4), 401-417.

Todd, P., & Binns, J. (2013). Work-life balance: Is it now a problem for management? Gender, Work, and Organization, 20(3), 219-231.

Work Life Balance Of Men

Introduction

In this assignment I will build a case as to why men should be included in any future research on work-life balance and I will Identify a relevant qualitative methodology for researching the work-life balance of men. What is work life balance? Work life balance is Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance. Trying to schedule an equal number of hours for each of your various work and personal activities is usually unrewarding and unrealistic. Life is and should be more fluid than that.

Your best individual work-life balance will vary over time, often on a daily basis. The right balance for you today will probably be different for you tomorrow. The right balance for you when you are single will be different when you marry, or if you have children; when you start a new career versus when you are nearing retirement.

There are no perfect, one-size fits all, balance you should be striving for. The best work-life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities and different lives. However, at the core of an effective work-life balance definition are two key everyday concepts that are relevant to each of us. They are daily Achievement and Enjoyment, ideas almost deceptive in their simplicity. (Jim Bird, work life balance, 2015)

Essential keys as to why Men’s Work life balance needs to be researched by academics

This literature shows Men’s Work life balance needs to be researched by academics because Men’s work is generally confined to their paid jobs while women use the time freed up by their typically shorter paid work hours to carry out work in the home (Parent-Thirion et al., 2007).

For example, Craig et al.’s (2010) study of the total (paid and unpaid) work carried out by women and men in Australia from 1992 to 2006, revealed that the total workload of both mothers and fathers increased over the period, although for mothers the increase was greater. At the end of the period fathers (men) were spending more hours on paid work and childcare and decided that priorities especially of work are more important than trying to balance. (Craig et al.’s 2010)

The business case

Evidence indicates that increased opportunities to balance work and life might lead to greater employee satisfaction, which is likely to yield significant benefits for employers. For example, I would say while working long hours can have a range of negative effects (including health and safety), research finds that the greatest negative effect is on work–life balance. (Boushey et al., 2008).

This unequal division of household and family work means that women are typically ‘time poor’ and obviously have less time to do other non-work activities including leisure or community, for example for men, work–life balance is very much about work–family balance and the family and partner tends to accentuate the gender division of labour, but the picture is more complex than formerly when the male breadwinner and female homemaker model was more prevalent. (Parent-Thirion et al., 2007).

I believe the Craig et al.’s 2010 theory and methods are relevant for explaining why men’s work-life balance needs to be researched by academics because it underlines the key topics of men’s everyday life balancing work with families.

I argue Craig et al.’s 2010 case why setting priorities in work life balance should be in play rather than just trying to balance everything because for future research in men’s work life balance should change slightly in this case as men should priorities more in this case also mentioned by (Pocock, 2005) rather than balance because, women and children can afford to balance things more than men. I say this because men have most of the heavy responsibilities on their shoulder, and as mentioned balancing family and work should not be played with because if attempting to balance these two crucial factors in men’s work life balance could cause a man to lose his job by attempting to keep family in balance as well. But some could argue family is more important than money, but I argue and say money is more important only in this instance because if men don’t focus on their work they could lose their job and would not be able to supportive their family, if that said only if their partner/s agree to this.

So, I argue this case to say that men should be considered more in any future research project to find approach work life balance differently are there are many ways instead of just the basics and some things are easier said than done. (Pocock, B. (2005) ‘Work-life “balance”)

Also coming back to the point that men’s work life balance tends to have more on their shoulders, they are affected hugely by time. Time has a huge impact on men’s work life balance because working eight hours is considered to be as the standard time for men in many areas of the world. But men often work for more than eight hours a day because employer requires it. Regardless of the reason for doing so; it has been proven that long hours can have a negative impact on an employee and their family.

Some health issues are associated with working long hours. Stress is more likely to occur when you are working long hours more than the standard. It has been known a sleep deprivation that is cause by stress. Individuals who suffer from a lack of sleep and a large amount of stress are likely to have a weak immune system. In order to prevent from these employees, need to get a proper amount of rest and relaxation.

Qualitative methodology for researching the work-life balance of men

Qualitative research methodology is a type of social science research that collects and works with non-numerical data and that seeks to interpret meaning from these data that help understand social life through the study of targeted populations or places. People often frame it in opposition to quantitative research, which uses numerical data to identify large-scale trends and employs statistical operations to determine causal and correlative relationships between variables. Within sociology, qualitative research is typically focused on the micro-level of social interaction that composes everyday life, whereas quantitative research typically focuses on macro-level trends and phenomena.(A.Crossman 2011)

The sample as researched will be men between the ages of 25-45. I believe this will be the best age factor because by looking into the age gap statistics of men starting their career and being experts in their field of work was ages 25-45. This is important to know because comparing an individual who is a at the basic level of their work field and an individual who is an expert in their work field has a big impact on their balance of work and life. Hence if a 25-year-old man just finishing university starting a job in an office in central London somewhere he will have a lot to learn and a lot of stress at work and this will be difficult for them to maintain a happy social life with friends and families.

Whereas the man who is ages 45 for example and works in the same industry as the 25-year-old graduate that just starting working, he will have most likely has less hours of work and an easy job. This will lead the 45-year-old individual to having less stressful days at work and less time at work, which in return by looking at statistics they will have more time to spend on their families and themselves.

The specific qualitative research techniques that would deem useful and effective to conduct on the matter of work life balance would be on men aged between 25-45 years of age would be, Interviews, focus groups, qualitative questionnaires, structured observations. I believe this would be most effective qualitative research techniques for work life balance, for example to get access to this research the mentioned method qualitative questionnaires would be conducted by targeting London Office workers at the time of around 12-1pm because this is when they will have a break and they tend to go outside for some fresh air and would be good chance to conduct that research method as they have less likely of chance to make excuses to not engage in the qualitative questionnaire. Then once all the qualitative research and methods are conducted I can them make observations on the research achieved, then research carefully the questions, conduct a hypothesis, experiment with current outcomes then analyse correctly then proceed to make a final conclusion that positivism, deduction, mono method qualitative, survey and cross-sectional all conclude into the achievement of the crucial success of research methodology of work life balance for men.

Conclusion

In this assignment I have built a case as to why men should be included in any future research on work-life balance and I have identified the relevant qualitative methodology for researching the work-life balance of men.

How Work Life Balance Affects Individuals

A lack in work-life balance is costing employees and organizations billions of dollars a year. Organizations that are experiencing high turnover due to burn-out of employees lose wealth (knowledge and money) because of poor work-life balance. According to Harvard Business Review, an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion a year of healthcare spending in the U.S. is due to psychological and physical burn-out of employees (Garton, 2017). Personally seeing the affects burn-out has towards a workplace and individuals has activated further research to better understand work-life balance.

Work-life balance is “the relationship between the amount of time and effort that someone gives to work and the amount that they give to other aspects of life” according to Macmillan Dictionary (2019). This can be accomplished through many different ways for individuals’ preferences. Flexible hours, teleworking, using paid time off, opportunities to continue learning, engagement with the community, and taking walking breaks throughout the day are a few ways to incorporate work-life balance in the workplace. In a world that is fast paced and competitive, why should leadership and managers advocate for the above opportunities when they take away work time, resources, and money? Work-life balance has been proven to prevent burn-out and turnover but also reduce stress, increase employee satisfaction, and create higher levels of productivity.

Work-life balance has become a trending topic among work forces for multiple reasons. The first being household members taking on more family roles within the home. This causes more stress in the home environment compared to previous generation roles. Millennials themselves are a reason for the trending focus on work-life balance as they have shown more value in the topic than past generations. Lastly, job satisfaction and performance are directly related to work-life balance. Studies have found, work-life balance leads to a higher quality of life which in return, leads to higher retention rates, job satisfaction, and job performance. Though we have confirmed the benefits of work-life balance, it is important to note the preferences and need from individuals.

Each individual requires a different amount of work-life balance. Preferences can even be seen from different generations. The three main generations in the workplace right now include baby boomers, generation X, and millennials. All these generations view work differently and thus, require different performances of balance. As leaders and managers within organizations, it is important to understand how work-life balance is requested.

Learning the affects work-life balance brings to an organization can assist us in understanding how to manage employees better, consider opportunities for growth in our own organizations, and consider what is personally needed to have a better work-life balance. The aim of this paper is to explore the benefits of work-life balance, how generations perceive work-life balance differently, and how it affects the work place.

There are three generations that are the majority of the workforce. The oldest workers are the Baby Boomers born between late 1940s and 1960. The second generation is Generation X with group members being born between 1961 and 1980. Last are the Millinennials born between 1981 and 1995. All three generations value work-life balance but at different levels.

Millennials, the youngest generation in the work-force, have the strongest need for work-life balance and rank it high when seeking employment. It is not uncommon for millennials to choose flexibility and more vacation time over salary (Gilly, 2017, p. 6). Millennials tend to have more confidence and expectations of job growth or promotions. For Millennials, they grew up in an environment of no losers thus, their feeling of entitlement to work-life balance and promotions. Balancing and acknowledging the differences between these generations is important.

Generation X view work as a means to make money to support their personal life (Gilly, 2017, p. 6). Their value on money rather than work as a life style, makes them not loyal to companies but rather the ability to not interfere their personal life. Gen Xers are known as the Latch Key generation because of the amount of time spent at home alone. This generation saw the effects of drastic downsizing companies through lay-offs on their parents’ generation thus creating their lack of loyalty towards companies.

Baby Boomers seek loyalty over work-life balance in a company and will often retire from companies they started at. Many Baby Boomers have decided to work past the age of retirement. This decision comes more at a personal request than financial need for these employees. Because of this decision, they are starting to value the opportunities of work life balance. Baby Boomers appreciate time to focus on their health and have a flexible schedule to allow them to continue working past retirement.

A study by Bennett in the Journal of Managerial Psychology proved Baby Boomers recent appreciation of work-life balance in a current study. Bennett surveyed individuals from each generation to measure their work-to-family conflict. Bennett’s (2017) study concluded “Baby Boomers reported the least work-to-family conflict, followed by Millennials and Gen X-ers.” A previous national survey from 1997 showed Baby Boomers having higher work-to-family conflict than Gen X-ers. The shift over 2 decades indicates Baby Boomers reaping the benefits of work-life balance by working less hours, having more job flexibility or less travel requirements.

Bennett’s survey also suggests along with the above benefits, the life-cycle change for Baby Boomers from parents of dependents to empty nesters plays a part in their work-to-family conflict. When the previous survey was taken in 1997, many of them had young children still at home. The below table from Bennett’s research shows the mean score for 428 individuals and the height of Generation X for work-to-family conflict. Gen X-ers are the majority generation with children under 18 at home proving the concept that not only does generation and age play a part but also where generations and individuals are in the life-cycle.

Prior to writing this paper, I would regularly state how I wish I worked a 4-day work week because I would be more productive. I was certain many would benefit including organizations. Having the opportunity to conduct extensive research on the topic has given me more appreciation and context behind my

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The Concept Of Work Life Balance in Modern World

As the name suggests, work life balance relates to the equilibrium between the professional life, personal life and family life of the individual. This is a relatively new concept being brought on by the seismic advances of technology, the stigma of being regarded as “average”, and the disruption of the traditional 9-5 work culture. Not exclusive too, but heavily weighted towards, the balance of work and family life especially with the involvement of children and family. Lack of organisations engaging with employees on the very prevailing issue of work life balance, what ensues is a slump in performance and an escalation in mental health issues and associated pathologies, undermining the attainment of the workforce.

The increase in mobile technology, cloud-based software and the proliferation of the internet has made it much easier for employees to be ‘permanently’ at work, blurring the distinction between professional and personal. Some commentators argue that smartphones and ‘always-on’ access to the workplace have replaced the authoritarian control of managers.

In today’s world of constant connectivity, are we in danger of risking employees’ wellbeing for the sake of a speedy response?

According to Harvard business review, the psychological and physical problems of burned-out employees cost an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion a year in healthcare spending in the United States. (Garton, E. (2017). And then the question should be asked what can be done to reduce this extraordinary cost? Healthy work life balance is the answer to this huge expense and more organisations need to focus more on this issue if they want to see both performance figures and the health ( both mentally and physically ) of their employees improve drastically.

So ultimately the ignoring of a healthy work life balance impacts on the bottom line of business and consequently now plays an important part in the HR function in an organisation who values the well being of their employees both physically and mentally.

However many of the changes have been fostered onto companies vying to compete in this new globalised world. Europe has trended towards flexible production with many jobs now non permanent with major growth in part time employment. There has also been significant growth in self employment across Europe including the rise in subcontracting. These issues all impact on the stress for employees at work necessitating the need for work life balance. (European business p239)

There’s been an exponential growth in articles and books written on building a life that works for you. Regardless of what job you choose or what stage of life you are in there is one constant goal in the life that you choose and that is Happiness. (Bill Burnett and Dave Evans p136)

The issue of WLB has been driven by a series of changes with regards to employment of individuals. These include the increasing number of working mothers and dual-career couples with dependant children, an ageing workforce, increased responsibility for the looking after of elderly relatives, not to ignore the external pressures of trade unions on the workforce pushing for family friendly policies.

The consumer is demanding longer opening hours which requires more flexible working patterns exacerbated by the European Union legislation around working time flexibility.

Policies to encourage WLB include working from home, allowing employees time to partake in non-work activities without penalties, and provide facilities to help employees attend work such as creches.

Smallman, C. and Robinson, A. (2000) report that many characteristics of modern workplaces and work are associated with a significant risk to health, especially flexible working practices and the interaction between work and non-work. A good example of this is night work working which has been shown to lead to a higher risk of heart disease and death (Harrington, 2001)

The big issue can be is whether work is imposed on the employee or taken on by the employee through their decisions. The question is all about balance.

Effective WLB leads to better individual performance at work, lesser absenteeism through ill health, better brand positioning of the employer, less staff turnover, greater employee commitment and motivation by feeling valued.

Hogarth et al (2001) reported that flexible working practices created better WLB namely 91 per cent agreed people work best when they can balance life and work, 59 per cent agreed that the employer has the responsibility to help people find this balance, 52 per cent believed that staff absenteeism and turnover were lower as a result.

Downside for employers include; increased costs to provide for flexible labour. Working from home costs money in terms of computer equipment. Its harder to manage people remotely and harder to integrate them.

Downside for employees; harder for men without children to find flexible jobs so leads to resentment. Feeney et al study (2014) found men reacted more favourably to family friendly policies. Big variations between public and private organisations, unionised and non unionised workplaces,

There are certain careers which are incompatible with WLB. “There are thousands of people out there leading lives of quiet desperation working long hard hours at jobs they hate to buy things that they don’t need and to impress people that they don’t like”.

Going to work in jeans and a T shirt on dress down Friday doesn’t address the issue!

Individuals not governments or institutions need to take control of your life because someone else may design your life in a way that you don’t like.

Don’t put the control of your life in the hands of a commercial corporation. Commercial companies are designed to get as much out of you as is legally possible. It’s in their DNA. Even good companies. So for example by putting a nursery or a creche in the office just means that you spend more time there. Individuals need to set the boundaries.

Life needs to be balanced. Work, relaxation, sport, recreation, etc etc. the key is balance. It’s the small things that matter. Doesn’t have to be radical. Minor adjustments can make a huge difference.

Studies from the London Hazards Centre indicate that work today is more intense than it was 10 years ago creating the need for a balance between work and life. Experiencing being over-worked, long working hours, and an extreme work environment has proven to affect the overall physical and psychological health of employees and deteriorate family-life. Britain’s government recognized this reality and started making an effort to balance the work and home life of its employees by providing alternatives such as being able to use portable electronic equipment to do their jobs from a virtual office, or to work from their actual homes.

The most important development with regard to work life balance has been the growth of female employment rates (feminisation of the workforce) thats happened across Europe and North America in conjunction with the growth of service sector jobs. The growth in jobs taken up by mothers is important because they are by in large the main carers for the children (Scott et al, 2010). Yet despite the decline of the male breadwinner ideology research shows that women continue to be primarily responsible for childcare and domestic tasks. Mens contribution to household tasks and childcare has increased over time but not to the extent that women’s increased involvement in paid work has become. Consequently this has caused difficulty in striking a balance between paid work and family responsibilities so as a consequence balance has often been achieved by women giving up work at the birth of the first child and returning at a later stage often as a part time worker.

In effect children have opposing effects on mothers and fathers. Mothers end up working lesser hours and earn less, whilst fathers work significantly longer hours yet earn more than comparable groups of childless men. So women often have to choose between work or family first. This is all set against a background of corporate culture looking for more loyalty and commitment from the employee which often leads to family tension and health issues.

The availability of policies designed to help employees with responsibility to families aid the extent to which employment is easier for women including their working hours. As well as good quality affordable childcare, family friendly working time policies, such as flexible starting and finishing times, and paid leave to deal with family issues, can help to better manage work and family commitments.

Why is a good work-life balance important for employees?

Good work life balance improves mental health, and benefits the business too. Employees with a good work-life balance are more efficient, productive and motivated.

Presently around 6.5 million UK employees – that’s approximately a third of the working population – describe themselves as unhappy at work, according to research published last year.

What can managers do to improve work-life balance?

To achieve a workplace culture which promotes balance, its important that the managers themselves buy into the philosophy and importance of work life balance. Words themselves do not go far enough. It must be driven from the top down in an organisation. Training should be undertaken to condition managers to identify signs of poor balance and its effects on the individuals. Work-life balance should also be modelled from the top down. If business owners and the senior management team take a break away from their desks for lunch, employees won’t feel obliged to stay at theirs.

Good work-life balance benefits both the employee and business.

Heineken

Heineken is one of a small but growing number of companies that understands why its brand is important not just to boost sales but to attract talent as well by offering beneficial work life balance policies.

It’s recent “go places” campaign aimed to showcase its global influence and the scale of the company with the aim of convincing potential employees that the company is “like no other”, according to senior director Gianluca Di Tondo. Roderick, L. (2016). Heineken is best known for its eponymous lager, but its business stretches across 250 beer brands and 70 markets with products as varied as Foster’s, Bulmers and Amstel. That is one reason its staff rate Heineken so highly in terms of the varied work. Company culture is also key too Heineken. It runs an annual engagement survey with a section dedicated to wellbeing and work-life balance, and has established principles around travel, email etiquette and working hours to ensure that balance is maintained. Small tokens such as free fruit and ensuring staff take lunch breaks away from their desk are just as important as company-wide policies around physical health and mental wellbeing. Staff are offered development programmes such as mentoring and encouraged to attend industry events, as well as Heineken’s own events, to spread best practice and ensure the company is getting the best out of every employee.

As an example of how Heineken wishes to promote its Smarter working scheme, which helps to promote work life balance, certain employees have the following at the tail end of their emails;

“At HEINEKEN we are embracing Smarter Working – I may choose to send some emails outside of business hours but I do not expect these to be actioned at that time. Please note that I work flexible hours – Friday is my usual non-working day.”

CONCLUSION

It has become apparent that work, alongside so many things in this fast paced globalised world that we now live in, is changing rapidly. The concept of work life balance is a real concern for the well being of both the individual and the efficacy of employees inside an organisation. I have illustrated the dichotomy faced by both working parents at the workplace and the negative implications faced for both men and women if the work life balance equilibrium is not altered to reflect the changing patterns of work. Technology has impacted immensely on the work life and stresses off the individual and as much as it has brought undoubted benefits and efficiencies to many businesses it has also negatively impacted on certain areas of working life.

Companies will adapt through market pressure and government intervention as I have illustrated but the idea of “one size fits all”solution is not the remedy. People themselves need to work out what balance means to them and choose ideally a career that is tailored more to the individual rather than have it forced upon them.

Work is a fundamentally important part of the human psyche with many rewards gained if garnered correctly. The work life balance model will constantly evolve and will continue to both impact negatively and positively in the careers we all wish to pursue.