A brief look at traditional and non-tradiitonal approaches to work-life balance.

1. Work Life Balance: Traditional and Non-Traditional Approaches Charlie Rosenblum September 30, 2014
Traditional and Non-Traditional Approaches to Work Life Balance
Charlie Rosenblum Director, Employee Services

2. Work Life Balance – Can You Really Do It?
Can you really achieve some kind of equilibrium by managing your time more efficiently or are the competing forces simply too overwhelming?
The traditional approach says – Yes, you can – the non-traditional approach says that you should use additional methods.
1

3. The Regus Work Life Balance Index
2
 Survey over 16,000 professionals in 80 countries
 24% increase from 2010-2012 to 61% satisfaction
 Highest satisfaction rate is China, Brazil and Mexico are tops – Germany, UK and Belgium are lowest
 U.S. ranks slightly above the global average at the mid point of surveyed countries
Source: Regus Work Life Balance, May, 2012

4. Traditional Methods
Alternate Work Schedules (Fixed)
Alternate Work Schedules (Flex)
 Alternate Work Locations
 Job Sharing
 Telecommuting
 Job Redesign
3

5. Alternate Work Schedules (Fixed)
Advantages
 Improved Customer Service
 Accommodates Individual Needs – Especially Special Needs
 More easily controlled for Non-Exempt Disadvantages
 Intra-Office Jealousy
 Work w/o Supervision
 May Require Periodic Rotation
 Reduced Availability during ‘Normal’ Hours
4

6. Alternate Work Schedules (Flex)
Advantages
 Fully Accommodates Need
 Useful for Semi-Independent Workers
 Works easier for exempt employees Disadvantages
 Intra-Office Jealousy
 Work w/o Supervision
 May Require Periodic Rotation
 Reduced Availability during ‘Normal’ Hours
 Exempt vs. Non-Exempt
 Complicates Scheduling and Customer Service
5

7. Alternate Work Locations
Advantages
 Resolves Some Short Term Problems (i.e., Illness)
 Useful for Difficult to Fill Positions (i.e. IT)
 Potential to Spread University Image Disadvantages
 Intra-Office Jealousy
 Open to Abuse w/o monitoring (Supervision)
 Rarely a Long Term Solution
 Reduced Efficiency due to Split Departments
 Difficult Project Coordination
 Complicates Coordination
6

8. Job Sharing
Advantages
 Potential to Resolve Two individual Problems
 Potential to Increase Cross Training Disadvantages
 Difficult to Evaluate Effectiveness
 Rarely a Long Term Solution
 Potential for Reduced Accountability
 Difficult Project Coordination
 Complicates Coordination
7

9. Telecommuting
Advantages
 Appeals to Millennials (Especially in IT)
 Saves Office Space & Overhead Disadvantages
 May Require Home Inspections
 Usually Limited to IT or Certain Exempts
 Potential for Reduced Accountability (Supervision)
 Difficult Project Coordination
 Senior Management May Disapprove
 Intra Office Jealousy
 Difficulty with Workman’s Compensation Claims
8

10. Job Redesign
Advantages
 Accommodates Individual Needs
 Improves Individual Motivation
 Combining Tasks & Employee Involvement
 Ability to Form Natural Work Groups
 Potential for Improved Customer Relations Disadvantages
 May Impact Many Other Positions
 Costly Learning /Training Curve
 Benefit Only to the Few
 Intra Office Jealousy
 Required Detailed Planning and Coordination
9

11. Sick Leave Pool
Advantages
 Accommodates Individual Needs
 Improves Overall Benefits Package & Recruiting
 Safety Net for Long Term Illness
 Fosters a Culture of Caring Disadvantages
 Sick Leave Can Be a Costly Liability
 Favors Large Institutions versus Small and Medium Businesses
 Requires Well Designed Policy
 Might Retain Undesirable Employee
10

12. Non-Traditional Methods
Focus on the Whole – Leadership from the Top to the Bottom
Wellness Programs
Motivation versus Accommodation
Impact of Technology
 Understanding Generational Differences
 Employee Assistance Programs
11

13. Focus on the Whole – Leaders Define the Culture
12
 Leaders top to bottom must be committed to fostering an inclusive culture of caring
 Consistent demonstrations by initiating and resourcing programs
 Senior leaders support the managers who support the first line supervisor
 Employees respect the leaders who demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior
 Leaders reward and punish fairly

14. Wellness Programs
13
 Funding, Funding, Funding
 Gym Passes, On-Site Trainers, Wellness Fairs, weight loss programs
 Dedicated Staff Member to coordinate
 Coordination with Marketing – maintain visibility
 Improves community involvement
 Must be strictly voluntary – provide incentives w/o penalty – expect less than 50% participation

15. HR can plan, facilitate and promote
Leadership must resource and lead by example
14

16. Motivation vs. Accommodation
15
 Focus on what motivates your employees? Achievement Reward Advancement Responsibility The Work Itself
 Engage and challenge your employees
 Supervisors may be too quick to accommodate out of fear
 Supervisors and managers as coaches
 Positive Emotions
 Relationship with Others

17. Wahoo!
We’re going to die!!!
13

18. Impact of Technology
17
 A Nation of Workaholics
 The mobile office – it goes where you go
 The yen for perfection
 Technology novices and technology experts
 Technology as an extension of social lives
 How much Facebook and Twitter will you tolerate?

19. Generational Differences
18
44+ (Up to 1945)
25-43 (1946-1964)
8-24 (1965-1981)
0-7 (1982-1997)

20. Summary
 Traditional and Non-Traditional Methods need to be combined for maximum effectiveness
 HR can develop, plan and coordinate but must convince the senior leadership that these methods are essential for organizational success
19

21. Thank You! Questions?