This document discusses work-life balance, including its definition, importance, and implications. It examines statistics showing that many employees work long hours and experience negative health effects. Unhealthy work-life balance can cause unhappiness, exhaustion, and poor relationships. Achieving better balance provides benefits like increased productivity, commitment, and individual well-being. Employers can help through family-friendly policies, training, and flexibility. Laws also support practices like parental leave, flexible hours, and time off for care responsibilities.

1. Kaleidoscope
Yorkshire
Work Life Balance

2. Aim
 To learn more about the issues
surrounding work life balance
including its purpose, importance
and implications

3. Objectives
 Discuss what we mean by work life balance
 Examine some statistics relating to work life
balance
 Describe an unhealthy work life situation
 Explore our own personal responsibility to
change
 Describe the benefits of achieving a better
work life balance
 Explore what the employer can do
 Examine the law and legislation that affects
work life balance

4. What do we mean by
work life balance?
 Being aware of different demands
on time and energy
 Having the ability to make choices
in the allocation of time and energy
 Knowing what values to apply to
choices
 Making choices
 David Clutterbuck – Managing Work
Life Balance ( 2003 )

5. I wish I had spent
more time at the
office……
Would you be
saying this on
your
deathbed???

6. Some stats!
 1 in ? Employees are working more than
60 hours a week?
 1 in 8

7. Some stats…cont
 Stress related sick leave costs
British industry £150 million every
year – True or False?
 False – Its £370 million!

8. Some stats cont…
 A report by the CIPD in 2009 found that ?
% of workers say their employer has
family friendly policies and personal
support services in place?
 33%
 65%
 80%

9. Some stats cont..
 When working long hours more
than a ¼ of employees feel:
 Depressed – 27%
 Anxious – 34%
 Irritable – 58%

10. If we have an unhealthy
work balance what are
the signs that we see?

11. Signs
 Unhappiness
 On the ‘merry go round’ without control
 Lack of enthusiasm / devotion to the work
 Worry
 Feel like you are spending little time with family and / or
friends
 Forever catching up
 Increase in smoking, drinking
 Lack of rests / breaks
 Developing poor eating habits
 Tiredness / exhaustion
 Increase in deadlines
 Lack of supervision
 Arduous travel / commute

12. What can we do
ourselves?
 Take personal responsibility
 Keep a track
 Don’t work long hours
 Take regular rests / breaks
 Draw the line
 Awareness
 Change jobs?

13. How can the
employer /
organisation help?
 Promote a good work life balance
 Create policies and procedures
 Create conducive atmosphere
 Training for Managers
 Review work roles
 Managing absence
 Time off
 Mental Health at work

14. So…..if our work life
balance is healthy,
what are the
benefits?
 Benefits to the employer
 Benefits to the individual

15. Benefits to the
Employer
 Higher productivity
 Increased flexibility
 Better service for clients
 Raised morale, motivation and
commitment
 Reduced absenteeism
 Improved recruitment and retention
 Meeting legal requirements

16. Benefits to the
individual
 More value and balance in your daily
life
 A sense of control over work, family
and leisure
 Improved relationships both on and off
the job
 Reduction in stress ( and other
problems e.g. anxiety,sleep problems )

17. The Law!
 Annual Leave
 Working Time
 Parental Leave
 Time off for dependant care
 Maternity leave
 Paternity leave
 Adoption leave
 Right to request flexible working
 Part time work
 Detriment

18. What employers do
next
 Identify business need
 Adapting policies
 Performance
 Guidelines
 Lead from the top
 Communicate
 Monitor progress

19. And finally…
 Work life balance can
offer potential benefits to
both the employer ( in
terms of competitive
performance, positive
culture etc ) and to the
employee ( in terms of
greater well being )