2. THE TIMES IN A WORKING LIFE WHERE WORK
LIFE BALANCE BECOMES AN ISSUE
Issues of work life balance are becoming more important to
organisations that wish to be seen as an “employer of choice”.
Policy developments have improved the situation for some
workers in some organisations, but the individual response is
still patchy. Some employers will offer the absolute legal
minimum, whereas others embrace the notion of work life
balance for all, and see it as a basic right for their workforce.
The “vital” organisation should be able to recognise, and
respond to, the moral and business case for work life balance,
enabled through a variety of flexible working initiatives.
However the effects of the current financial climate may well
wipe out the progress that has been made.
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3. Research Question
Where in a working life does work
life balance become an issue?
Specifically, what about older
workers as they prepare for
retirement?
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4. Definitions
“…. a growing recognition that
individuals require a satisfactory balance
between the demands of work and those
of the rest of life”
“ Work life balance is about the
challenges that face individuals when
they are trying to hold paid work and
home in domestic life in balance. “
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5. Work-life balance is a person’s control over the conditions in their
workplace when dually satisfied about the personal life and paid
occupation.
Using the term “Work-Life” suggests that there is an easy divide between
work and life, but that does not address issues of unpaid work, or how
that relates to family and individual life. Some individuals maintain a
strong division between their paid job and everything else they do; others
enjoy their work and feel so fulfilled by it that it can take up most of their
waking hours.
“Balance” is an implicit suggestion of an ideal goal of equivalence. is it
the same for everyone, or are we all doing it differently? If a person
spends most of their time working at an enjoyable activity, does that
mean they have failed to achieve a whole and fulfilling life? Some spend
the minimum of time at their job so that they can spend the rest of their
time pursuing a hobby, which again may not lead to a “balanced life”.
Lots of definitions about family and WLB
Work Family Conflict,
Work Family integration ECLO Conference 2009 5
6. Policy Implications
USA historical perspective
Common Market / EEC / EU Policy
UK Policy
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7. Policy Focus
Is this just a gender issue?
Supporting families?
Getting more women into work
Getting more work out of workers?
Protection against claims for work
place stress
“Flexicurity”
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8. Life Phases
Young People
Mid – Career
Older Workers
Post Retirement
Where flexible working exists, men often report a greater benefit.
Regardless of family commitments, individuals frequently complain
of the increased pressures of work, and of having to be seen to
demonstrate loyalty to the organisation through working excessively
long hours.
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9. BUT: presentism: to being seen to be at work for lengthy periods in
order to demonstrate commitment to the employer.. The value that the
organisation sets on mobile and home working indicates the extent that
presentism attitudes are present.” This does not lead to greater efficiency
or effectiveness. European countries have shorter hours but higher
productivity, Swiss employers believe that people who regularly work
longer hours are actually demonstrating that they are inefficient
(Langham 2003).
Working long hours is due to FEAR
Part time? Maybe, what are people doing in the other part? Another
(unpaid) job, like keeping house?
Public sector has much greater reported stress levels
Rural life may not be the idyll that people imagine. City dwellers – live
close to work + isolated
Young people pressured to take “gendered jobs”. younger workers were
more insistent upon flexible working and not being exploited at the
expense of their family and social life
Older workers may not be able to afford to retire when they want.
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10. Young People
Career choice may influence work
life balance later in life
Career choice may be gendered
Young people expect better work
life balance than their parents
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11. Mid – career
Does work interfere with life? Or
does life interfere with work?
“Middlescence”
The loneliness of achievement
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12. Employers seek a win-win solution to get a happy and productive
workforce
Men
Under pressure to work long hours
Work is so much more complex now.
But, benefit from family friendly policies.
Women
2 jobs, one paid, the other unpaid care for children and elderly parents –
what real choices do they have?
Flexible and part time working can harm career prospects – no
demonstration of commitment to the job.
BUT: presentism:
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13. Well being at or shortly after retirement may have little to do with age,
being more affected by whether the individual is able to exercise control
over when and how they retire (Calvo 2009).
Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that gradual retirement will lead
to a happier life, with employers seemingly willing in some
circumstances to allow a flexible job design for older workers to ease
them out of the job gently while harvesting their accumulated knowledge
and wisdom (Yeandle 2006).
Calvo et al (2009) found to their surprise that sudden retirement actually
created a more fulfilling retirement than a gradual reduction in hours or
responsibilities.
However they did acknowledge that it may be that simply having a
decision to make, rather than having retirement thrust upon them, that
will enable the individual to enjoy their retirement years (Calvo 2009).
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14. Older Workers
A problem to managed or an asset
to be valued?
“The Final Five”
Leaving a Legacy
Easing gently or cold turkey?
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15. Post Retirement
Can you afford to retire when you
want to?
Balance between life and ? ?
Access to services
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16. Employers’ responses
Legal minimum
Flexible working practices
Work life balance for all
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17. Part time Job share Term time only Remote
working
Consolidated hours Variable hours Self-managed
working
Recent research by the Equality and Human Rights
Commission (2009) found
“.. a strong case for re-configuring maternity, paternity and
parental leave and extending flexible working. These
measures would respond to high demand from parents and
the wider working population, achieve greater equality,
fairness and choice, improve the quality of life and of
childhood, and provide benefits for employers and the
economy.” If their choices are still dictated by old fashioned
views of who should work and who should care for children
and the home, or by business owners who will not offer truly
flexible working conditions, or by inequalities in maternity
and paternity leave arrangements, then men are being
prevented from taking their preferred share in parenting and
women are being prevented from reaching their potential in
the workplace (EHRC 2009).
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18. Asda offer a wide range of Work/Life balance options, including:
IVF leave (five days' paid leave to women undergoing IVF
treatment, and 1.5 days for partners);
'Benidorm' leave - up to three months unpaid leave between
January and March while maintaining a continuous work history
(in addition to paid annual leave);
Grandparent leave - five days unpaid leave on the birth of a
grandchild;
Sabbatical leave - up to two years' unpaid leave while remaining a
member of staff and with a guaranteed job on return;
Employees can also take holiday for a wide range of reasons,
including Grandparent Leave, Carers Leave, Study Leave,
Religious Festival Leave and Yellow Ribbon Leave – a paid day’s
leave to staff with relatives returning from military service in Iraq.
Not only do flexible hours mean we can attract a wider range of
employees, but it also means that staff are more committed to their
jobs, which reduces absenteeism and improves morale and
retention.” (www.tesco.com/everylittlehelps.)
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