/life

WORK LIFE BALANCE…A LITTLE CHANGE GOES A LONG WAY…

Google the words “Work Life Balance” and the results counter hits 86 million and keeps on going. Google the words “Work Life Balance in the Healthcare Sector” and you’ll still find yourself trawling through over one million hits.

People have plenty to say on this subject if you’re interested in reading some of those links…it’s one of the hot topics of the moment…but all you really need to do is look around you, and it’s clear to see that for many in the workforce, a work life balance sounds like a nice idea but is not an achievable goal.

The European Union estimates that work-related stress affects at least 40 million workers in its Member States and that it costs the EU at least 20 billion Euros each year. With stressed and absent employees costing organisations dearly in terms of staff productivity, retention and recruitment, is this the reason that Work Life Balance has reached the top of management agendas?

The term Work Life Balance has become inextricably linked with the idea of part-time or flexi-time working, but is the introduction of a flexible working scheme, or offering employees the opportunity to work from home, really the solution?

For some employees, the answer is yes. Allowing them to structure their workday around both their work and non-work commitments can alleviate a lot of the stress that would otherwise result from trying to juggle child-care, domestic tasks or leisure activities. It gives the elements of choice and control back to the employee - an important factor in reducing stress.

Unfortunately, there is no one remedy that can be prescribed for all individuals to provide instant balance – but there is increased awareness in organisations that everyone has their own unique balance. So how are employers supposed to deal with this?

In short, research shows that the solution has two strands to it. First, providing the resources to give employees the opportunity to clarify their personal balance. For example, by using coaching to find work life balance, handle stress, focus on the things that are important to them and renew their enthusiasm for the job they do. Then second, creating an environment where they are able to maintain that balance using interventions, such as coaching, mentoring or focus groups within a culture change programme.

Why should organisations invest in addressing these issues? The question should really be, can they afford not to?

Deborah Simmons
Work Life Balance
Coach London Coaching Associates