1 / 19

A Shift in Work Life Balance

A Shift in Work Life Balance. 1980s – characterised idea that lunch was for wimps 2001 – quality of working life had got worse 2001 – notion of downshifting appeared Growing importance of work life balance. Drivers for Work Life Balance. Demographic make up of potential work force

Download Presentation

A Shift in Work Life Balance

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. A Shift in Work Life Balance • 1980s – characterised idea that lunch was for wimps • 2001 – quality of working life had got worse • 2001 – notion of downshifting appeared • Growing importance of work life balance

  2. Drivers for Work Life Balance • Demographic make up of potential work force • Changing social roles • Changing responsibilities of organisations • Legislative pressures • Increasing numbers of women in the workforce

  3. Impact of Family Friendly Law • Working Time Regulations • Rights to ante natal care • Rights to maternity leave • Rights to maternity pay • Right to parental, paternal, and adoption leave • Time off for dependants • Right to request flexible working

  4. Types of Maternity Leave • Ordinary maternity leave (OML) • Compulsory maternity leave (CML) • Additional maternity leave (AML)

  5. Maternity Pay • Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) paid through payroll to those entitled to receive it • Those who do not qualify for SMP have to claim state maternity allowance from the Benefits Agency

  6. Parental, Paternity & Adoption Leave • European law gives parents the right to take up to 13 weeks unpaid leave during first 5 years of child’s life or adoption • Only applicable to employees who have completed a year’s continuous service • Purpose of leave is for caring for child • Multiple births give multiple rights

  7. Time Off For Dependants • To provide assistance when a dependant is ill, gives birth, or is injured • To make arrangements for the care of a dependant • On the death of a dependant • Due to unexpected disruption or termination of arrangements for the care of dependants • To deal with an incident involving a child when at school

  8. Who are Dependants? • Spouses • Children • Parents • People who live in same household who rely on employee when they are ill

  9. Flexible Working • Right to request flexible working perhaps the most significant family friendly measure • Regulations set out procedures which require parents to write formally to their employer requesting change in terms and conditions

  10. Reasons Why Employers Can Turn Down Requests (1 of 2) • Burden of additional costs • Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demands • Inability to reorganise work among existing staff • Inability to recruit additional staff

  11. Reasons Why Employers Can Turn Down Requests (2 of 2) • Detrimental impact on quality • Detrimental impact on performance • Insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work • Planned structural changes

  12. Debates About Family Friendly Legislation • Employer associations are resisting some mooted changes – revolving around costs • Growing discontent from those who do not have families • Some feel that too much regulation can hinder women’s employment • Others feel such measures needed to provide gateway for parents to combine their responsibilities

  13. Options for Achieving Work–Life Balance Table 32.1  Options for achieving work-life balance

  14. Benefits of Work–Life Balance • Can reduce absence • Raise morale • Increase levels of job satisfaction • Increase levels of performance • Employees are less tired so work more effectively

  15. Problems With Work–Life Balance • Take up • Manager’s role in implementing work–life balance • Limits on access

  16. Take Up • Demand much greater than current take up • Some organisations set financial limits for such practices to be viable • Policies and some line managers may limit access • Some requests are dealt with more favourably than others • Perception that work–life balance is ghettoised • Can cause alienation

  17. Manager’s Role • Managers can be the main barrier to introducing and implementing work–life policies • Pressure on managers to be fair • Manage workers who may not be visible • Manage flexibility • Shift in the way they measure staff

  18. Limits on Access • Work–life balance is not open to all • Option to work from home is usually the privilege of the highly educated • Whilst more women work at home, more men have the choice to work at home • Work–life balance is not for the lower paid

  19. Summary • There are many drivers for work–life balance initiatives • Legislation encourages employers to support work–life balance • Emphasis is on family friendly measures • Work–life balance policies are generally focused around hours worked and where they are worked • Work–life balance initiatives can increase job satisfaction and commitment to work • Barriers to work–life balance need to be managed

More Related