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

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

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

Traditional Methods

Alternate Work Schedules (Fixed)

Alternate Work Schedules (Flex)

Alternate Work Locations

Job Sharing

Telecommuting

Job Redesign

3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HR can plan,

facilitate and

promote

Leadership

must resource

and lead by

example

14

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

Wahoo!

We’re going

to die!!!

13

16

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?

Generational Differences

18

44+ (Up to 1945)

25-43 (1946-1964)

8-24 (1965-1981)

0-7 (1982-1997)

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

Thank You!

Questions?