Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Employee Ideas Achieve Work Life Balance
This article relates to the Work/Life Balance competency, which investigates how your staff feels with regard to the balance between work and personal life. It explores issues such as priority of family and hours on the job, also covered in this competency. Organizations that enjoy a high satisfaction level in this area will normally exhibit a low rate of absenteeism and experience higher employee retention. Evaluating this competency is helpful in understanding issues relating to a workforce that is commonly tardy or absent from work.
This article, Employee Ideas Achieve Work Life Balance, is part of AlphaMeasure's compilation, Tales from the Corporate Frontlines. It illustrates how one group of employees worked together to find new ways to achieve a healthy balance between the demands of work and personal or family life.
Anonymous Submission
I work as an office assistant with a small business that deals in the distribution of swimming pool chemicals and supplies. Our peak periods are somewhat cyclical - busy times fall into seasonal periods, and in the peak months it is not uncommon for our staff to spend 70 to 80 hours per week at the office.
I am a long-term employee of this company, and while the added hours may have upset my work life balance in the past, the extra overtime pay usually offset the inconveniences in my personal life. Until two years ago, that is. About that time, my elderly mother began to need more care, and more of my time. My children began to complain that I was too seldom available to attend their sporting and school events.
I mentioned this to my coworkers one day, as I sat down in the break room after my second lunchtime interruption by phone call. Although it was crazy at work, things were even worse at home, I told them. The pressure and stress were really building at this point.
I was surprised to discover that my coworkers were experiencing the same problems with work life balance. "We need to have flex time", one of them said. "We should be able to decrease our working hours during the slow months, take a break and catch up with our families and personal obligations, and just relax." Everyone agreed --- but how could it be handled? We spent some time over the next few days devising a flextime plan that allowed each of us to take a break and work a reduced schedule once the slow season arrived. We could spend the extra time away from work catching up on the family activities, household maintenance, and general relaxation.
We discussed the plan with our supervisor, who set up a meeting with the owners of the company. It turned out that they were very positive about our proposal, as cash flow was weak during the slow periods, and our plan would be good for business in the long run. Our employers had also recently become concerned about morale, and having finally achieved a fully skilled and trained staff---they didn't want any of us to leave.
Last year, we began our flextime schedule. Morale improved - both at home and at work, for the entire staff. We have reached a viable work life balance, and all it took was a little consultation and creative scheduling.
The busy months are still harrowing, but knowing that a slowdown is ahead makes a huge difference in our morale, mental focus, and productivity ---both on and off the job.
© 2005 AlphaMeasure, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
This article may be reprinted, provided it is published in its entirety, includes the author bio information, and all links remain active.
Measure. Report. Improve your organization with AlphaMeasure employee satisfaction surveys.
Josh Greenberg is President of AlphaMeasure, Inc.
AlphaMeasure provides organizations of all sizes a powerful web based method for measuring employee satisfaction, determining employee engagement, and increasing employee retention.
Launch your employee satisfaction survey with AlphaMeasure.
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Answer: Starting one.Most of us realize that there is probably... Read More What do people really find challenging about leading meetings? Here... Read More What principles should a company keep in mind when developing... Read More This article, Job Security in Today's Workplace, is part of... Read More Okay, be honest!Are you guilty of sticking in a few... Read More Employees are the often-neglected stakeholders in the success or failure... Read More It can be concluded with great certainty that certain organizational... Read More 1. What is an Issue?An issue is an incident, circumstance,... Read More Performance Management is the act of managing personal or organizational... Read More Can a person's behavior and values really determine if they... Read More Everyday a business owner, CEO, or manager somewhere is complaining... Read More It's clear to me that a workplace is a better... Read More As a small business owner, entrepreneur or independent professional, it's... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More The day job as a manager is all about managing... Read More My background is in retail management - yes, running stores,... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More It's very easy for a business owner or manager to... Read More US Work Ethic Issues and Lack of serviceWell many... Read More Innovation is different and distinct from creativity in that it... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More This article relates to the Career Opportunity competency, commonly evaluated... Read More Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More What would happen if the personal assistants in your organisation... Read More How can I make my community of practice truly effective?How... Read More
Adsense
websites
What is the Most Difficult Part of an Improvement Program?
Leading Meetings: The Top Three Challenges
Take This Into Consideration Before You Write Your Mission Statement
Tales From The Corporate Frontlines: Job Security in Todays Workplace
Your Company Without Training - Any Questions?
Turbo-Charge Your Rollout with ERM
Organizational Culture, Creativity, Innovation
Issue Management Methodology for Tracking Project Issues
The Three-category Approach to Performance Management: Effort, Ability, or Environment
How To Hire Superstars
Attract and Retain Positively Great Employees - An Action Plan for Employee Training
Finding Common Ground Through Consensus Decision-Making
How To Get What You Really Want
Innovation Management ? Selecting Good Ideas
Manage Your Business from the Rockies, not the Prairies
Make a Difference - Sweat the Small Stuff First
Innovation Management ? Eliciting Dominant Ideas
Difficult Staff - It Pays To Get To Know Them Better
Your Biggest Problem in Business? Work Ethic
Innovation Management - idea selection and valuation issues
Business Innovation ? Status Games
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Providing Career Opportunity
Innovation Management ? Raw brainpower versus experience
What Personal Assistants Really Want
Knowledge Management - Keys to Successful Communities of Practice (Networks)
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Business Relationship Germs
In management seminars I often compare debt to an infection.... Read More
A Man and His Razor
It is vain to do with more what can be... Read More
Conquering the Number One Problem in Business--Poor Communication
The Number One problem in business is poor communication: between... Read More
30 Ways to be a Butt-Head Boss
1. Trust no one. Not your superiors and not your... Read More
Its All About The Customers, Baby
If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers... Read More
Its All In The Systems
Have you ever noticed french fries taste the same at... Read More
Growing Profits is Easy!
Everyone involved in running a business from the smallest start-up... Read More
Holding Effective Meetings Can Be Easier than You Think!
I'm sure you've experienced those typical "headache" meetings! You know... Read More
Medical Malpractice: Three Myths That Cost Your Hospital Millions
What's the use?Nothing you do will hold down the cost... Read More
Problem Solving the Problem Solving Meeting
We go to meetings to share information, to report on... Read More
Crisis Management Tips
The term crisis management has different connotations. In this article,... Read More
Show Me the Money!
Are you ready to raise money for your startup?Leslie Mitts,... Read More
Are Your Marketing Pieces Up to Date?
The other day someone asked me for one of my... Read More
Five Strategies To Strengthen Your Company?s Financial Management
Too many businesses wait until a crisis occurs before they... Read More
Four Ways To Make the Case For Outsourcing
How do you convert outsourcing leads into clients? You may... Read More
Policy & Procedure Manuals - Tools For Greater Productivity and Efficiency
In today's tough retail environment the retailer needs all the... Read More
Help for the Meeting-Weary Manager
Most of us have found ourselves working on a team... Read More
Maximizing Sales through the Ultimate Tracking Software
Every small to mid-sized business owner would love to know... Read More
Innovation Management ? Selecting Good Ideas
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
6 Steps To Effective Management During Change
Take the pain out of gain and decrease the upheaval... Read More
Tales From the Corporate Frontlines: Team Dynamics and Communication
This article relates to the Team Dynamics competency, which evaluates... Read More
Employee Retention: Five Leadership Fundamentals
Are your management practices on the right track? Retaining your... Read More
Resolving Needs - What Your Employees Wish For!
For your people, they want to do a great job... Read More
Selective Job Cuts Often Benefits Firm More Than Broad Layoffs Over Long Term
It is difficult to pick up a newspaper or listen... Read More
Employee Retention: Its a Changing Game
As a management consultant, I have seen some poorly conceived... Read More
Business Management |