Flexible Working Hours Work Life Balance A Presentation

Flexible Working Hours & Work. Life Balance A Presentation by Novera Ansar

A Piece of News PTCL implements flexible work arrangements ( Islamabad): PTCL has introduced new flexible work arrangements to facilitate its employees. The new steps include flexible working hours for all employees and work from home facility for the working mothers of the company. Launched under the umbrella of ‘Work. Ease’, these initiatives are designed to further promote a culture that encourages work-life-balance, diversity inclusion and boost employee engagement.

Work Life Balance Nowadays work-life balance has become a common apprehension for both employees and employer due to: • • demographic changes women participation in work increasing number of dual career families and change in work settings. Work life balance is the state of equilibrium where any person is able to get satisfies with personal and professional life.

Research Background on Work-Life Balance ‘Overworked Employees’ and ‘Time squeeze. ’ Adoption of International HRM practices. Idea of high-performance or high-commitment work systems. Evidence of employer practices increasing work demands: groups/teams, performance related pay, appraisals.

Main questions for our discussion Why do conflicts between working life and family life arise? Do long hours increase employees’ feelings of conflict between work and family life? Do specific HRM practices increase these feelings? Do flexible working hours & time choices reduce these feelings? Are feelings of work-family conflict higher in women with young children?

Negative ‘work to home’ Spillover ‘How often would you say the following statements are true of yourself? (Almost always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never) After work I have too little time to carry out my family responsibilities as I would like. 1. My job allows me to give the time I would like to my partner/family. 2. My partner/family gets a bit fed up with the pressure of my job. ’ 3.

Some Of The Changes Occurring In The Society globalization informatisation cultural diversity customer orinted-ness, dynamics of demands on the job market intellectual capital key competencies new HRM systems dealing with stress

8 What is Workplace Flexibility? Workplace Flexibility or Flexible Work Arrangement is a business strategy that allows workers to make choices about core aspects of their work, such as: Time - when and how long work is performed, Place - where work is performed, and/or Task - the specific tasks that are performed at work.

9 Flexible Work Arrangements Compressed Work Week: fewer, longer days Flextime: A work schedule with variable starting and ending times, within limits set by one’s manager. Part-time Work Personal or Family Leave: A block of time off while retaining one’s job. maybe paid or unpaid) Home based - Staff conduct business from their homes. Telecommuting/telework center: - Two or more staff members share office operations and space for a single employer to reduce commute time, alleviate traffic/parking/congestion problems.

10 Flexible Work Arrangements (cont. ) Virtual office - Staff have the skills, equipment, tools and technology to perform job duties from wherever the person needs to be: home, office, car, etc. Job Sharing - two or more part-time employees share the responsibilities of one full-time job at a pro-rated salary. Job Carving – Customizing a position by keeping one or more, but not all, of the tasks from the original job description.

11 Which employers are Flexible? Currently, employers most likely to be moderately to highly flexible: are non-profits; are larger; >500 employees have more women in their workforces; have fewer hourly employees; have more part-timer employees, and have more women and racial or ethnic minorities in top/ senior positions.

12 Employers Main Reasons For Implementing Work Life Balance Initiatives Retention of employees Help employees manage work and family life Improves Morale Legal mandates Responsive to needs of workforce and workplace Integrates Work-Life-Health Increases job satisfaction, loyalty and engagement Lowers stress and health care costs Improves productivity and performance It is the right thing to do

What if a company is not concerned about work life balance ? An employee: ● ● ● ● is not able to work in an effective and flexible way is not able to concentrate on his/ her tasks makes mistakes, even causes accidents may not respect some procedures and regulations is often on a sick leave may avoid changes and new challenges may leave the company

14 Myths Flexible workplace strategies are only for special interest groups such as individuals with disabilities or women with small children or favor for Individuals. Flexible strategies are too expensive to implement, especially for small employers. Offering flexibility to low-wage employees isn’t worth the investment. Flexibility is wasted on employees in high- turnover industries such as retail, hospitality, restaurant, and tourism.

Make Changes in your Mind Set & Perceptions So: stop, then: feel and think……………don’t expect others to do that for you. What is important for you? What would you like to achieve? Who would you like to be? Expand your imagination. Take your decisions. Be calm. Specify your goals. Find a balance. Take your first step

References 16 ODEP Workplace Flexibility Toolkit - http: //www. dol. gov/odep/workplaceflexibility/ Employer Alliance Work-Life Toolkit – http: //www. employeralliance. sg/toolkit/ How to Ask for a Flexible Work Arrangement - http: //www. workoptions. com/fastest-way-to-get -flexible-work Customized Employment and Flexible Work Arrangements - http: //www. dol. gov/odep/topics/Customized. Employment. htm • Negotiating with Employers - http: //www. dol. gov/odep/categories/workforce/Customized. Employment/practical/negotiate. ht m Campaign to support WLB http: //www. workplaceflexibility 2010. org/ Work-life Balance and the Economics Of Workplace Flexibility http: //www. whitehouse. gov/files/documents/100331 -cea-economics-workplace-flexibility. pdf Business Impacts of Flexibility http: //www. cvworkingfamilies. org/system/files/Business%20 Impacts%20 of%20 Flexibility. pdf www. acas. org. uk