Article: Work-life balance or work-life alignment?

A test of Related
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the importance of work-life balance for employee
engagement and intention to stay in organisations
Article from:
Journal of Management and Organization
Article date:
July 1, 2008
Author:
Parkes, Louise P; Langford, Peter H Copyright
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ABSTRACT

In an Australian sample of over 16,000 employees we assessed whether employees are satisfied with their ability to balance work and other life
commitments. We tested the hypothesis that work-life balance is important for engaging and retaining employees in the context of other aspects
of organisational climate. We also explored how individual and organisational variables were related to work-life balance aiding further
development of theory integrating work with other aspects of life. Results showed that of 28 organisational climate factors, work-life balance was
least related to employee engagement and intention to stay with an organisation. We discuss implications for …

Article: Work-Life Balance Programs Better the Employer- Related

articles
Employee Relationship.
Article from:
PRWeb Newswire
Article date:
June 10, 2010 Copyright
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Work-life balance programs can reduce turnover and improve recruitment, increasing the productivity of an employer's workforce. These
practices are also associated with improved employee health and decreased absenteeism, a major cost for employers. Constangy, Brooks &
Smith, LLP, Announces 5th Annual Excellence in Work-Life Balance Award to honor the efforts of a company to achieve work-life balance
through development and implementation of policies and programs, either company-wide or inside corporate legal departments.

Atlanta (Vocus) June 10, 2010 -- "The single greatest threat to our lives is not the terrorists, or the pollution in the air: the greatest threat in our
lives is our lifestyle."

So says Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder and CEO of The Stress Institute. But

Article: Work/Life Balance Not a Priority for Related

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Many Organizations, According to Monster
Survey.
Article from:
Business Wire
Article date:
November 7, 2007 Copyright
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Study Indicates That Only Half of HR Professionals Believe Work/Life Balance Will Improve Over Next Five Years

MAYNARD, Mass. -- Despite a growing awareness of the importance of a healthy work/life balance, workers and employers are often at odds
when it comes to the issue, according to survey results released today by Monster[R], the leading global online careers and recruitment resource
and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST). Among the findings of the 2007 Monster Work/Life Balance Survey, 89
percent of employees polled believe work/life balance programs, such as flextime and telecommuting, are important when evaluating a new job,
yet only about half of HR professionals polled consider work/life balance to be an important initiative for their companies.

The survey findings revealed that only 29 percent of workers view their …

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Related newspaper
Article: Work/life balance: challenges and Related
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solutions. (2003 Research Quarterly).
Article from:
HRMagazine
Article date:
June 1, 2003
Author:
Lockwood, Nancy R. Copyright
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Abstract

In organizations and on the home front, the challenge of work/life balance is rising to the top of many employers' and employees' consciousness.
In today's fast-paced society, human resource professionals seek options to positively impact the bottom line of their companies, improve
employee morale, retain employees with valuable company knowledge, and keep pace with workplace trends. This article provides human
resource professionals with an historical perspective, data and possible solutions--for organizations and employees alike--to work/life balance.
Three factors--global competition, personal lives/family values, and an aging workforce--present challenges that exacerbate work/life balance.
This article offers the perspective that human resource professionals can assist their companies to capitalize on these factors by using work/life
initiatives to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Work/Life Balance: Challenges and Solutions

In a society filled with conflicting responsibilities and commitments, work/life balance has become a predominant issue in the workplace. Three
major factors contribute to the interest in, and the importance of, serious consideration of work/life balance: 1) global competition; 2) renewed
interest in personal lives/ family values; and 3) an aging workforce. Research suggests that forward-thinking human resource professionals
seeking innovative ways to augment their organization's competitive advantage in the marketplace may find that work/life balance challenges
offer a win-win solution.

The Genesis of Work/Life Balance

Work/Life Balance: n. A state of equilibrium in which the demands of both a person's job and personal life are equal. (1)

Phrases and words serve as cultural signposts to explain where we are and where we are going. The term "work/life balance" was coined in 1986,
although its usage in everyday language was sporadic for a number of years. Interestingly, work/life programs existed as early as the 1930s.
Before World War II, the W.K. Kellogg Company created four six-hour shifts to replace the traditional three daily eight-hour shifts, and the new
shifts resulted in increased employee morale and efficiency.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter's seminal book (1977), Work and Family in the United States: A Critical Review and Agenda for Research and Policy,
brought the issue of work/life balance to the forefront of research and organizations. (2) In the 1980s and 1990s, companies began to offer
work/life programs. While the first wave of these programs were primarily to support women with children, today's work/life programs are less
gender-specific and recognize other commitments as well as those of the family.

Work/life balance initiatives are not only a U.S. phenomenon. Employees in global communities also want flexibility and control over their work
and personal lives. However, for the purpose of this article, the research and surveys presented focus on work/life balance in the United States.

Defining Work/Life Balance

Life is a balancing act, and in American society, it is safe to say that almost everyone is seeking work/life balance. But what exactly is work/life
balance? We have all heard the term, and many of us complain that we don't have enough of it in our lives. Among men and women alike, the
frustrating search for work/life balance is a frequent topic of conversation, usually translated into not enough time and/or support to do, to handle,
to manage ... our work commitments or personal responsibilities.

"Juggling competing demands is tiring if not stressful and brings lower productivity, sickness, and absenteeism, so work/life balance is an issue
for all employees and all organizations." (3)

The meaning of work/life balance has chameleon characteristics. It means different things to different groups, and the meaning often depends on
the context of the conversation and the speaker's viewpoint. The following are working definitions of terms used regarding work/life balance;
some definitions overlap and some are continuing to evolve.

* Work/family: a term more frequently used in the past than today. The current trend is to use titles that include the phrase work/life, giving a
broader work/life connotation or labeling referring to specific areas of support (e.g., quality of life, flexible work options, life balance, etc.)

* Work/family conflict: the push and pull between work and family responsibilities.

* Work/life balance from the employee viewpoint: the dilemma of managing work obligations and personal/family responsibilities.

* Work/life balance from the employer viewpoint: the challenge of creating a supportive company culture where employees can focus on their
jobs while at work.

* Family-friendly benefits: benefits that offer employees the latitude to address their personal and family commitments, while at the same time
not compromising their work responsibilities.

* Work/life programs: programs (often financial or time-related) established by an employer that offer employees options to address work and
personal responsibilities.

* Work/life initiatives: policies and procedures established by an organization with the goal to enable employees to get their jobs done and at the
same time provide flexibility to handle personal/family concerns.

* Work/family culture: the extent to which an organization's culture acknowledges and respects the family responsibilities and obligations of its
employees and encourages management and employees to work together to meet their personal and work needs.

Personal Lives and Family Values to the Forefront

The American work ethic remains intact, yet in recent years personal and family lives have become critical values that Americans are less willing
to put on hold, put aside, or ignore, for the sake of work. Over time, the American workforce has begun to change course from being willing to
spend every hour working to learning to manage the complexities of modern living. In addition, the impact of the terrorist attacks of September
11 has led many people to re-evaluate their lives and consider the meaning of work.

Consequently, Americans are looking for options that allow for both a personal and family life, and many seek ways to have it all. As a result, the
U.S. management philosophy that expects employees to put work first, ahead of personal lives and family commitments, is becoming less
accepted.

* In a 2001 survey conducted by the Radcliff Public Policy Center, 82% of men and 85% of women ages 20 to 39 placed family time at the top of
their work/life priorities.

* In a 2001 study by Rutgers University and the University of Connecticut, 90% of working adults said they are concerned they do not spend
enough time with their families.

The Changing Face of Family

With the growing diversity of family structures represented in the

 Article: Business benefits from work-life balance Related
articles
efforts ; Today is the Republic's first Work-Life
Balance Day
Article from:
The Irish Times
Article date:
March 1, 2004
Author:
JOHN CULLEN Copyright
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During the heady boom years, Ireland seemed to become a country obsessed with work. Anxious to catch up on decades of below-par economic
growth, expectations of managers at all levels grew, often with little thought for the personal, professional and organisational impact that a long-
working-hours culture would later have.

Last year, IMI researcher Ms Marion O'Connor found that achieving a work-life balance was the top personal challenge for managers in Ireland.

It appears that the accelerated period of business and economic growth has resulted in widespread work-life imbalance among employees in many
industries.

Today is the first Irish Work-Life Balance

Article: Prime Minister launches work-life Related

articles
balance campaign.
Article from:
M2 Presswire
Article date:
March 9, 2000 Copyright
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M2 PRESSWIRE-9 March 2000-UK GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister launches work-life balance campaign (C)1994-2000 M2
COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:09032000

The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Education and Employment Secretary of State, David Blunkett, today launched the Government's campaign
to promote a better work-life balance at a business breakfast at 10 Downing Street.

The campaign will encourage employers to introduce flexible working practices which enable their employees to achieve a better balance
between work and the rest of their lives. Evidence shows that there is a bottom line business benefit in doing this. Everyone has a life and
responsibilities outside work. They may have children or other caring responsibilities, or simply want time to pursue other interests.

The Prime Minister announced three major elements of the campaign:

-- the setting up of Employers for Work-Life Balance, an independent alliance of 22 leading work-life balance employers committed to working
in partnership with Government to promote good practice in the business community;
-- a new GBP1.5 million Challenge Fund to help employers explore how work-life balance policies can help them deliver goods and services
more efficiently and flexibly;

-- the publication of "Changing Patterns in a Changing World", a DfEE discussion document. It includes a six-point checklist of the principles of
work-life balance - agreed with the employer's alliance - and how these can …

Article: Five steps for achieving work-life Related

articles
balance: working longer hours and E-mail make it
hard to balance the demands on your time,
particularly if you have family commitments. But
having a meaningful career doesn't mean
sacrificing your personal life either. Achieving
work-life balance isn't that difficult.(Survey)
Article from:
Today's Manager
Article date:
August 1, 2009
Author:
Ngion, LesValene Copyright
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THE recent decade's economic and environment upheavals--like the 1997 Asian financial crisis, 2003 SARS, 2006 Tsunami, and 2009 Global
credit crunch--have changed and impacted companies' and individuals' attitudes and perspectives of work and life.

The talk about work-life balance probably surfaced as early as the 1970s and Singapore firms were introduced to the phrase in the late 1990s
when the Health Promotion Board and Ministry of Manpower began to help and support organisations in work-life strategies, programmes, and
funding.

People are faced with the ongoing saga of unpredictable changes and uncertainties of tomorrow. As job scopes are expanded as a result of
downsizing or retrenchments, people with jobs have to be prudent to meet immediate needs. So in the midst of keeping a job regardless of
whatever it takes--is there a need for work-life balance?

In preparing for the upswing and ramping up for tomorrow, there will be renewed demands for speed and accuracy with multiple deadlines to …

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Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

Article: Work-life ... 
Journal of Management and Organization;  July 1, 2008 ; Parkes, Louise P; Langford, Peter H; 700+ words...
ability to balance