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Work-life balance: Benefiting from inclusive workplaces

June 01, 2001

Fear of progress in inclusive workplace

Three-quarters of Opportunity Now members now offer flexible working schemes, but only a fifth have a workable fully costed business case for gender equality. The findings come in Opportunity Now’s fourth annual report, Gender Equality in the Workplace, released on April 26. A quarter of senior posts in the private sector are occupied by women, although at boardroom level the quota drops to fewer than one in ten.

Meanwhile many managers still fear that taking advantage of work-life balance initiatives will harm their career prospects, according to a survey published in May by Management Today. Half report working between 40 and 50 hours a week, with a further fifth working more than 50 hours. Contact Liz Larsson, Opportunity Now, on 02920 237333 (http://www.opportunitynow.org.uk) or Khyla McBride, Management Today, on 020 8267 4956 (http://www.clickmt.com)

Two banks win praise

HSBC and JP Morgan, were among winners of Opportunity Now awards presented on May 24 by Cherie Booth. Now in their sixth year, the awards are designed to recognise company efforts to implement policies and initiatives that promote equal opportunities in the workplace. HSBC has increased the proportion of women in management from just over one in ten in 1988 to over one in three today. Contact Therma Shah, HSBC, on 020 7260 7677; Amanda Rajkumar, JP Morgan, on 020 7451 8000 (http://www.opportunitynow.org.uk)

IBM nets employees’ opinions

IBM is weighing up the results of a worldwide brainstorming initiative on employment issues, having set up an employee intranet forum to discuss topics such as work-life balance, employee retention and improving worker efficiency. Over 52,000 employees logged on to the World Jam homepage, leaving more than 6,000 comments over the three-day event at the end of May. Contact Laura Keeton, IBM, on 00 1 212 745 3054 (http://www.ibm.com)

Caring for children

Only one in ten working parents (11%) receive practical childcare help from their employers, although two thirds (64%) consider their companies to be family-friendly. The findings come in a handbook, supported by BUPA, Childcare Choices for Families that Work, published by the Daycare Trust on May 21 to mark National Childcare Week. Expectations that employers contribute to nursery costs, provide holiday play schemes and run workplace nurseries are rising, with the demand for extended parental leave almost doubling over the last two years (from 13% to 24%). Contact Megan Pacey, Daycare Trust, on 020 7840 3350 (http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk)

New mothers entitled to a year out

Maternity leave in the UK is being extended to a year, it was announced May 1, with a new right to an extra three months unpaid. But expectant mothers will have to give greater notice of leave periods. The DTI’s new website (http://www.tiger.gov.uk) provides working mothers with information on maternity leave and pay entitlements. In April the government also extended paid leave for parents of children with disabilities from 13 to 18 weeks, with a maximum of four weeks in any year. The right to 13 weeks’ unpaid parental leave was also extended to parents of all children under five. Contact DTI on 20 7215 5000 (http://www.dti.gov.uk)

Demand for better work-life balance…

Almost three-quarters of employers (72%) agree that better work-life balance means happier, more committed employees – but half (51%) say it has also increased managerial workloads and business costs. The demand for greater flexibility from employees is, nonetheless, the key finding from a study of 2,500 workplaces published by the Department for Education and Employment at the end of March. More than one in ten employees works 60 hours a week or more, the study finds, and more than a quarter work more than 49 hours a week. Flexibility is greatest where staff have been consulted. Contact Ganka Mueller, DfEE, on 0870 000 2288 (http://www.dfee.gov.uk)

…as longer hours bite…

Meanwhile almost half the workers (49%) surveyed by the British Chambers of Commerce say they are working longer hours than five years ago, and losing balance between work and home life. Over 6,000 managers responded to the survey, sponsored by HSBC and published on April 4. Contact Andrew Parkinson, BCC, on 020 7565 2021 (http://www.britishchambers.org.uk)

…due to red-tape…

A third of SME owners work more than 60 hours a week – with red tape and debt-chasing the biggest culprits – finds a survey sponsored by British Gas and published April 20. Three-quarters of SME employees work more than the European working directive’s minimum 35 hours a week. More than 60% of all SME staff work at weekends, usually to catch up on admin for tax and financial compliance. The poll covered over 400 businesses. Contact Claire Morley, August One, on 020 8434 5536 (http://www.augustone.com)

…and job stress

Demanding jobs and long hours are to blame for Britain becoming ‘a nation of stressed workaholics heading for burn-out’, according to more than 20,000 young, urban workers who responded to an online survey by the London newspaper, Metro. Half report suffering from anxiety and four in ten from depression. Contact Metro on 020 7938 6000 (http://www.associatednewspapers.co.uk)

Burning out or burning bright?

Directors and executives from companies including Credit Suisse First Boston, Volvo and Pearson recognise that stress is prevalent in the workforce, according to research by the Mental Health Foundation published on April 10. Many note that junior employees are particularly vulnerable to its effects. Management strategies recommended in Burnt Out or Burning Bright? include external counselling, shiatsu, a quiet room and discounted sporting facilities. Contact Ruth Lesirge, MHF, 020 7535 7420 (http://www.mhf.org.uk)

Go home to avoid workplace stress?

Commuting is the most stressful aspect of working life, and two in five office workers would seriously consider changing jobs so as to be able to work from home. A third of office workers want to work from home between one and three days a week. The findings come in a report published on April 26 by the communications firm, Mitel Networks. The Survival in the Workplace Guide was based on research among 650 office workers. Contact Joan Coe, Mitel Networks, on 01291 430 000 (http://www.mitel.com)

Comment

OK, OK, we get the message… employees say they want a better balance in their lives between home and work. Meanwhile the price of failing to act escalates, through lost talent, stress and family disruption. So why don’t more employers make the move? The answer may lie in Opportunity Now’s findings about the widespread lack of costed business cases for diversity action.

The short-term need to meet performance targets is ‘crowding out’ attention to the long-term damage being done. And this can be huge. For example, research published in May by the US financial services company, Fannie May, estimates lost productivity among staff with elderly relatives is between $11.4 billion and $29 billion a year. The cost of replacing employees who quit due to caring responsibilities is put at $5 billion alone.

So it’s good that Opportunity Now is developing a template to help employers cost their business case. The need is not for fewer hours as such, but more flexible working, helping all those with caring responsibilities but especially women. As jobs increasingly cluster in knowledge-based industries, high employee performance will come from those with a positive, productive attitude, engendered by flexible employers who understand there is more to life than work.

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