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Why work-life balance is a myth?


what are the benefits—both tangible and to the culture of an organization that undertakes the adoption of policies designed to help employees with work-life balance?   
For an employer to invest in the promotion of work/life balance, the outcomes showcase real possibilities. These include, greater employee retention, improved health, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and reduce burnout. Miller from the HR Daily Advisor (2016) suggests that employers can achieve the goals fo work-life balance in multiple ways including:-
  • promoting and demonstrating a workplace culture that supports a work-life balance. This can be achieved when management are seen to follow this policy also.
  • Providing childcare benefits. This can reduce the financial stress on parents.
  • allowing employees to work from remote location, this can be on a daily basis to reduce travel time and increase productivity
  • Promote breaks throughout the day. This will encourage employees to have a lunch break away from their desk, increase productivity reducing the need to work late
  • allowing the build up of time in lieu, when staff need to attend to private appointments they can work back to make up the time instead of using leave (HR Daily Advisor, 2016).

What does an organization stand to gain if it can work through the growing pains of implementation?  
Through the promotion and demonstration of work-life balance options employers will reduce: stressed and burnt out workers, higher productivity, loyalty, happy workforce who are taking care of themselves, reduced workers compensation claims. Managers have the ability to monitor and report on measurable outcomes via online systems or integrated systems with the ability to keep track of workers, pay for work completed and plan using data analytics (HR.com. 2002).

Have you worked as an employee—have you worked for an employer who offered work-life policies?  How were they implemented?  Were you able to use them?  Discuss your experiences as they relate to what you’ve read. 

I have been working for an employer who offers flexible working arrangements as a standard practice. The Fairwork Ombudsman reports that from 2018 rules were changed in relation to flexible working arrangements in Australia. It stipulates that modern awards include new rules about flexible working arrangements. The only time an employer can refuse a request is if there are reasonable business grounds and must provide this in writing to the employee.
The implementation of flexible working arrangements include
hours of work; patterns of work and location of work (Fairwork.gov.au n.d).
I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to use flexible work start and finish times and the ability to work from multiple locations/offices. I have witnessed in my time employees who may not have a pleasant family life work longer hours and remain at the office late and then accumulate a lot of flexible hours which they then lose as there is no opportunity to use the hours up. I have always planned in advance where i will use the time and negotiate this with my team leader. I mainly use the flex time accrued in the school holidays as there is less work and i have the opportunity to travel with my family. The ability to work remotely allows me to have reduced travel time therefore I am able to achieve and complete more, I feel less stressed and don’t have to deal with office politics and staffing issues, however at times it can be very lonely when travelling. The HR Daily Advisor also supported this reduction in travel and increase in work outcomes and the ability to attend private appointments and make up the time.
Polices are delivered in my workplace around flexible working arrangements from point of recruitment. I feel that this is the sales token of the recruitment campaign therefore everyone already has the expectation of the work hours which is supported by the flexible working arrangements documentation.

References:
Fairwork.gov.au (n.d). Flexible Working Arrangements. Retrieved from: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/flexibility-in-the-workplace/flexible-working-arrangements

HR.com (2002). Managing Today’s Diverse and Dispersed Workforce—Integrated Technology can help you meet the challenge. Retrieved from: http://www.hr.com/SITEFORUM?&t=/Default/gateway&i=1116423256281&application=story&active=no&ParentID=1119278117389&StoryID=1119649134156&xref=https%3A//www.google.com/

HR Daily Advisor (2016). How to Improve Work/Life Balance for Employees. Retrieved from: http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2016/02/10/how-to-improve-worklife-balance-for-employees/

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