Human resources

of the Making the Link Between Work-life Balance and Performance According to Alberta, managers can manage their organization in an effective manner if they not only focus on the balance of their organizations books but also put emphasis on work-life issues faced by employees (Kossek 2008). Work life balance refers to how employees and their managers provide them assistance in striking a balance between employee’s personal work lives (Perlow 2009). Imbalance in work-life takes places when either an employee concentrates more on work and less on his personal and family life or he gives more importance to his family life and decreases his devotion towards his work life. Current competitive environment has made employees more devoted towards their work and they end up having issues with their personal life (Friedman 2008). Various relationships have experienced breakups due to increased devotion towards work by either one or both members of the couples. Due to problems in personal life, organizations end up paying higher costs (Beard 2011). Researchers have proven that increase in work-life imbalance has resulted in high employee turnover rate, increase in number of days when employees are absent from work, health issues, dissatisfaction from job and life, and increased pressure on managers (Imam 8644). All of these problems are directly linked with decrease in productivity of an organization. When the rate of employee turnover increases, work is halted until empty positions are filled (Beard 2011). When employees do not attend work, the amount of production that they would have been able to conduct is compromised. Dissatisfaction from working conditions results in de-motivating the workers to work efficiently and effectively, which decreases the quality and the quantity of goods produced. The organizations do not only face loss of productivity due to work life imbalance, they even end up paying higher cost incurred for employee’s psychological health, which is disturbed by this imbalance.
Various ways have been continuously pointed out to solve the problem of work-life imbalance; managers need to assess these ways and create programs constituting these methods to increase productivity and increase work-life balance. Managers can offer flexible work timings to employees, for example, managers have to allot a specific number of hours for an employee to work and the employee can decide what bracket of hours he choose to work (Kanter 2010). Managers can assign a work day of 5 hours to an employee and the employee can choose whether to work from 9am to 2pm or 2pm to 7pm etc. Managers can even provide the option of flexible working environment to employees (Christensen 2010). For example, employees should be allowed to work from home or any particular setting if they can. Managers can even arrange flexible work design for employees, for example, one employee’s work can be divided among two employees (Hewlett 2006). Managers can even use the option of flexible benefits to help employees maintain work-life balance, for example, one standard package of benefits should not be created; employees should be allowed to tailor a package of benefits according to their own preferences (Hewlett 2005). All these options can be availed by managers and employees so employees can strike a balance between their work and personal life and firm’s productivity will not be hampered.
Works Cited
Kossek, E. E, and L. B Hammer. ” Supervisor Work/life Training Gets Results.” Harvard Business Review. 86. 11 (2008). Print.
Perlow, LA, and JL Porter. ” Making Time off Predictable and Required.” Harvard Business Review. 87. 10 (2009): 102-9. Print
Friedman, SD. ” Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life.” Harvard Business Review. 86. 4 (2008): 112-8. Print.
Beard, A. ” Lifes Work: Kenneth Cole.” Harvard Business Review. 89. 12 (2011). Print.
Imam, H., Qureshi T. M., and M. A Khan. ” The Retrenchment Effect on Job Performance with Mediating Effect of Work Life Balance.” African Journal of Business Management. 5. 21 (2011): 8642-8648. Print.
Beard, A. ” Surviving Twin Challenges-at Home and Work.” Harvard Business Review. 89 (2011). Print.
Kanter, R. M. ” Work Pray Love.” Harvard Business Review. 88. 12 (2010). Print.
Christensen, C. M. ” How Will You Measure Your Life?” Harvard Business Review. 88 (2010): 46-51. Print.
Hewlett, S. A., and C. B. Luce. ” Extreme Jobs: The Dangerous Allure of the 70-Hour Workweek.” Harvard Business Review. 84. 12 (2006): 49-59. Print.
Hewlett, S. A., Luce C. B., and C. West. ” Leadership in Your Midst: Tapping the Hidden Strengths of Minority Executives.” Harvard Business Review. 83. 11 (2005): 74-82. Print.