Headlines around the world indicate increasing concern about work-life balance. From India to Indianapolis, from Australia to Austria, the mantra is the same: Employees want meaningful work and a life in the bargain. Consider these opening statements from just some three news stories of 2007 and early 2008:
“Barbara Byers, executive vice president for the Canadian Labor Congress agrees that work-life balance is becoming more important for employees.”
—“Canadian Companies Getting More Flexible: Survey,” Reuters, 17 January 2008
“Far from jeopardizing productivity, flexible working arrangements and other measures to improve work-life balance motivate staff and boost efficiency.”
—“Work-life Balance Raises Productivity,” The Brunei Times, Bandar, Brunei, 7 June 200
“A billion mobile workers by 2011. The increase will be driven by pressure on companies to offer better work-life balance for their employees and by technological advances such as high-speed networks.”
—“A Billion Mobile Workers by 2011, says IDC,” IT PRO, London, January 2008
Work-life balance isn’t just making news, it’s also become a criterion for investment. According to global investment company Goldman Sachs, workers—especially those born after 1977—want not just financial rewards but also work-life integration. In fact, Goldman Sachs now lists work-life balance and flexible work arrangements as one of its benchmarks when assessing whether a company is worth investing in.
A flash in the pan? Hardly. Roper ASW for Randstad North America claims that the No. 1 priority for employee retention is for organizations to create worker-friendly policies for balancing personal and professional demands. Sixty-eight percent of employees said family remains a top priority—up from 54 percent in 2000.
Nor is this a “women’s issue.” Two years ago, for the first time, male graduates of MBA programs listed work-life balance as their most important career objective. The business case for work-life balance programs grows stronger every day, with detailed research studies indicating these programs have a positive impact on employee absenteeism, turnover, productivity and overtime costs, not to mention retention and acquisition. In January, the Families and Work Institute, recognizing that the nine-to-five work schedule doesn’t always work best in the 21st century, released a detailed report on creative practices for designing flexible workplaces. The report provides case studies of ways in which organizations are creatively designing flexible work options and thus attracting more talented employees, keeping employees engaged and reducing absenteeism.
How can professionals in business communication play a role in these work-life programs? First, explore your organization’s needs. Then explore the ways you can address these concerns. Communication professionals can address these issues in countless ways. Find which one works best for your organization by asking yourself the following:
- Does recruitment literature spell out company policies like flextime, job sharing, telecommuting and family leave?
- Have you explored using an intranet, video displays and internal publications to reinforce both corporate practices as well as individual life choices for this thing called “balance”?
- If you have state-of-the-art programs around work-life balance, have you publicized them in ways that allow employees, customers and the community to understand what sets your organization apart?
- Are you an active participant in developing a communication campaign to bring these issues forward through appropriate channels?
With the struggle for profits, performance and sustainability, business communicators are challenged to use their skills to keep both the human spirit and the economic engine in harmony. Communication is a vital tool for educating all stakeholders in this blend—not an easy task, but ultimately, a critical one!
Second, what can you do for yourself personally? How will you handle the demands of a 24/7, often overloaded life?
You’ll recognize the symptoms: You walk into the room and can’t find your keys. Or you forget why you entered the room in the first place. You feel overwhelmed by information, people, to-do lists and competing demands on your time.
It’s a phenomenon of our time. Most of us find ourselves bombarded by so many demands for our attention that our brains just close down. They are being increasingly taxed by the growth of information and technology. Everyone and everything is vying for attention. We are hardwired to respond, but when information comes in a deluge, the brain just goes blank. Engineers discovered this phenomenon when they installed hundreds of communication devices in airplane cockpits, thinking it would improve the pilots’ performance. Instead, their performance suffered because they were faced with too many options and too much to think about.
Information and technology are not going away. But there are ways to take charge and balance your personal life.
- Determine your priorities and focus on them.
What are the “no matter whats” that must be in your life? What are the non-negotiables? Don’t let yourself be pulled into anything—from meetings to readings to conversations—that thwart your priorities. Literally block out space on your daily to-do list for things that are important to you—from projects, to exercise, to family time. Hold these times as sacred.
- Say “no” to answering every message.
According to the Jensen Group’s ongoing study “Search for a Simpler Way,” the average American receives over 200 phone, paper and e-mail messages a day. Take care of those that are a priority and let the rest drop off. Ignore messages that are uninvited and unnecessary.
- Let technology help you prioritize.
Caller ID and voice mail allow you to screen calls. For those who depend on business coming in via phone and need to take every call, develop a way to shorten incoming sales calls. Telemarketing calls that come in via computer dial-up have a few seconds of silence before a voice is heard. If that’s the case, just hang up. If you are solicited, ask them to please put your name on the “do not call” list and then hang up.
- Create a centering place.
Whether it is in the silence of your car, your shower or a quiet room with the door closed, take 15 minutes per day to practice paying attention to one thing like your breathing, a flower or a fish tank. Like the muscles in our bodies, the brain gets strong in the places where we train it.
- Throw out at least two things per day.
And I’m not talking garbage. Get rid of a magazine you know you’ll never read, a software program you don’t use or a pair of shoes that hurt. Give yourself less to look at when making a decision.
