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Work-Life Balance
March 2008 | Volume 6 Issue 3
Innovative companies are taking a good look at how work-life balance programs for employees can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism and attract top talent. Our experts in this issue of CW Bulletin examine how the issue of work-life balance is taking shape across the globe, and offer tips on how to find equilibrium between your professional life and your personal life.
Natasha Nicholson
Executive Editor
Amanda Aiello
Associate Editor |
Features
GLOBAL ISSUES
A Q&A with work-life expert Barbara Holmes
Barbara Holmes, managing director of Managing Work|Life Balance International, has been at the forefront of helping organizations implement flexible work options. She shares with CW Bulletin some of the findings from her latest annual Work/Life Benchmarking Survey, as well as tips for implementing effective work-life programs.
BENEFITS OF BALANCE
by Eileen McDargh
Headlines around the world indicate increasing concern about work-life balance—from India to Indianapolis, from Australia to Austria. But it’s not just employees who want meaningful work and a life in the bargain. Work-life balance has also become a criterion for business investment, as well as a must-have benefit in the acquisition and retention of talented employees.
CUSTOMIZING BALANCE
A Q&A with Deloitte’s chief talent officer Cathy Benko
Cathy Benko is Deloitte’s chief talent officer, responsible for driving Deloitte’s strategy to attract, develop and advance a highly skilled and increasingly diverse workforce. This includes overseeing Deloitte’s pioneering approach to employee engagement and career-life integration called Mass Career Customization. CW Bulletin asked Benko about this innovative program and how it’s been implemented.
ACHIEVING BALANCE
by Joan Gurvis
In today’s fast-paced marketplace, it can be tough to find our equilibrium and achieve a balanced life. Cell phones, PDAs, text messaging and e-mail keep us connected 24/7, and it is easy to feel pressure to pay constant attention to work.
SETTING BOUNDARIES
by Molly Gordon
True work-life balance is dynamic, not static. There is no one formula that works for all people at all times. But if you are looking to achieve better work-life balance, one place you can start is by setting healthy boundaries. But what makes a boundary healthy and, more to the point, effective?
Columns
How’s Your Résumé?
Marketing ourselves in writing
by Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz
As professional communicators, how good are we at blowing our own horns? Many of us will agree that we could be a lot better. We don’t always make sure our accomplishments are known, understood and appreciated.
When we don’t channel a little energy into promoting ourselves and our work, there’s a heavy price. It can mean that we don’t effectively represent the interests of our department, or our own business. So, in this issue we want to talk about how to present ourselves in writing.
Work-Life Balance Starts with
Smart Business Strategies
by Daria Steigman
Almost everyone has at least one story about an out-of-control boss or a client who assumes you have 24/7 business availability. But when you run your own business, it’s up to you to set boundaries. With cell phones, BlackBerry devices, Wi-Fi and other tethers, it’s easier than ever to be connected. Add to that the fact that many independent consultants and small business owners seem to have trouble saying no, and you have a recipe for overload.
Good Communication and a Pint of
Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream
by Judette Coward-Puglisi
What I know about good communication, I learned during the past three years of my life. In 2004, I fell in love with and married an Italian who didn’t speak any English. At the time, I spoke not a lick of Italian. Not sharing the same culture or language as my partner forced me to learn the techniques of deep listening, the nuances of body language and, most important, that you should remain silent before you shriek.
- “All About a Healthier U Wellness Launch,” Brinker International Inc.
- “HealthMatters,” Mercer Human Resource Consulting
- “Great People, Great Choices Communications Campaign,” Mercer/Kroger
Related Resources provides additional articles and resources for understanding this month’s topic of work-life balance. You can also find some of these links alongside each corresponding feature article for quick reference. Links include:
- “Balance: The new workplace perk,” by S. Brent Ridge
- “Work-Life Balance Boosts Workplace Ethics,” by Ellen Wolfhorst
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This issue sponsored by:
Media measurement is a hot topic because it’s the foundation for tracking word-of-mouth, managing corporate reputation and understanding what kind of coverage your brand and its competitors are getting in the press. The new white paper “Best Practices in Media Measurement,” by Professor Paul Argenti of Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, is essential reading for any PR or corporate communications professional. Download your copy, sponsored by Dow Jones, today.
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