TM - November 2007 - (Page 20)

[viewpoint] by Siobhan Cummins N N Weighing In On Work-Life Balance ever before has a generation of workers been more connected — and disconnected — than today’s increasingly global workforce. The issue of work-life balance is headline news, drawing attention to companies’ policies and employees’ practices for drawing that fine line between the personal and professional. Stabilizing the Work Environment Employee Equilibrium Several recent research studies conducted by ORC Worldwide examine the impact of work-life balance for domestic employees and international assignees. When employees work excessive When employees work excessive hours and suffer disruption to hours and suffer disruption to their personal or their personal or family lives, family lives, the the outcomes are clearly felt. outcomes are clearly felt. The effects might be even more pronounced on international assignments, when it is common to work long and unsocial hours. Stress is the most widely experienced effect, most often resulting when employees feel unable to cope with pressures on the job, disruptions through communications across time zones and frequent international travel. Another outcome relates to how employees perceive their employers. Employees’ unwritten psychological contracts are damaged through weak work-life balance management, resulting in employment dissatisfaction. This can lead to poor performance and, ultimately, to premature departure. For international assignees, there is also the compounding factor of family dissatisfaction — research has shown that a family settling into a foreign environment is critical to assignment success. What are companies and their HR executives doing to help keep the equilibrium? November 2007 There are many compelling reasons for employers to take work-life balance seriously. First, employers have a duty to care for their employees’ mental and physical health with policies that address this issue. Second, employee turnover costs are high. Finally, personal lives are important — there is life outside the office, and unhappy families or a lack of personal satisfaction can create stress for employees and affect their engagement on the job. Additionally, they can provide incentives such as sponsored gym memberships or “cafeteria benefits” that enable employees to select perks to meet their needs and allow for flexible working hours. Scheduling business meetings and conference calls to avoid late-night work intrusion into family time also can promote work-life balance. Further, family support might include dual-career assistance for spouses who are unable to work in the foreign environment, as well as support in finding and enrolling children in schools. Providing such benefits can help family members make friends, thus easing the settling-in process. In an international environment, settling in requires an understanding of language and culture. Research indicates working long hours and the subsequent work-life imbalance results from a lack of understanding in how things are done locally and by poor management relationships with local employees. Offering language and cultural training can help reduce these problems. International assignees frequently are offered cultural training, but they might turn it down, claiming they do not need it or have no time, but such training can reduce the need to work long hours if locals can be relied on. Such initiatives can have a major impact. Having a policy is of little use if it is not adequately communicated to and implemented by employees, who might have to be convinced the benefits offered will make a difference to them. A harmonized and well-practiced work-life policy can be the most effective tool in maintaining employee satisfaction. Siobhan Cummins is an executive vice president and managing director of Europe at ORC Worldwide. She can be reached at editor@TalentMgt.com. International assignees are known to face even greater pressures in all of these aspects, and the typical assignee costs four times more to employ than a domestic employee. According to ORC Worldwide’s 2005 International Survey of Work-Life Balance Policies, 66 percent of HR executives felt having a work-life balance policy for international assignees was sufficient to help their employees achieve this balance. ORC’s 2007 Expatriate Work-Life Balance Survey showed something different, however — 82 percent of international assignee respondents said such a policy makes no difference to them. At least half of respondents were unaware such policies even existed. There are no easy solutions to reduce stress, foster engagement and guarantee work-life balance, but employers can take steps to help employees relieve stress by encouraging them to take time away from the job and routinely engage in physical activities. 20 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.TalentMgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - November 2007

Talent Management - November 2007 Editor's Letter Contents Letters to the Editor Human Performance Leading Edge Learning Connections Viewpoint Finding Candidates with the Right Fit Turning HR Data Into Business Intelligence Compensation Technology: Drive Higher Performance, Gain Competitive Advantage The Art and Science of Influence Training the Ethical Workforce Making the Best Managers Application: Pre-Hire Testing Drives Down Employee Turnover at Advnace Auto Parts Dashboard: The Role of Learning Business Process Outsourcing Insight: Nationwide Insurance: On Employees' Side Advertiser's Index Editorial Resources Full Potential

TM - November 2007

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