Work-life Balance and Wellness - Essay Example

Human Resource Management: Work-life Balance and Wellness Introduction Human resource management is the model of modern age in terms of handing employees, with productivity and welfare as the focal points of management. Contrary to earlier practices where management of the workforce was merely personnel management which had a slender scope, human resource management deals with every aspect of improving performance. One of the most forward thinking management approaches is work life balance and wellness management. Human resource management targets making employees not only enjoy working but feel safe at work too (Clutterbuck, 1). Managers are similarly not exempted form the forces that work-life and wellness present to the employee. These are programs within human resource management that eliminate or reduce morale and sickness related absenteeism and inefficiency. This essay attempts to highlight problems presented and solutions available to human resource managers with regard to work life choices as well as wellness. Work-Life Balance Employees in the modern age have several interests that they shuffle in their daily interests, ranging from their basic needs to luxury and prestige (Smith, workawesome.com)1. At the work place, we can classify these interests as life and work interests which could pose a challenge to the employee if not well managed. Work roles entail career and personal development plans while life entails leisure, religion, family and other non-work roles. An inherent conflict exists between the two fields of roles where one often antagonizes the other. As illustrated in Appendix 1, we can improve our productivity by ensuring an appropriate balance is established between life demands and work demands. Where an imbalance exists, the organization is faced by challenges which reduce the overall productivity of the employee, leading to below par potential. Stressing situations are likely to affect the employee who lacks a defined differentiation between work and private life. In such an instance, the organization is not capable of tapping the unique talent, creativity and hidden potential that the employee possesses. Commitment and motivation from a poorly balanced work-life experience results in lack of initiative, poor customer service and antisocial tendencies that spur unethical practices (Heathfield, about.com). Work-life balance therefore entails the assistance that the human resource management needs to instill in the workforce, to accommodate a mutual coexistence of the two persons that the employee wears when in work and in non-work interest endeavors. It is a difficult management role since the two roles are inseparable but a balance can be created for desirable results. As observed earlier, human resource management comprises a wider scope in roles that workforce managers conduct by harmonizing every factor that influences productivity of an employee. The human resource manager has the role of initiating and sustaining the program to ensure that work-life balance becomes a well entrenched practice within the organization (Clutterbuck, 5). Starting from the top management to the least cadre employees, the organization must embrace the practice to enforce the changes needed in a well balanced organization. Wellness Employees’ wellness is important in the delivery of quality services for organizational productivity. Wellness has been defined in Business and Legal Reports Incorporated (6) as a six dimensional subject encompassing; physical, emotional, intellectual, occupational, social and spiritual factors. Wellness within the workforce therefore consists of health promoting care as initiated by the employer to ensure that the employee remains productive without limitation by body, mind and emotions. Physical wellness is the health status of the body and covers exercise and nutrition while avoiding harmful agents that compromise health. Compromising the physical dimension usually results in disease, but others cause complications and conditions which could be more serious than the physical dimension. It is misunderstood to be the most commonly compromised wellness since it almost causes automatic absenteeism. Initiatives to promote wellness at the work place are a modern human resource management tool aimed at ensuring continued and consistent work presence. Employees’ health is taken care of by preventing sickness in place of carrying out rehabilitation programs. An example of a comprehensive wellness program is given in Appendix 2. Whereas some types of sicknesses are natural occurrences that the management or the employees can’t control, it is possible to reduce absenteeism and inefficiencies occasioned by preventable sicknesses (Macdonald, 6). Wellness management at the workplace can dramatically improve cooperation that reduces other wellness dimensions that are manageable. Psychological assistance delivers magical results in promoting employees health and wellbeing, since it considerably reduces casual absenteeism as well. Linking Work-life Balance with Wellness The mere absence of disease and complications is not an indication of health; employee’s welfare and a harmonious coexistence of health, work and life is the ideal working environment2. Employee presence at work is not only enough but in the favorable state likely to allow productive contribution in his or her work. While work-life balance may not present a serious challenge to an employee’s work existence, it should be backed by the appropriate wellness state and vise versa. Some elements of wellness indirectly define work-life balance such as domestic life related stress whose presentation may be in the form of a clinical manifestation. Changing Work for Legislation In line with the current legislation that aims at improving employees’ welfare, it is imperative that the necessary adjustments are made for compliance purposes. The management policy on facilitating a program that enhances work-life balance as well as wellness at the place of work must be in consistency with the regulation outlined in legal provisions. Internalizing such legislation might not be an easy task for the management since some legislation could compromise the organisational policies. Flexibility of management policies is therefore an important element in the current age where ever stakeholder seems concerned of employees’ welfare. Examples of such legislation include regulations which could change absenteeism policies include statutory maternity and paternity leaves, statutory parental leave and statutory adoption leave. Others may include statutory pays during the leaves; statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pays. Leaves to take care for dependants may also compromise the organization’s schedule. Communication is very useful in the handling of the delicate issue that legislation technicalities present in organizational policy implementation. Choices HR manger faces in managing work life balance and wellness The HR manager has to make a number of choices regarding an effective work-life and wellness program. Some of the choices available include recruitment and retention, employee motivation and commitment boosting, customer satisfaction, quality, diversity and flexibility. Recruitment procedures must be as efficient and accurate than anyone else’s. Employees recruited must be retained since a high labour turnover is expensive in the long run. Motivation must be approached from the Maslow’s concept which revolves around the individual employee (Maslow, 375).3 For his or her part, the manager must balance every aspect of personal life and avoid work burnouts likely to reduce his or her productivity. Human Resource manager must endure that a good job design is in place to facilitate a goal oriented approach in achieving of results. Work-life balance must be founded on a goal approach which acts as a motivation as well. According to Locke (158), employee satisfaction at work is improved by setting achievable goals, as explained in the Goal-Setting Theory4. Management approaches to be effected at the organization should facilitate appropriate learning by the employees and ensure that ever aspect of individual productivity enhancement is understood. According to Billet, (211) managers should also understand their employees to facilitate cordial working relations that promote productivity. Soft human resource management should be used where employee welfare is used as the foundation on which to base productivity enhancement. Elements of hard human resource management are not keen in ensuring that wellness and work-life balance are enforced. Conclusion Work-life balance and wellness are important productivity determinants in an organization, especially in the current age where human resource management is increasingly becoming and a key department. Understanding the forces of productivity with regard to personal efficiency at work is an area where both the management team and the workforce should invest their concentration in order to improve on job satisfaction. Work burnout is likely to pose a big challenge if a balance is not created in such a manner that a distinct line is established between personal and work lives. Contrary to the general assumption that only physical illness should warrant a work leave, psychological issues that are usually potent in reducing productivity should be taken care of for both managers and juniors. The entire organization should be incorporated in the work-life balance and wellness program where awareness should be created and openness encouraged. Flexible management options such as soft human resource management should be involved in general running of the organization to accommodate changes in labor laws. Human resource models adopted in any organization in this age should always aim at improving workforce welfare, even if expensive models are involved. It could be an expensive program nut only in the short run; it is a way of reducing costs in the long run. References B. & L.R, (2007) Workplace wellness: healthy employees, healthy families, healthy ROI. Business & Legal Reports, Inc., Billet, S. (2001) “Learning Through Work: Workplace Affordances and Individual Engagement.” Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 13 no. 5 pp. 209-215 Clutterbuck, D. (2003) Managing the work-life Balance. Wiltshire, UK: CIPD Publishing. Heathfield, S. M. (2010) What is Human Resource Management? [online] about.com. available from: http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm [Accessed on: 20 January 2011]. Locke, E. A. (1968) “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives,” Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, vol. 3 no. 1 pp. 157-189 Macdonald, L. A. C., (2005) Wellness at work. London, UK: CIPD Publishing. Maslow, A. H. (1943) “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Psychological Review, vo. 50. no. 1 pp. 370-396 Smith, J. (2011) “How to Achieve Great Work-Life Balance.” [online] workawesome.com Available from: http://workawesome.com/goals/achieve-great-work-life-balance/ [Accessed on: 20 January 2011]. WHO, (2011) What is the WHO definition of health? [online] World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.who.int/suggestions/faq/en/index.html [Accessed on: 20 January 2011]. Appendix 1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bud_caddell/3592960452/sizes/o/ Appendix 2 Wellness Program (Sample Outline) Program Purpose Program Objectives; Primary & secondary goals Survey of Employee Needs Eligibility Requirements Providers of Instruction Program Content Awareness: Lifestyle change: Supportive Environment: Program Costs Personnel costs Facilities modification Providers of instruction Equipment and supplies Incentives/Awards Employee Assistance Program Program Scheduling Before work, during work, between work (lunch), after work. Program evaluation Projected Results Read More