Work-Life Balance in the UK - Literature review Example

Essay on Work-Life Balance in the U.K Introduction Work-life balance refers to the level at which a worker is evenly committed to family pursuits and work commitments. To successfully achieve this balance the worker in question must commit psychologically to fulfilling objectives both at home and the workplace. In order to fulfil such an objective the right conditions have to exist in the organisation where one works. In a company that has regulations that allow for workers to adopt a balanced life it is easier for the workers to avoid conflicting work and family commitments. Such conflict usually forces workers to maintain either their families or jobs at the expense of the other. Subject History In societies that still depend on hunting or agriculture there is a perfect work-life balance since people do not essentially have to leave their homes in order to work. As such, they can perform household responsibilities without necessarily compromising on their work standards. This was the reality of in Britain and Europe just three centuries ago. In the seventeenth century the Europe began to experience huge changes as a result of the discovery and utilisation of steam technology. This was the onset of the industrial revolution which forced people to leave their homes and work in corporations that that operated from distant localities (Burke 2004). This marked the beginning of the separation and division of home-life and work responsibilities. In turn, it was the job of the management to maximise on workers’ productivity within a given time frame. Consequently, the need for unions and industrial relations emerged. The industrial revolution, therefore, primarily introduced the dynamics that stimulated the rise of the concept of work-life balance. It is the industrial revolution that first saw workers compartmentalise their different roles that concerned their homes and the workplaces. This compartmentalisation would continue right into the 1960s and 1970s when workers began to actively search for ways to reconcile both their working and home lives. When referring to work-life balance, the workers included concepts such as the implementation of safety initiatives in the workplace, and the recognition of equality for both male and female workers. Another important subject had to do with overtime. During the 1960s and 1970s, most organisations observed the premium rates when reimbursing workers for overtime work (Lewis 2006). Corporate executives would urge workers to commit to overtime for the purpose of boosting earnings. This resulted in the realisation of a corporate culture that concentrated more on pay than productivity. The only way to create successful change in such cases was by re-negotiating productivity packages for workers to benefit more from their work. Workers also demanded for more flexible work cycles and substantial increases in pay rates. The 1970s saw increased benefits offered to female workers. Factors such as increased technological advancement and international competition forced organisations based in Britain and Western European nations to initiate radical changes that were previously viewed as too idealistic to implement. For example, there was the passing of the ‘Sex Discrimination Act’ in 1975. The ‘Equal Pay Act’ was also passed in 1970. The latter was to ensure that women received equal salaries to their male counterparts. The 1970s marked the beginning of the push for other forms of social equality. There was the assertion that women were left at a disadvantaged position in their workplaces when they took time off to bear children. According to Kopelman, Prottas, Thompson, and Jahn (2006), the feminist movement also asserted that women disadvantaged in competing for executive positions in organisations when they went for maternity leave. Some of the authors of the feminist movement asserted that men needed to take interest in their homes with the aim of taking over more household responsibilities. The 1980s would witness the increased liberalisation of the British economy, and, in particular, the labour market. The change brought about by the liberalisation included the employment of flexible patterns for work which included the rise of temporary positions in the workplace. The rise of the service sector also began in the 1980s, and this allowed for more numbers of female workers to penetrate the workplace (Kotowska, Matysiak, Styrc, Paillhe, Solaz, Vignoli, Vermeylen, and Anderson 2010). This trend became so pronounced that in the 1990s the governments in Britain as well as other European nations began to consider the significance of ensuring that employees benefited from a work-life balance that allowed them to function satisfactorily in their homes as well as the workplaces. In 2003, the working regulations implemented by the British government allowed for employers in different industries to proffer flexible hours for their employees. Essentially, business trends in this period were seemingly generated by a cultural shift that was experienced across the European continent. It called for the fair treatment of workers of both genders and those of different ethnic backgrounds. There was a directive issued by the European Economic Community, which included Britain, which asserted that part-time workers had the right to receive the same benefits and compensation as those of full-time personnel (Canivet, Ostergren, Lindeberg, Choi, Karasek, Moghaddassi and Isacsson 2010). The law was also meant to address the increased incidences of part-time jobs as witnessed in the UK as well as the larger Europe. This directive ensured that all European nations, Inclusive of Britain, promoted the rights of the part-time workers in the same way that they did with those of full-time workers. However, since then, even more European nations such as the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, and Sweden have gone beyond the law’s stipulations to ensure that part-time workers acquire even more benefits. Britain, on the other hand, has not improved on the original law of 2003. According to a research documented by Darcy, McCarthy, Hill, and Grady (2012), there are still work-life conflicts experienced by workers in Britain, in particular, and EU nations in general. According to Kinman and Jones (2008), approximately one in four workers in Britain experience work-life conflict. This figure is not far alienated from the percentages of workers that experience work-life conflict in other European Union member states. In a research documented by Hantrais (2004), 27% of the employee participants from different Western European nations stated that they were at work for too long, while 28% admitted they did not spend as much time with their family members as they would have wished. The research findings also showed that of all the participants, 36% were disappointed that they did not have any extra time to spend with acquaintances or social contacts. Half of all those polled stated they virtually forgot about their individual hobbies owing to work commitments (Fleetwood 2007). This research established that, in all nations, female workers were more likely to experience conflicts that came about as a result of pressures experienced both at the home and work. Political, Social, Economic, and Global Factors that may change the Subject In the EU nations and Britain, strategies to ensure work-life balance are mainly dependent on the organisation in question and its corporate policies. There are many organisations that consider work-life balance as the responsibility of the human resources department. Such organisations aim to increase work flexibility by seeking to reduce stressors while concurrently strengthening the organisation’s resources (Crompton 2006). In the EU, activities considered part of the work-life program in most organisations include: The prospect of ‘tele-working’ or the ability to communicate with individuals and colleagues in the workplace through information systems Allowing workers who have serious commitments at home such as sick parents or dependents to work on a part-time basis Engaging in work processes such as job rotation, and team creation that ensure workers remain stimulated Creating programs that ensure workers’ families benefit from social sources of support such as care arrangements or bonus allowances Creating programs for stress management allow workers to take advantage of programs that reduce their tension and stress (Lewis 2006). The labour market has become increasingly challenging for organisations in the recent past. This is because nearly all industries deal with deficiencies in skilled workforce while also having to consider the importance of people-related aspects like capability, innovation, experience, creativity and commitment. Organisations have also had to take into consideration the use of distinct programs created to capitalise on utilising employee potential. According to Bambra, Whitehead, Sowden, Akers, and Petticrew (2008) the act of finding a sustainable balance between responsibilities at home and the workplace can positively enhance a corporation’s profile in today’s competitive environment. It also gives employers the opportunity to hire only the highly-skilled workers. In spite of the efforts by the governments in Western Europe, many nations such as Britain have not managed to fully sensitise organisations on the necessity to initiate and maintain policies that foster desirable work-life balance (Alesina, Di Tella and MacCulloc 2004). In recent years, the workplace changes such as increased numbers of women and aging workers have contributed towards increased the prevalence of conflict between the needs of the home and workplace. To effectively deal with these changes and manage this conflict, organisations may be forced to utilise work practices that allow for workers to satisfy their obligations both at home and the workplace. In the European Union, organisations tend to create work-life balance programs at the instigation of the national governments and with the support of the public. Unlike in the United States, European nations create work-life balance programs that are grounded on social responsibility and not competitive advantage. According to Booth and van Ours (2008), the European Employment Strategy, whose stipulations are also observed in Britain, stresses on the importance of all member states to ensure that organisations create business policies that promote work-life balance while also supporting programs such as child care within their precincts. Political and Sociological Issues that will change the Scene in Future In future, it is likely that there will be different sociological and political concepts that affect the work-life balance in organisations. According to Greenhaus, Collins and Shaw (2003) British workers spend approximately 43.6 hours every week in work-related duties. This is considerably less than the 60 to 70 hours that were considered ordinary in the 1920s and 30s. The British government now recognises the importance of paternity leave more than it did seven years ago. This has allowed for the spread of family-friendly policies in organisations (Hurst, Skinner, and Worrall 2009). According to Gunter (2008), a research conducted by the UK Labour Force organisation discovered that approximately 6% of all Britons are now allowed to telecommute for a few days every week. While all these realities are positive and beneficial towards achieving a work-life balance, they may not necessarily reduce the level of work-life conflict. In the first place, there have to be politically created regulations that compel organisations to consider the needs of their workers (Thompson and Prottas 2006). However, the question of political influence is not just consigned to the ratifying of regulations. There is the need for the nation’s culture to embrace the whole concept of achieving desirable work-life balance. There have been cases where even though there were policies in place to encourage an organisation’s workers to take paternity leave or go on much needed vacations, they did not take advantage of these offerings. This was not because they had no use for them and did not wish to enjoy them, but because they instinctively suspected that utilising these work-life balance proposals would be counterproductive for their career objectives. Going on regular scheduled vacations would result in fewer advancement opportunities for workers. This means that even though the policies are portrayed as positive and beneficial to both the employees and the organisation, the basic tenets of the corporate culture have not really changed. In essence, it is still subtly presumed that the best employees do not require work-life balance. In terms of sociological factors, organisations will also be affected by their environment. Essentially, more business enterprises would want to provide work-life balance initiatives if they were made aware of how they would profit from them regardless of whether or not their workers utilised the practices. This is especially important in regards to situations where organisations are not governed by rigid regulatory frameworks (Lewis 2006). In nations such as Britain where public regulation does not determine work-life balance initiatives, this can be of utmost importance. For example, the British employment laws stipulate that workers who are saddled with care-giving duties have the right to ask for a flexible working timetable. In other European Union member states, public policy is more giving where female workers are concerned and women are encouraged to apply for flexible hours (Thornthwaite 2004). In addition, women can have the right to be paid during the course of their maternity break. There is also the need for work-life balance initiatives to be more inclusive (Maxwell and McDougall 2004). For a long time, the work-life balance culture was identified primarily with women and their special needs owing to long-term marginalisation and the prospect of pregnancy and motherhood. If changes are not made to the way the work-life balance policies are worded and presented, they will continue to be deciphered as programs that are primarily meant for female workers and men will keep expecting discrimination as a result of their use. This will then result in most organisations’ career-oriented personnel of both genders refusing to avail themselves of these programs. This will then further adversely affect corporate objectives by negatively affecting employee perceptions on such organisational support. Potential changes on the Work-Life changes in coming Years In Britain, as well as the EU, workers have to deal with numerous challenges that come with the workplace changes that are enacted everywhere. These changes make it harder for organisations to implement programs that support work-life balance. In these nations, workers have been forced to commit more hours to work; thus leaving them with little, if any, time for other family oriented activities. According to Reiter (2007) British women, who are virtually half of the nation’s workforce, have been increasingly multi-tasking in order to have enough time for both their families and jobs. This has resulted in increasingly elevated stress levels in virtually half of the British workforce (Houston 2005). In spite of this increase in stress, it is likely that organisations will try to initiate practical work-life programs in order to benefit their workers. It is likely that in the next ten years, the blended life that seeks the balance between work-related and household responsibilities will continue to gain a foothold. It is also possible that workers will increasingly look for jobs that do not compel them to remain in a specific physical space when conducting their work-related responsibilities. It is also likely that more organisations will allow their employees to work from home. Fundamentally, the whole aspect of business competition is undergoing transformation. In the past, the organisations that generated the best yields were those that attracted workers who had followed the revered academic paths. While today’s organisations still require the most skilled workers so as to achieve their goals and surge ahead of their competitors, the definition of the ‘best’ worker has changed. Today, the best worker is the one who is daring and self-motivated, has accrued different experiences by working in international environments, and is eager to follow new paths. Such workers usually choose to work for organisations that will allow them to work from home and benefit from other work-life initiatives. Essentially, the worker of the future will be driven by the need to work in a constantly changing working environment which provides numerous opportunities for career growth. There is likely to be increased emphasis on work-life balance initiatives which will be a central part in an organisation’s policies. To make the most of these realities and achieve work-life balance in their initiatives and programs, there are different things that organisations can do. These include: Customising work-life objectives: Workers in different organisations have different responsibilities and working schedules. This means that one type of work-life program cannot be used for all the workers even when they all work in the same department. In addition, the workloads of different workers could be increased at any time, which means that each worker will have to make use of a unique work-life balance program. Recognise that work-life balance affects all workers and not just women – For a long time, it was presumed that programs created to ensure that workers can balance between their responsibilities at home and at work were created mainly for women. This emphasises on the issues that are faced by women; however, this has meant that other groups such as single men and women are not accorded as much attention. According to a research documented by Rupert, Stevanovic, and Hunley (2009) single women and men who are childless experience special difficulties in managing their responsibilities in the workplace and the home. However, their concerns are not usually addressed or viewed as important. For organisations looking to engage all the sections of their workplace population, this notion has to change. Basing work-life balance on employee-employer relationship- Implementing a singular work-life balance initiative for all workers in an organisation is not a recipe for success. The preferred program must be built to suit specific workers for maximum effectiveness. This means that the program has to be based on the relationship between the employer and the employee in question (Thompson and Prottas 2006). It is also important to take into account the circumstances of the worker(s) in question. The worker, for example, may require varying considerations based on their different needs. Such information can only be acquired through regular consultations with the worker. Conclusion The use of work-life program initiatives is critical as it allows for a worker to work under a flexible schedule or even telecommute. There is lower burnout rate associated with procedures such as telecommuting because the worker operates in an environment in which they are most comfortable. Giving workers this kind of leverage also allows an organisation to save on office space thereby diverting resources to better initiatives. For example, if an organisation needs to expand into new locations, it does not necessarily have to invest in a bricks-and-mortar establishment as it only sets up a virtual framework in which workers are allowed to work from different localities. The informality that is associated with working from remote locations is also advantageous since it trains the worker to develop self-motivation. This is of particular importance among workers who are entrusted with coming up with creative ideas which boost on the organisation’s competitiveness, and thus sustainability. References Alesina, A., Di Tella, R. & MacCulloc, R. (2004) ‘Inequality and happiness: are Europeans and Americans different?’ Journal of Public Economics, vol. 88. Bambra, C., Whitehead, M., Sowden, A., Akers, J. & Petticrew, M. (2008) ‘A hard days night? - The effects of Compressed Working Week interventions on the health and work-life balance of shift workers: a systematic review’, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, vol. 62, pp. 764-777. Booth, A.L. & van Ours, J.C. (2008) ‘Job satisfaction and family happiness: the part-time work puzzle’, The Economic Journal, vol. 118, no. 526, pp. F77–F99. Burke, R.J. 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