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The format of the WLB about the number of hours worked less. But now wlb not just about working less hours. But it has a more diverse
facets and Contemporary Forms of WLB
whereas WLB was working fewer hours About Originally, the combination of the Contextual Drivers outlined above is that WLB is now not only working fewer hours About. WLB has multi-Become more. FACETED. Glynn et al. (the 2,002th, P. 9) State that it includes: • How long people Work (flexibility in the Number of hours worked); • when people Work (flexibility in the Arrangement of hours); • where people Work. (flexibility in the Place of Work); • Training Through developing people so that they Can Manage the balance better; • providing Back-up Support; and • Work Breaks from. Moreover, the Department of Trade and Industry (Www.dti.gov. .uk / work-lifebalance / what.html) identify-and indeed promote-a range of flexible work patterns. These patterns include the following forms of working hours: full time, part time, flexi-time, staggered hours, compressed working hours. , shift swapping, annualised hours, job sharing, term time working, breaks from work, flexible and cafeteria benefits and temporarily reduced hours (V time working). The increasing amount of employment law, with extending rights for part time employees, adds reinforcement to. the Development of Flexible Work Patterns that are the core of WLB. 4. Management Work-Life balance issues in Policies and Practices For Managers Who Can be reluctant to assume an increasing Responsibility for HRM activities, the Prospect of assimilating a role in that Managing WLB. has a range of facets and forms may be less than attractive (Glynn et al., 2002). Managers' views on and inclinations towards WLB may be influenced by their typically working long hours themselves, particularly men (Hogarth et al., 2001). and in the retail sector (Broadbridge, 1999). The gender differences in roles discussed earlier may be a significant reason for men working longer hours than women. Gender role differentials may assume a heightened significance where there is a disproportionate ratio of male managers and female. non-managers, for example in the retailing, tourism and finance sectors of the UK service industry (Labour Force Survey, 2001; Broadbridge, 1996; Maxwell, 1997). Further, the increasing number of employee requests for flexibility (Kropf, 1999; Thomas, 2000) may conceivably be seen by already stretched managers as an additional pressure point (Glynn et al., 2002), not least as WLB needs careful planning (Thomas, 2000). Thus there may be a potential tension between employees and their. managers in WLB. Glynn et al. (2002, p. 32) level that "for managers to enable work-life balance for themselves and others, a three-way relationship between the organisation, the manager and the employee base must be obtained". . With Some Justification then, Managers Might Query the Value of Organisations developing WLB. Substantial amounts of commentary Pointing to a Host of organizational Benefits inherent in, or at Least attached to, WLB Can be used to address such queries. Hogarth et al. (. 2001) conclude that easier service delivery is one benefit and Lasch (1999) notes that enhanced service delivery is another. Improved employee retention is identified as a benefit (CIPD, 2000; Management Services, 2002), together with reduced absence (Glynn et al. ., 2002) and improved morale (Kropf, 1999). Tombari and Spinks (1999) cite the benefit of enhanced employee capability, while Vincola (1999) flags up increased employee flexibility and skills, all-important in markets that can change rapidly. For Osterman (1995), WLB can be instrumental in building employee commitment. In addition, over-arching the advantages of WLB, are the disadvantages to organisations of employee work-life imbalance (Worrall and Cooper, 1999). Poor performance and increased stress. with its associated negative effects are high on the disadvantage list. Where "work is increasingly changing into a short-term culture, with long hours, intrinsic job insecurity and declining loyalty by employees to their employer ... the costs. ..to employee health,. the family and ultimately the "bottom line" are great "(Cooper, 1999, p. 569). Thus the case for WLB can be made in contrasting terms: the benefits of WLB and the disbenefits of work-life balance imbalance. It seems. Managers Can not therefore Ignore WLB. Managers' roles in WLB Can Centre on involvement in Policy Development and, Critically, on Policy implementation, as indicated earlier (Renwick, 2003; MacNeil, 2003rd). Tombari and Spinks (1999) Identify from their Research that. management support is crucial to WLB initiatives. Similarly Kropf (1999) comments that poor supervisor skills and behaviours can inhibit WLB in practice. Where there is resistance from managers on WLB, Watkins (1995) proposes ways of overcoming defensive reasoning on WLB, emphasising the. role of organisational culture in supporting WLB. Several researchers comment on the significance of organisational culture in WLB (Kramar, 1997; Gonyea and Googins 1992; Tombari and Spinks, 1999; Kropf, 1999; Shabi, 2002). Glynn et al. (2002. , p. 8) highlight the significance of managers in this respect:.
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