It is almost incomprehensible to me that a year ago this website was just getting up and running.  I had been blogging a bit but it did not yet feel like I had a vocation, just a passion.  No more…we are full speed ahead and it’s been a good year.  Both for this site and for information on workplace flexibility.  So during a week where we are working…but not too hard, I thought it might be fun to revisit some of my favorite posts:

Yep, I took some time off so it’s been a while since you’ve had news from me.  Here are the highlights from the last 3 weeks as I attempt to get back into the groove after lots of family time over the holidays.  Here’s hoping your New Year will be flexible and balanced!

In the News

Should We Eliminate Our Vacation Policy? (Business Insider)

At The Business Insider, we currently have a standard vacation policy–a certain number of weeks a year….I’ve taken some time off, of course, and I’ve worked remotely some, the way most of our team has.  I’ve let my teammates take as much time off as they’ve asked for without recording the days on some official log.  I’ve encouraged everyone to work intensely, efficiently, and effectively but also to make sure they’re creating a work-life balance they’re happy with (which many haven’t–including, sometimes, me).  The only thing I have been frustrated by is when folks disappear without arranging for their responsibilities to be covered while they’re away (because this screws the rest of us, as well as our readers and our clients).

In practice, therefore, our vacation policy seems to be “We’re all adults here, so take as much time as you want.  Just make sure you communicate clearly ahead of time and make sure your responsibilities are covered.  And, of course, make sure that you do a great job.”

How work changed in the noughties (Guardian)

The number of employers offering staff the chance to work flexibly almost doubled over the course of six years, according to data in the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. In 1998, 84% of managers argued it was up to the individual to balance their work and family responsibilities; by 2004 this had fallen to 65%.  But how flexibly do we really work? Recent research by the Work Foundation showed that despite technological and social advances, over 75% of employees working for large companies continue to work in one premises.

We may be part-time but we’re one in a million (London Evening Standard)

The number of people in part-time work because they can’t get full-time employment has risen by 34,000 in the past three months and now stands at a million. (Finally – I am one in a million!)…But there’s still a lot to be said for what I’ve got, which is a three-day week in the office. In fact, it comes close to my definition of perfection in the way of a work-life balance.  You get to do a job away from the home – a desk in an office gives you a kind of psychic security – and yet you see your family. Or make chutney or do jigsaws and all the things other people have to wait for weekends to do…So the new part-timers do have blessings to count. They’ve got a job. And they’ve got a life. It’s the best of both worlds, I’d say.

It’s Not Easy to Be a Good Wife and Mother (About.com)

The truth is, it can be hard to be a good wife and mom. At least for me! Yesterday I ended up snapping at my husband for suggesting that perhaps not every book I’ve read in the last 15 years needs to be displayed in our new home. And this morning I lost my patience with my kids over the endless dawdling on the way out the door to school.  So today I’m rereading my own articles on how to have a happy marriage, bonding with the children, work-life balance and resolving to do better next time. Fortunately, this is a good time of year for resolutions and fresh starts!

The gentlemom from New York: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s work-life balance (Washington Post)

How to be a Super Dad (Independent)

Nikki Walsh meets a new generation of dads striving to juggle the demands of the office with the crèche

He is not sure fathers can achieve work-life balance. “Society wants it both ways: we are supposed to be loving, caring parents and we are also supposed to be part of a machine.” When it comes to easing the pressures of working fathers, he agrees with Ray.  “Equality that seems to relate only to women is missing the point. Equality relates to everyone.”

Recession has left workers disgruntled, planning to leave jobs (Chicago Sun Times)

While employers might have taken necessary steps to streamline operations to remain viable during the downturn, “it appears many employees may have felt neglected in the process,” said David Hughes, market vice president for Chicago at Right Management. “The result is a disengaged and disgruntled work force.”  Employees want to work for companies that offer career development opportunities and understand the importance of work/life balance, he said, adding companies need to have a strategy to combat turnover.

Fidelity Investments Study Finds Shift in Generation Y Attitudes Toward Finances, Employment and Benefits (News Blaze)

Gen Y individuals overwhelmingly (75%) agree that work-life balance still drives their career choices, similar to what they said in 2008, but workplace benefits have taken on greater importance. The majority of Gen Y (62%) individuals responded that the quality of benefits packages influences their choice of employer today with slightly more (64%) stating it also impacts their job loyalty. Four in ten (44%) believe that the value of the benefits they receive should be tied to their workplace performance with nearly half (49%) describing the current benefits approach as a one-size-fits-all system where everyone gets the same package. When asked which benefits are a “must have,” Gen Y individuals ranked health insurance first (82%), followed by paid vacation time (68%) and access to a retirement savings plan (57%).

“Laurie and I had wanted to balance career-advancement opportunities with family needs,” Ms. Hughes says. “We put together a one-pager on a career-sharing idea and very quickly got the company’s commitment. General Mills was very supportive of our proposal.” The two women shared their position, which worked so well that within a year, they got promoted to a shared position as finance director. That lasted until this past September, when the women chose to take full-time positions with the company.

Workplace support for fathers beneficial (BtoB)

Fathers want to spend more time with their children but work gets in the way, according to research that has triggered a renewed call for partner’s paid parental leave and flexible workplaces.

Plenty of takers for telecommuting jobs (Emirates Business)

When asked how telecommuting would benefit employees, 44 per cent of respondents said it was a mixture of providing a good work-life balance, promoting more productivity and encouraging staff loyalty.

Almost a third, 32 per cent, said its advantage was solely due to the fact that it allowed employees to secure a good work-life balance, and 12 per cent said it was because it inspired greater productivity. Just five per cent agreed that the main advantage of telecommuting was the fact that it promoted company loyalty.

Where the top-notch employers are (Crain’s New York)

Even in bad times, good companies focus on workers.

Rock-solid financials and fat paychecks help make companies attractive to workers. But the lesson this year is that even in difficult times, great workplaces can keep people engaged—and keep them committed—with a combination of openness, camaraderie and well-thought-out benefits that make it easier for people to juggle the professional and the personal.  Thus Goldman Sachs, with its $658,000 in average compensation, is on the list. But the top company is tiny Atelier Ten, where work-life balance is a watchword.

In the Blogs

Flu Season Shows the Need for Workplace Flexibility (Sloan Work and Family blog)

The swine flu draws attention for the critical need for more workplace flexibility for American businesses. Workplace flexibility is a concept that gives workers flexibility in the how, where and the quantity of hours they work.

Now is the time for a national conversation and effort to increase that flexibility. Flexible work arrangements such as telework can allow workers to be productive when they are not able to be in the office.

During the swine flu epidemic, it is likely that many workers will be sick enough that they will need to stay away from work, if only to keep their coworkers from being impacted, but they will be well enough to complete substantive work. Or many will be healthy themselves, but they will be needed at home to help care for a family member or a child. Schools across the nation will identify potentially sick children and many will have to stay at home for a week or more, so their working parents will be stuck at home

When Your Life Hangs in the Balance (The Human Race Horses)

Tips for getting your own life back

1. Never forget that you are your most important personal asset.   You need to make sure that you are providing yourself with sustenance on a physical, profession, emotional and spiritual level in order to have a fully rounded life.

Leadership in Human Resources Management:  The Case of IBM Company (The Third Space)

Work/Life Balance
In 1984, IBM became the first major employer in the nation to establish a dependent care network for its employees. In July 2000, the company announced the creation of a five year, $50 million global fund to develop and support work/life programs in communities where its employees live and work. Programs range from new child care centers and science/technology camps for school-age children to collaborations with other companies to expand existing child care centers. Between 1990 and 1994, IBM invested $25 million to develop new or expand existing child and elder care facilities and programs through its Funds for Dependent Care Initiatives. Between 1995 and 2000, the company has invested a total of approximately $150 million in dependent care services to help employees better manage their work and personal lives.

Working mom boom on the horizon as American businesses re-focus hiring practices (Club Femina)

A recent global study of over 11,000 corporations across 15 countries commissioned by Regus (www.regus.com), the global provider of innovative workspace solutions, found that 44 percent of companies worldwide plan to hire more mothers for part-time jobs over the next two years. The study found that among U.S. firms, 46 percent reported plans to recruit more mothers into their workplaces over the next two years.

In the Balance (Exec Digital)

While many companies toss around the term ‘work-life balance’, few actually mean it.  More and more executives are ‘voting with their feet’ to work in organisations where they are respected and can demonstrate high performance. In return, they expect the organisation to provide development to keep them marketable and provide a reasonable work-life balance. In particular, many of the new generation of leaders will not sacrifice their quality of life or longevity of life for the sake of an organisation. As a result, the Best Practice Companies will be able to more easily attract and retain the best talent in the future.

4 Business Realities That Work-Life Balance Articles Ignore (WAHM.com)

Top 10 Homepreneur Trends for 2010 (Small Business Trends)

Work/life Balance: Interest in work/life balance is growing across almost all demographic segments.  The Great Recession has increased the interest in work/life balance as more people focus on non-economic life issues.  Surveys and other research show women, boomers and Gen Y in particular stress the importance of finding balance.  Homepreneurs often cite work/life balance as one of the key benefits of home businesses.  As this news spreads, so does the interest in home-based businesses.

Workplace Flexibility…For Baby Boomers! (Brand for Talent)

I recently read via SmartBrief on Workforce an article from Business Week about an innovative new program for older workers at Abbott Laboratories who don’t want to retire, or are unable to do so, but desire a little more time off.

The program dubbed “Freedom to Work,” provides workers with an opportunity to work a four-day-work-week and take 5 weeks vacation per year.  Workers’ age 55 and older who participate agree to reduce their paychecks accordingly, but 401(k) contributions remain as a percentage their prior full salaries, and pension calculations are protected so that workers can attain more years of service at their highest pay level.

What Work-Life Books Have You Found Useful? (WSJ Blog – The Juggle)

That’s why book reviews can come in handy, as they summarize notable reads, or help pinpoint key books to pick up. Recently, my WSJ colleague Laura Landro reviewed a trio of new juggle-related books. They aim to offer insight and advice to “help women navigate the still-rocky road to professional success and achieve some kind of work-life balance,” Ms. Landro writes. (There are plenty of juggle-related books for men, but Ms. Landro only reviewed books pertaining to women;)

Flex Time: Making it a Win-Win (Corporate Voices for Working Families)

In January, the accounting giant KPMG, looking for a way to save payroll costs without losing valued employees, introduced an initiative called Flexible Futures. This new program offered the 11,000 professionals in KPMG’s British operations the following options: They could go to a four-day workweek and take a 20 percent pay cut; they could opt for a mini-sabbatical at 30 percent base pay; they could opt for both of the above; or they could stick with their current arrangement.

The program was hugely successful. Over 80 percent of KPMG’s professional employees (men and women) volunteered to take one of the flexible options. This allowed KPMG to achieve its goal of retaining jobs while cutting costs.  Because Flexible Futures positioned shorter workweeks and mini-sabbaticals as a strategic response to the downturn rather than a “benefit” for working mothers, it has gone some distance to legitimizing flex time.

10 Tips To Implement Flexibility Programs: Work/Life Leader’s Series (HR Ringleader)

Many CEOs and business owners are boggled and bothered by the whole idea of workplace flexibility and work-family balance.  Boggled because there’s nothing they would rather do than work and bothered because they are paying employees in exchange for their time Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm…As the CEO of Nobscot Corporation, it has taken me a long time to get comfortable with flexibility and yet I see it working in our organization every day.  Like with all new initiatives, there are pros and cons.

“High Anxiety” as workplace stress soars (Examiner.com)

The 2009/2010 Staying@Work report found that despite the recession, while many companies have not slashed employee health and productivity programs, they have not dealt specifically with those aforementioned stress factors. Here’s a snapshot of employers who were surveyed.

• 78% of employers said excessive work hours was a leading stress monger, but just 21% say they are addressing it.

• 68% of employers cited lack of work/life balance as stress producer, but only 38% say they are taking action to combat it.

Phrase of the week: WORK-LIFE BALANCE! (C Sharp)

What were the most significant work life stories of 2009? (Families and Work Institute Blog)

Judy Martin writes, “Recession, a new American president, record high unemployment, women now at half the workforce and health care reform. An instant visual for a year that thrust the concept of work life balance into the headlines, while dismantling the very idea that such a dynamic even exists.”

Her picks:

Is telecommuting the new trend in the modern workplace? (ODesk – Job News)

During these difficult economic times, working from home can save money. According to the Associated Press (AP), some smaller businesses are encouraging their employees to work from home because this allows the company to relocate to a smaller office space, thus saving money on real estate, office furniture and resources such as computers and printers.  Adrienne Giannone, CEO of Edge Electronics, told the AP, “I’d rather keep my people and not spend the money on the bricks and mortar.”  A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reports that the number of workers telecommuting is growing. Ray Boggs, a vice president of IDC, a market research firm, told the newspaper that full-time home-based freelancers and independent contractors in the U.S. are forecast to increase by 200,000 by year’s end, bringing the total number of telecommuters in the country to 11 million.

How We Have Failed Working Families, And What We Can Do About It (Sloan Work and Family Blog)

In conjunction with Mrs. Obama’s talk, Corporate Voices released a comprehensive study that looks at workplace flexibility options and programs involving hourly employees, Innovative Workplace Flexibility Options for Hourly Workers.  Recent research about the value of workplace flexibility has focused primarily on management and professional workers. This study finds that workplace flexibility initiatives, when available for hourly employees, are as successful as those designed for professional staff.  And it demonstrates that businesses offering hourly employees flexible work options benefit through enhanced recruitment, retention, engagement, cost control, productivity and financial performance.

Nobel Laureate: ‘Career Structure … Has Worked for Men’ (WSJ Health Blog)

You can work part time and do “really good research,” Elizabeth H. Blackburn said yesterday. She was speaking in Stockholm, where she’ll pick up a Nobel Prize in medicine later this week. Blackburn said scientific institutions should take a more flexible approach that might allow more women to fill leadership positions. “The career structure is very much a career structure that has worked for men,”

All (Cali Dad)

I’ll be the first to admit that “the choice to work” is far easier for men than women. On top of our non-existing biological clocks, society still accepts and rewards the hard-working dad who puts his nose to the grindstone to provide for his family. Moreover, there’s that neurochemical, physiological kinship between mother and child that I’ve blogged about before that makes it extra hard for moms to spend long periods of time away from their kids. My only retort is that, at the end of the day, it’s still a choice and a sacrifice that’s not always easy to make. Any one of those panelists above could just as easily have been male. It’s true that society may not frown upon hard working men, but missing out on watching your children grow up in favor of long, grueling hours in a stressful work environment is a form of misery that is decidedly gender-neutral.

Press Releases

Events

Workplace Flexibility: Flexibility in a Multigenerational Workforce

Ann Arbor IT Zone
330 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

“Work, Life, Balance: No Excuse!” February 4 Lunch Program – Century House Hotel & Conference Center,
997 New Loudon Road – Route 9 Latham, NY 12047

A Conversation on Workplace Flexibility Research Pt 2 (Georgetown Law event)

Career Life Connection News and Events

Career Life Connection will be exhibiting at the Massachusetts Conference for Women on December 10, 2009 at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center:  Come on by and talk work/life balance/flexibility/fit at the annual conference where women can connect, be motivated, network, get inspired and build their skill base.  Last year the event brought together more than 5,000 women for the day.  Also be sure to check out the career fair raffle where Career Life Connection will be looking to put more balance back into your life with a one-hour massage gift certificate to Bella Sante.

Social Recruiting Summit – November 16 – NYC

Social media is rapidly becoming more than just another tool in a recruiter’s toolbox — it’s an important part of the future of the talent acquisition profession. The goal of #socialrecruiting summit is to have an industry conversation about these tools, talk about tactics and strategies that are already in the field and working, not pie-in-the-sky ideas.  Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection will be part of that conversation.  If you are attending the Social Media Summit or just in NYC and would like to talk about social media, workplace flexibility or work/life happiness with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.

Career Life Connection will be attending the OnRec/Kennedy Information Recruiting Conference in Chicago November 3 & 4th.  If you’d like to meet Leanne Chase and talk work/life with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.  You can also catch her and many HR professionals talking about how to fail spectacularly in business at this fun industry event.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour:  The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews:  Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

My work-life happiness is off the chart this week…for some obvious reasons

And one not as obvious.

I am lucky.  I talk about work-life balance for a living.  Why does that make me lucky?  Because if work-life balance is my biggest problem in life, I have a lot fewer worries than so many others.  I ate yesterday, I had my family around me and it never crossed my mind to wonder if the water I was drinking was safe to drink.  Others are not so lucky.  So I support the Friends of Penyem – a group striving to bring clean water systems into West African villages where the needs and health issues are most dire.  Russell Glass of Bizo introduced me to the cause when we both worked at ZoomInfo.  As I love to travel and have seen the developing world up close…I couldn’t imagine not being involved.

Yesterday, while I and my family frolicked (truly…frolicked) Jason Sadler from IWearYourShirt.com was busy working hard to raise awareness and funds to build at least one more well in the Gambia.  I’m not sure when the results will be in…but I can’t wait to see how his, Russ’s and my networks came through to make that happen.  Let’s continue giving today…$1 or $1000 – all is welcome and will be truly appreciated by people who have no idea what a wonderful life we, who complain/strive/struggle with work-life balance, really have.

Happy, healthy, balanced holidays to all!

Ahhh….the holidays are here.  Joy, laughter, friends, family and expectations all around.  Is it possible to flex enough to make everyone/anyone happy at the holidays?  I’m not sure.  Clearly this year some think I am failing…

You see my family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas.  And sometimes that fact clashes in life…this is one of those years.  The Hanukkah folks have planned a really fun cousins vacation the week before and of Christmas…a long one.  The Christmas folk are pretty adamant about celebrating Christmas on the 25th.  All would like my husband, little one and I to be theirs exclusively.

So I’m doing my best.  We managed a much-needed and anticipated nuclear family vacation during the beginning of Hanukkah.  We returned home for a family Christmas party which is a tradition I hold dear, we rushed off to the Hanukkah folks vacation and will be home on Christmas night.    But it appears no one is happy the Hanukkah folks would like us to be on vacation with them longer, the Christmas folks are pretty upset about the fact that I’ve moved Christmas to the 26th.  Oh and did I mention that during all of this I have a business to run with a new product that launched a week and half ago?

Interestingly, I am thrilled with our nuclear family’s choices this holiday season.  I get to see much of my family and participate in all of what is important to us.  Here’s hoping the grumbling all around doesn’t get to me

How about you?  How are you balancing your nuclear family’s needs/wants, extended family expectations and work this holiday season?

Today’s guest blog post comes courtesy of Phil Montero, the founder of YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com and an evangelist for distributed work. For more than a decade he’s been teaching how to work effectively from a home office, the road, or practically anywhere. His blog TheAnywhereOffice.com is a great resource for tips and articles about living a digital lifestyle and navigating the changing world of work.

I can identify with this post currently as I work hard to ensure time with family and friends but our family can still get out of “balance” due to my husband’s and my work schedules at times.   In fact this last week and next week I am focusing on family almost entirely with back-to-back vacations.  So if you’re comment takes a little longer to get approved, or your email or phone call is returned a bit slower…know that I will get back to you…once I recharge with my family.  Take care and have a great holiday and a happy New Year!

At this time of year I often find myself thinking that I didn’t spend as much time with my family and friends as I would have liked. It’s just so easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle of things that need to be done. You may be feeling the same way: you were so busy with meetings, email, voice mail, and reports that some of the more important things in life got put on the back burner – often with a promise that you would get to it tomorrow, or next week.

Well now is your chance, as you’re setting your goals for the upcoming year, to bring focus to developing greater balance in your life. Smart Phones, laptops, and PDAs are getting more affordable; Fast internet access is pervasive, along with great tools and online services that make it easier then ever to work productively from anywhere.

Avoiding a daily commute and gaining more control over your work schedule can not only make you more productive, it can help you achieve the balance you have been longing for in your life.

If you currently work remotely, and it has been working well for you and your organization, try to increase the amount of time you spend working from home or outside the office.

If you don’t work remotely, then consider approaching your organization about the possibility. In light of many things that happened this past year, including a sluggish economy and political tumult, many organizations are reconsidering some of their earlier fears about distributed work and realizing it makes sound business sense.

Distributed work provides a win-win situation for both an organization and its employees. Companies can save money on real estate, improve employee morale and efficiency, and be better prepared to handle disasters and interruptions; employees can work when they work best, without common office distractions, and gain both time and more control over their schedules.

In fact, depending on where you live, some new bills being passed may provide tax credits and incentives for you and your organization, making a telework plan even more attractive.

We all waste precious time sitting in traffic, commuting back and forth to the office and traveling around for meetings that often could just as easily have been held on the phone or online.

So as you spend time with family and friends, reflect on how valuable and enjoyable this time is and how it enhances everything you do.

Make a commitment to do the things necessary to achieve more work/life balance. Whether it is finding a way to work outside the office, learning new time management and technology skills, or exploring ways to improve your meetings, striving for balance can improve every aspect of your life.

I’m very excited to announce that last Thursday the job board for those interested in more work/life balance I have been talking about for over a year went live!   I could tell you why it took so long…but I’d rather tell you what I learned during that time:  there is no such thing as a universally flexible job or a company who will be universally flexible with every member of its workforce.  So don’t expect to find only flexible jobs listed on this board.  And don’t expect that if you apply to one of these companies you will be guaranteed a flexible job.  It is just not realistic.  Flexibility at work is a two-way street that requires discussion and thought on both sides.

However, the companies listed here “walk the talk” on work/life balance.  They have employees working flexibly, they want to have employees working flexibly, they know it’s good for their bottom line and they would like you to know that you are important to them and are responsible for their success.    So you do not need to be afraid to talk with these companies about your particular life and how work fits in to it.  If you ask about more flexibility at work with these companies your resume will not automatically end up in the circular file as soon as you leave the interview.

How do we know this?  In order to post jobs on this board companies need to be either affiliated with a couple of very reputable work/life non-profits or they need to answer a questionnaire.  Otherwise…their money is no good here.

Please check out the job board and the companies listed on it.  Of course, please tell your friends.  And please let companies who are flexing and want to promote that fact know they now have a job board dedicated to them.

We are at the beginning of this journey and expect the board to grow and change.  We need you to make that happen.  Open, honest feedback is welcome and encouraged at “jobs at careerlifeconnection dot com.”

I look forward to your thoughts!

On Thursday I will be at the Massachusetts Conference for Women in Boston…exhibiting, talking, and swapping stories about workplace flexibility.  When I realized I would have an extra ticket to the show, I started a contest.  And boy am I glad I did.  Today’s guest blog post comes from Carissa Caramanis O’Brien of Red Box Comunications who is juggling/struggling daily with her own business, raising a family, being a great daughter and still finding time for friends.  I have seen first hand how hard she works at it all…and am lucky enough to be included as one she makes time for.  While I said this contest wasn’t a writing contest, Carissa, ever the overachiever since the days she interned for me ‘lo those many years ago, couldn’t help herself and wrote a winner!

When I was in my 20s, I probably thought workplace flexibility had more to do with which type of project I worked on for hours-on-end than any sort of work/life balance. And at that stage of my career, I guess that mentality made sense, and even worked for me. I was able to work late nights and weekends, making my way up the corporate ladder with little more to balance than a social life.

Things are considerably different now. I’m a wife, mother of a young child, and chief household officer. I serve as a secondary caregiver to my aging father, and have more family needs to attend to than ever before in my life. Oh, and I’m a business owner. Before this year, my work didn’t have enough bend to suit my life, so I made a change before I let it break. The need for flexibility was critical in my decision.

So, what does workplace flexibility mean to me?

• It means I work where I go, not go where I work—Technology allows us to be connected virtually anywhere today, so without being tethered to a desk, I can be productive in between meetings as easily as between ballet class and lunch with my mother.
• It means not missing out on valuable networking—Being stuck in a corporate office all day (and sometimes into the night) isn’t real conducive to attending events where I’ll meet other people in the industry and connect with future colleagues or collaborators.
• It means actually staying on top of the latest trends—Without imposed priorities, I can devote time and energy to the greatest new technologies and trends that will keep me a leader in my field.
• It means focusing energy where I know it is needed most—Whether personal endeavors, new business ideas, or my passion for non-profit fundraising and cause marketing, I can actually carve out the appropriate time to tackle these because I’ve placed them on my priority list.

So, you can see that I don’t just want flexibility. I require it in order to lead the life I designed. Before I started my own business, I worked in Marketing for a global healthcare company. The workload was overwhelming, the hours demanding and the to-do list never ended. I can’t say that has changed, but what has changed is the way in which I manage it. I am my own boss, I alone determine the priorities and when I need to be in the office to tackle them. This also means when other priorities need my attention, or even when I’m just craving some special time with my 3-year-old, I can easily adjust my schedule to satisfy life’s little interruptions.

More companies are realizing the value in workplace flexibility and I hope this is a trend we see continue, despite the dogged times of this brutal economy. Because, I love my work and I’ll never want to give it up, but I love my family, friends and causes more than anything. I am determined to work to live, not live to work…and, really, isn’t that the way it should be?

Welcome to the holiday season.  Here’s hoping you all can find your work/life happiness at this time and enjoy friends and family while juggling extra commitments.  I, too will be quite busy and this weekly update may be a day late here and there or even go on hiatus so I can go on hiatus as well.  With an eye toward the New Year, a big shout out to Judy Martin who put together the Top Ten Work Life Culture Stories of 2009.  Check them out and check out the rest of this week’s news, too.

In the News

Mind Matters: In Defense of Downtime (Science)

A 4-year study by professor Leslie Perlow and research associate Jessica Porter, both of the Harvard Business School, published in the October issue of Harvard Business Review, demonstrates that time off can have a larger, positive effect on individual and organizational productivity than more hours on the job. They looked at the effects of something they called “predictable time off” on employees of the Boston Consulting Group, an international consulting firm comprised of consultants, bankers, accountants, lawyers, and IT professionals. During designated periods, even some periods of high work demand, employees were required to take time off…Initially, the consultants and their supervisors were anxious and resisted the changes. But the results of the study were overwhelmingly positive: greater job satisfaction, improved communication, greater trust and respect for colleagues, increased learning and self-development, better products for the firm’s clients, and a better work/life balance.

Telus tests work-from-home options ahead of Olympics (Vancouver Sun)

Telus, B.C.’s largest private-sector employer, is doing a dry run for the 2010 Olympics today by promoting green commuting options.  At the top of the telecommunications giant’s list to prepare for the Games is taking 1,000 vehicles off the road by encouraging as many employees as possible to work from home — the ultimate green commute.

Heinz locks out workers indefinitely (Food Magazine)

“This shift pattern is a way of life for these workers, their family life and recreation is built around it and has been for nine years,” said Mr Hale.  “It’s a lot to ask them to suddenly change their entire lives and not have any flexibility about it.“Our members are upset to have to uproot their way of life when alternatives can be found, and now to be locked out of work for expressing their views seems extreme.”

Report: Unions Trend Toward Female Majority (Industry Week)

The demographic shift also could be attributed to unions becoming more flexible with the needs of working women, says Terri Burgess Sandu, executive director of Hard Hatted Women, a Cleveland-based organization that helps women enter the labor workforce.  “I think most companies, especially larger companies, recognize that having a diverse workforce is a strategic advantage,” Sandu says.  Sandu points to unions including language such as workplace flexibility and family leave in contract negotiations as signs of progress.

CEO, a mom of 5, wins biz award (Philadelphia Daily News)

Mary Stengel Austen has managed to juggle a top job in the business world while raising five young children, with the help of her husband, Peter, also a hard-charging business executive.  How has she done it? Austen, chief executive officer of Tierney Communications, laughs and responds: “With a lot of support and a good sense of humor.” She also cites workplace flexibility and a passion for both family and profession.

New Nokia Global Travel Policy Balances Work, Life, Savings (Manager Smarter)

When developing the new policy, the travel team also wanted to make changes based on the company’s commitment to employee work/life balance. The travel team gathered input and advice from 20 to 30 frequent travelers and senior managers from various departments around the world, including corporate security, human resources and sales and marketing. Perry said some employees felt they were forced to travel, and the policy overhaul was an avenue to address that.  “Now, we’ve empowered people to question that and say, you know what, I realize you’ve scheduled that meeting on Monday in Finland, but my kids have a ball game on Saturday, and I don’t want to leave town on Saturday to arrive Sunday for a Monday meeting. Can’t we do this over Halo, or make the meeting on a Wednesday or two or three weeks from now? I can book in advance, save some money and be there when it works for my work/life balance,” Perry said.

Companies Push for Flexible Schedules to Boost Women Attorneys (Law.com)

Law firms hoping to snag Del Monte’s legal business are facing added scrutiny these days.  The food giant earlier this year began questioning firms about their part-time and flexible work policies, making it clear that it wants at least some part-time attorneys handling the company’s matters and that it will track those attorneys’ progress through the law firm ranks. The message, said Del Monte Foods Co. General Counsel James Potter, is that firms should tout part-timers as a selling point, not as a dirty secret.

Hopkins County native’s engineering firm receives prestigious award (The Messenger)

The award coincides with CDP celebrating its 20th year in business, and affirms CDP’s core principals of providing a balanced work/life environment for its employees and their families, according to a news release.  “Quality employees are the key to any successful business,” Dixon said. “If you don’t have good employees, you won’t have a successful business. Conversely, if you do have good employees you should treat them with fairness, respect and dignity which ultimately increases employee retention and business profitability. Providing a flexible work environment is one of the tangible ways CDP demonstrates our appreciation to employees.”

Assembly passes IT consultant legislation (Legislative Gazette)

“Consultants are being retained to do the newer, more exciting tasks, thus causing a tremendous amount of frustration, leading to a less motivated and energized environment,” Brate said. “The state IT professional workforce would like to be treated as the professionals they are and at the same time be encouraged to actively be involved and enhance their skills by using today’s technology.”  She also said workplace flexibility and flexible hours would reduce the rate of transfer of IT employees.

BRAZEN CAREERIST: Stop Blaming Gadgets for Your Lack of Self-Discipline (California Job Journal)

Don’t talk to me about the idea that a smartphone undermines your ability to have work-life balance. First, the idea that you could ever have balance isridiculous . But a smartphone at least gives you hope.  Before there were smartphones, you always had to choose one or the other. Work and life were always competing for large chunks of time in the day. But with the smartphone, you can have a blended life where work life and personal life complement each other. What I mean is that a smartphone makes it so you can always do work, but also always do your personal life, so you choose which one has priority, minute to minute.

Speed mentoring to hasten women to top (The Times of India)

“I’d been giving talks to young women and they all seemed to have the same questions,” she said.   “They wanted to know how you resolve work-life balance, how you move from being the assistant to being the boss, how you ask for a (pay rise), and feeling that the guys in the office get more attention from the boss because they can talk about sport.”

Dickensian pay conditions ease (New Zealand Herald)

This past year in the wake of the recession, a lot of employees felt that ‘asking for more’ would also risk being cast out into the streets (or guarantee a place in the dole queue at the very least). With redundancies and restructures commonplace across most industries, a pervasive cloud of uncertainty hung over many workplaces. This uncertainty effectively rendered employees immobile and most elected to sit tight, clinging to their jobs for security, as they prayed that the axe would not fall on them.  Pre-recession ideals such as work/life balance and flexible working hours took a back seat in a year when ‘flexibility’ often equated to bending over backwards like the contortionist in Cirque du Soleil.

Why special privileges for female fighter pilots? (Mens News Daily)

None of this makes any sense. I am not suggesting that we deny women the right to a family life, or make it impossible for them to have a healthy work-life balance. I am merely making the point that these are choices that women make. And when they decide to put family first they cannot realistically expect to be treated the same as someone who puts work first…So, if you are female and want to become a fighter pilot, then there are some sacrifices you will be expected to make. Postponing childbirth will be one of them. Because no matter what the posters may tell you, you really can’t have it all  well, not all at the same time, certainly.

French Women Don’t Get Fat – Or Stressed (Metro)

In 2004, French author and businesswoman Mireille Guiliano wrote about how to achieve balance in your diet and how to banish guilty feelings over food in her best-selling “French Women Don’t Get Fat.” Now, through lessons, advice and personal stories, Guiliano demonstrates “the essential need to find a balance between work life and personal life” in her latest book, “Women, Work & The Art of Savoir Faire.”…But there is hope to succeed with style and dignity intact, Guiliano insists: “Work-life balance has a lot to do with personal choice. A demanding job does not mean constant stress and exhaustion.”

HSBC rolls out flexible working plans for staff (Brunei FM news)

AS OF December 1, HSBC will roll out a Flexible Working Arrangement (FWA) for its staff. The FWA is a programme, which enhances staff work life flexibility and accommodates to each individual’s varied needs.  “Whether our staff is undertaking part-time studies, starting a new family, having young children or is looking after elderly parents, FWA enables staff to balance their work and personal commitments. We believe in work life balance at HSBC and FWA is one of many programmes we do in achieving our goal of being the best place to work.”

There are five options available to all fill-time staff under the FWA umbrella. The home working option allows staff to work from home a maximum two days a week, the part time option allows staff to split their week and embark on other areas like studying while with the special leave, staff can take up to two months unpaid leave every calendar year.  The bank also has the sabbatical leave option which means that staff is able to take up to 12 months unpaid leave and the flex hours which enables staff to have flexible start and finish times.

Links to Life award winners (The Observer)

Mental illness may be the chief cause of lost time on the job by 2020. Stress in the workplace and poor work-life balance will leave one in five workers suffering from some form of mental illness, Wright said.

In the Blogs

Work-Life Balance in the Legal Profession: A Necessity Even in a Down Economy (The Glass Hammer)

Large law firms can learn from those employers which have already recognized the importance of work-life balance. According to Susan Fenton, author of “Firms Say Work-Life Balance Boosts Productivity”, companies such as Dutch mail company TNT, oil company BP, and US computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. have found that work life imbalances lead to increased business costs. As a result of these findings, these companies have adopted more flexible working arrangements which they say motivate employees, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency.

Poll results: flexibility favoured over traditional 9-to-5 day (Vecci blog)

VECCI recently surveyed members as to whether or not the 38-hour working week was optimal for productivity. Of all the votes recorded, 63 per cent of respondents believe that work hours should be flexible and negotiated between employers and employees.

Work Flexibility Comes in Many Forms (PWHP Good Company blog)

At the broadest level, it sounds like work flexibility simply means employees get to work when and maybe even where they want. However, this is not necessarily the case. At a more specific level, there are at least four primary types of work flexibility practices that employers can develop. Each comes with its own benefits for employers and employees; but, in order to maximize these benefits, organizations must carefully select the right mix of work flexibility practices given their unique context.

The Key to Whatever Work-Life Balance I Possess is Right Here! (Work. Life. Balance.)

After multiple requests, here’s the one planning tool that has literally changed my life and my relationships.  With some tweaking, it can be applied to an individual just as easily as a couple or household.  This is what works for us.   I’d love your thoughts on what you do…Work.  Life.  Balance.  It’s a conscious choice.  And a never ending work in progress.

Exclusive Interview: Trader and Financial Journalist Eric Bolling (Wall Street Cheat Sheet)

Damien: Congrats on putting your family first. How do you preserve that work-life balance ?

Eric:  That balance is very important to me.  I literally walked away from something I dearly loved because something more dear to me is my family.  I am my son’s baseball coach and friend.  I help him with his home work every night and drive him to school every morning.  That balance is everything cause if there is an imbalance coming from your home life, you’re not going to trade well or be a good journalist on TV.

Should Women Shun Work-Life Balance Benefits? (The Delaware Employment Law Blog)

Glass-ceiling research shows women continue to be harmed by gender stereotypes.  Managers continue to discriminate against female subordinates because they incorrectly perceive women as having greater conflicts between their family responsibilities and their work responsibilities than men, reports The Academy of Management Journal. Somewhat surprisingly, both male and female managers harbor this misperception…The study cautions women about using company-sponsored programs such as on-site child care, flex time or paid parental leave, which are designed to assist employees with work-life balance. The problem is that managers may view use of such benefits as confirmation of women’s greater susceptibility to work-family conflicts, and then view such women as less committed to the company and less promotable than their male counterparts who do not make use of such benefits.

ABCN Offers Virtual Office Solutions in Response to Reports on Rising Employee Stress (Officing Today)

ALLIANCE Business Centers NETWORK, a leading provider of executive suites, virtual offices, and fully serviced office space, strongly suggests the use of flexible office options to relieve some of the stress workers around the globe are feeling. Changing times have led to the growth of flexible office solutions, which have shown to be conducive to improving the work-life balance of workers.  “Virtual offices and executive suites offer flexibility and cost efficiency that are critical to helping manage worker and company stress,” said Frank Cottle, ABCN Chairman. “By allowing us to take care of their officing and administrative needs, our clients are better able to focus on their own growth and productivity.”

Workplace Flexibility…For Baby Boomers! (Brand For Talent)

I recently read via SmartBrief on Workforce an article from Business Week about an innovative new program for older workers at Abbott Laboratories who don’t want to retire, or are unable to do so, but desire a little more time off.  The program dubbed “Freedom to Work,” provides workers with an opportunity to work a four-day-work-week and take 5 weeks vacation per year.  Workers’ age 55 and older who participate agree to reduce their paychecks accordingly, but 401(k) contributions remain as a percentage their prior full salaries, and pension calculations are protected so that workers can attain more years of service at their highest pay level.

CORPORATE VOICES AND WORKING MOTHER MEDIA WILL SPOTLIGHT CONGRESSIONAL EXCELLENCE IN SUPPORTING WORKING FAMILIES (Corporate Voices blog)

Corporate Voices for Working Families and Working Mother Media will present U.S. Senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives with the Best of Congress award, recognizing their leadership in improving the quality of life for working families by partnering with business to create long-term solutions to work-life issues. Winners will be profiled in the August/September 2010 issue of Working Mother Magazine.  Members of Congress are invited to apply and will be judged on their voting record, sponsored/co-sponsored legislation, and efforts to promote legislation that supports working families. In addition, applicants will be asked to submit policies and practices within their own offices that support their employees and flexible workplace options. January 15, 2010, is the deadline for submissions.

Military Families and Workplace Flexibility: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (My Wedded Bliss)

Under the 2008 FMLA expansion, eligible employees are allowed to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected time off for any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of an employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call to active duty) in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation. Department of Labor regulations define a qualifying exigency to include short-notice deployment, military events and related activities, childcare and school activities, financial and legal arrangements, counseling, rest and recuperation, post-deployment activities, and any other service-related activity that the employer and employee agree is a qualifying exigency

Work Life Wish: Genderless respect and trust in the workplace (WorkLifeNation)

The report demonstrates the swinging of the workforce pendulum as women are half of the workforce. The essays (written by both men and women) effuse with mounting conviction, that corporate America and society in general must wake up to the fact that more women in the workforce brings with it the following:

1. Building momentum for pay equity
2. Building momentum for more women in senior management positions
3. Building momentum for better work life effectiveness initiatives like workplace flexibility, family leave, workplace stress reduction, time management, & elder and child care programs

Workplace Flexibility and People With Disabilities (Sloan Work and Family Research Network)

Increasingly, companies are recognizing the benefits of instituting flexible workplace policies that allow employees to work part time, to work non-standard hours, and to vary where they work. For many people with disabilities and for parents and other family members or people with disabilities, this flexibility can be critical in enabling them to meet their personal and professional obligations…There are many ways in which flexibility can be important. A part-time schedule may be essential for an employee who does not have the endurance to work forty hours a week and for a parent who needs to participate in a child’s therapies, take a child to medical appointments, or just to spend more time with a child. Working non-standard hours may be important to help employees who cannot drive align their work schedules with public transportation schedules or to allow employees to take additional breaks to meet medical needs. The ability to vary the place where they work is important to employees with disabilities that make it difficult for them to leave their homes, and it can increase family members’ ability to be involved in care and treatment.

Work life balance could be Joe’s greatest battle (Punch)

If Joe Hockey wins the leadership of the federal Liberal Party, the biggest loser will not be Malcolm Turnbull.   Nor will it be the government’s Emissions Trading Scheme.  It will be five-week-old Ignatius Theodore Babbage-Hockey…For someone like Joe Hockey, it’s a conundrum.  He’s known as a ‘family man’, flying home from a joint parties meeting on the ETS to be there for the birth of Ignatius.  “Finally I told Malcolm, ‘The wrath of my colleagues is nothing compared to the wrath of my wife if I miss the birth. See ya!’” he said in the Australian Women’s Weekly.

Life Balance: Who Decides? (Startup Princess)

And remember, the pursuit of balance is like the pursuit of anything; as you strive for perfection in it, even if you don’t achieve perfection (and you probably won’t), you are learning and growing just because you’re trying.  The cumulative effect of your efforts will matter down the road.  All you can do each day, is your best.

The Struggle for Work-Life Balance (The Balanced Physician Weblog)

With the signs that healthcare reform is going to happen, the industry may face even lower reimbursements and a larger physician shortage while physician burnout reaches more than 60%.  With this, the struggle for work-life balance becomes more difficult, yet all the more important. Many healthcare professionals want to experience more work-life balance, but battle with its implementation.

Work-Life Balance? Puh-leaase! (Huffington Post)

But this is more about work and identity and family being equally important and how it is impossible to calibrate all those moving parts together perfectly…But balance between work and family? Please.

Workplace stress not addressed: Survey (Business Insurance)

Companies that maintain health and productivity management programs despite the recession are experiencing lower health care and disability costs and less absenteeism than their counterparts that cut back, according to a joint survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide and the National Business Group on Health.  But most employers are doing little or nothing to relieve the stress many employees experience due to long hours at work, a lack of work/life balance, and fear they may lose their jobs, the 2009/2010 Staying@Work report found.

The road to safety:  Solutions to staff division (corrections.com)

Work life balance suggests people are living two lives – one at work and one away from work. But people don’t ‘work’ for five days (or more) and ‘live’ for two days (or less). Work is just one of many roles that people perform in their 24/7 week. No matter where they are or what they are doing, day or night, people are carrying personal baggage, problems, responsibilities, personal goals and work goals. Separation of work and personal life roles has become a blur and, too many of us, almost a seamless link.

Press Releases

Punch Highlights the Benefits of Digital Advancements Which Improve Work-Life Balance

As a digital PR agency specialising in online PR, Punch is constantly cognisant of the technological advances that have made a dramatic difference to people’s lives. Pete Goold, Managing Director of Punch Communications said: “The arrival of social networking tools, online cloud applications and wireless broadband has made a massive difference to the ways in which people work. Coupled with the wide variety of web-based applications that are available to businesses, people can still be productive and do their job just as efficiently regardless of their location.”  Pete continued: “This allows people to coordinate their work with family responsibilities and commitments and ensure that they have time to themselves to indulge in hobbies and social activities, which in turn leads to happier and as a result more productive employees.

Events

Women in Technology “Slips a Mikki” with Mikki Williams

Rhode Island Women in Technology (WIT) series luncheon featuring Mikki Williams, CSP, on Monday, Dec. 14, 2009 from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm at the Sheraton Providence Airport Hotel in Warwick.  Mikki is a dynamic, one-of-a-kind speaker, and in her interactive presentation “New Year, New You: Balancing Life, Work & Achieving Success,” she will explore the trails of work/life balance and the methods to accomplishing it through an energetic mix of hilarious anecdotes and introspective life experiences.

Career Life Connection News and Events

Career Life Connection will be exhibiting at the Massachusetts Conference for Women on December 10, 2009 at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center:  Come on by and talk work/life balance/flexibility/fit at the annual conference where women can connect, be motivated, network, get inspired and build their skill base.  Last year the event brought together more than 5,000 women for the day.  Also be sure to check out the career fair raffle where Career Life Connection will be looking to put more balance back into your life with a one-hour massage gift certificate to Bella Sante.

Social Recruiting Summit – November 16 – NYC

Social media is rapidly becoming more than just another tool in a recruiter’s toolbox — it’s an important part of the future of the talent acquisition profession. The goal of #socialrecruiting summit is to have an industry conversation about these tools, talk about tactics and strategies that are already in the field and working, not pie-in-the-sky ideas.  Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection will be part of that conversation.  If you are attending the Social Media Summit or just in NYC and would like to talk about social media, workplace flexibility or work/life happiness with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.

Career Life Connection will be attending the OnRec/Kennedy Information Recruiting Conference in Chicago November 3 & 4th.  If you’d like to meet Leanne Chase and talk work/life with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.  You can also catch her and many HR professionals talking about how to fail spectacularly in business at this fun industry event.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour:  The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews:  Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.

I’m sure someday I will learn that fear is silly.  That procrastination due to fear is truly a waste of time.  That putting one foot in front of the other is not so hard and it works.  I’m sure I will…the when, however, I’m not so sure of.

Because you see I seem to fall back on similar fears and then I procrastinate so I don’t have to face them.  Then once faced, it turns out they weren’t so bad.

Case in point – I’m a runner – have been since junior high.  Every time I line up at the start of a race in the back of my mind is the thought that I haven’t trained hard enough, I’m not in good enough shape, I’m not mentally tough enough.  Now mind you I have never come in last in a race in my life.  I’m usually somewhere in the front half of the pack – which I am quite comfortable with.  But it never ceases to amaze me that I have to talk myself out of thinking I’ll fail.

So last week was a long one.  I’ve been working on getting a job board created for my site for far too long.  Partly me, partly bad timing, partly poor communication to blame.  But while it was “in development” I was safe and comfortable.  I could talk about it.  I could think through some of the bumps I knew would happen as I work to integrate it with my site…but it was all in theory.  It wasn’t real work.

Then it happened.  The board was developed and handed off to me to customize.  And I froze.  Not completely.  I did hire technical people to help with the technical implementation simply because I’m not capable of that…that much I know.  But there is plenty that I’m capable of.  Writing copy – it’s been a strong suit of mine for years, figuring out some logistical elements of how to integrate it with the already existing Career Life Connection site, and that pesky little task of finding customers.

Last week all the doubts crept into my head.  What if no one wants to post jobs here?  What if no one wants to look for jobs here?  What if no one really cares about work/life?  What if this was all a big waste of time and money?

Now I have never fallen on my face completely with a project.  I’ve actually usually exceeded my expectations which are typically much higher than my bosses were.  I have already decided that I consider this project a success for me for many reasons.  And I can rationally understand what I’m going through and understand that it’s unproductive and full of unnecessary drama.  I can even support friends in similar situations by truly believing in them and telling them to “go for it.”  So why?

I don’t know.  Maybe it’s just part of that roller coaster many entrepreneurs ride.  Maybe I am much harder on myself than I need to be.  Maybe it’s good that I spent a week really pondering and thinking through my fears so my outcome would be more focused and targeted.  I don’t know the answer.  But I do know that yesterday I put one foot in front of the other and started to run toward the finish line for this project.  And it felt good.  And I’m getting good response.  And I know I will finish and it won’t be in last place.

Maybe next time I can read this article and save myself a week of fear & paralysis.  Probably not.

In the News

A hospital manager who cut her own hours to improve her work-life balance and support staff wanting more flexible arrangements has won a best boss competition. Debbie Hinton, who works for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, was nominated by several of her 48-strong team for the award, run by Working Families and supported by BT.  Few of her team worked standard hours, making it easier for them to look after elderly relatives or children.  Ms Hinton, 46, said: “I have recently reduced my own hours and can now support my son and daughter in their chosen careers, visit my parents more frequently and get to ride my horse in daylight in the winter.”

Battle to keep our best teachers (Echo News – UK)

“But currently the work/life balance is all wrong. Teachers often leave in their mid to late-twenties because they want to get a life. It’s particularly tough for those who keep in touch with friends working in other jobs who take home more money, and can leave their jobs at the office at the weekend.  “The teachers are left with piles of marking or lesson planning on Sunday nights.”

FLEXIBLE WORKING LEADS TO BETTER SERVICE (Community NewsWire)

Colleagues were particularly appreciative of Debbie’s “can do” attitude to flexibility which meant that some were able to vary their hours according to out-of-work needs, including picking up their children from school.  As few of the team work standard hours, this has meant they have been able to offer clinics early and late in the day and on Saturdays, and widen their service to patients.  Debbie’s nominators described her as “kind, caring but firm”, “willing to listen to her staff” and “always very encouraging and urging us to be the best we can, so that our patients get the best and friendliest service possible”.

France Telecom chief stays course in year of crisis (Financial Times)

No one can say that France Telecom chairman Didier Lombard has had an easy time since returning from his summer break. The suicide crisis that engulfed the group in France – 26 employees tragically took their lives over the past 20 months – has provoked a national debate about work-life balance, the ripples of which have extended well beyond the former incumbent telecommunications group.

Finding Your Way Back: Re-Entering the Science Work Force (Journal of Science)

Oftentimes individuals taking a career break are trying to find better balance between their home lives and their work lives. Because of their frequent connection to child-rearing and work/life balance, career breaks are traditionally thought of as something affecting more women than men. As a result, in recent years, programs have arisen to assist scientists in re-entering the work force with an eye to increasing the proportion of female scientists.  In 2006 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) started its Career Reengineering Program. Since then, 37 students have started the 10-month program. According to Dawna Levenson, associate director for academic programs, MIT’s program was originally intended to help women re-enter the work force after child-rearing, but the focus of the program has become broader. According to Levenson, the program consists of both “people who have left to raise their children or for other personal reasons, as well as people who are looking to retool themselves.” One such student, for example, was a Ph.D. chemist who left the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to pursue a career in photography and eventually entered the MIT program with the hope of resuming his career in science.

$1.9M grant aims to close gender gap (Arizona State University News)

While experts predict the majority of workers in the United States will be women by the end of this year, they still lag far behind men in earning doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. To help close this gender gap, the National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded a $1.9 million grant to a team of ASU researchers, led by Bianca L. Bernstein, a professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education, to support efforts designed to help women persist and succeed in STEM doctoral degree programs…“We know from our early studies that it is not unusual for these bright and talented women to experience a loss of confidence during their graduate years,” Bernstein said. She added that interviews with women in STEM doctoral programs revealed four common sources of discouragement: lack of direction or active encouragement from advisers, difficulty with striking the work/life balance, facing a cold or isolating departmental climate, and coping with delays and setbacks.

Work Less (It’s Good for Business) (Entrepreneur)

Some of the latest evidence comes from a study involving the Boston Consulting Group and the Harvard Business Review. During a four-year span, BCG consultants who took designated periods of time away from work–what the researchers call “predictable time off”–reported greater satisfaction with their jobs and their work/life balance than did colleagues who didn’t take predictable time off. And in the end, according to the study’s authors, the participating consulting teams delivered a better product to clients. Their conclusion: “New ways of working can be found that benefit not just individuals but the organization.”

Plan Your Workforce for the Economic Rebound (BusinessWeek)

To ride out the current economic storm, you need to focus on retaining key talent and maintaining morale and engagement among your employees. How your company handles these tough times could have a lasting impact on your talent pool, building respect, loyalty, and longevity within the ranks for years to come.  Your current employees are your best recruiting tool. An important aspect of attracting employees is the work environment that you cultivate and the satisfaction of your current staff. Understanding not only corporate but personal economic pressures will assist you in better assessing and improving employee morale. Understanding your employees from a work/life-balance perspective becomes an important part of fostering productivity in your workforce, as well as attracting and retaining top talent.

Why This Freelancer Doesn’t Need Vacation Anymore (Harvard Business Publishing)

Since I quit my full-time job about a year ago to pursue some long-neglected passions, including teaching, my life has been busier than I initially expected. Most weeks, I work nearly as many hours as I did when I had just one job, and the number of people who rely on me has increased. Yet, slowly but surely, my need for prescribed time off has simply disappeared. I routinely labor on weekends (either planning for the classes I teach or doing freelance work), but usually without any sense of encroachment. My days seem longer, yet drudgery is rare. Multitasking is a given, but it seldom feels hectic.

Survey: Most Companies’ Employees Cannot Work Remotely During a Crisis (Security Management Magazine)

More interesting, says Kost is that business continuity and resilience was not the main driver for implementing remote access for workers. Only 15 percent of respondents listed “pandemic or other disaster preparedness” as their top business driver. Rather most respondents highlighted remote access’ ability to create a better work environment with 71 percent saying it  “increased employee productivity” and 55 percent saying it “enables efficient and competitive business operations.”…Nevertheless, a recent event near Cisco’s San Jose headquarters showed the utility of remote access when things do go wrong, according to Kost. At the end of October, two rods and a crossbar of the Bay Bridge came crashing down into the evening’s rush-hour traffic. The bridge, which connects Oakland and San Francisco, was closed for six days resulting in a commuter nightmare. At times like these, he says, telecommuting can be a savior.

Men yearn for a work-life balance too (news.com.au)

David Gregory, director of workplace policy with the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said there was “definitely a growing trend among males in the workforce to be wanting to better match their work and family responsibilities”.   That trend is set to increase with new workplace laws coming in force in January that require employers to give reasonable consideration to requests from employees for flexible work hours.

UK Girls School Association Head tells Girls to be ‘Realistic’ (Mens News Daily)

What’s more important is that, while calling for the girls to choose their marital partners carefully, Berry seems to believe that the girls will live their lives alone.  She tells the girls that life is all about balance but seems not to notice that men should be part of that.  She tells the girls to work part-time or not at all when the kids arrive, but never mentions the idea of negotiating a work-life balance with their husbands.

How Sun Microsystems Fans the Flames of Employee Passion (Fast Company)

I asked Bill how Sun developed so much of the loyalty that I had heard their employees express. He spoke about Sun’s flexibility. “ We appreciate that people do their best work in different ways, so we allow our employees to work from home when possible. If an employee doesn’t need to make the commute but they prefer not to work at home, we have satellite centers where they can work that are closer to their homes.”

In the Blogs

Destination Workplace (Advanced Workplace Associates)

Increased mobility, as a result of technology and flexible (or ‘advanced’) working, means that more professionals, managers and white-collar workers have more choice where and when to work. And I say, great – let’s see more of it. Charles Handy said people don’t want freedom from work, but freedom within work. I think he was right, and we will only see more people, not less, pushing for a better work-life balance.

Cleopatra Isn’t the Only Queen of Denial (MomsRising)

Most workers, including middle-class workers, do not have workplace flexibility or paid parental or family leave. Recently, the Administration recognized that H1N1 is a national emergency. Yet, 4 in 10 private-sector workers must choose between taking care of a child with the flu and losing their pay—or quite possibly their job.

Children “At Work” (Parent Times)

For working parents like me, we would welcome our Companies’ good gesture to organise events or activities for employees’ children especially during the school holidays. In my previous Company, my boy joined me at work sometimes during the school vacation. In another Company, classes like creative art, were arranged in the work premise for employees’ children during the school vacation.

The elephant in the conference room (Examiner.com)

We don’t need to engage employees. We need to engage people. We need to get people laughing again. We need to get people comfortable with sharing their true thoughts and feelings without it being earmarked in some file. We need to get people talking about the things that excite them and turning those thoughts into new and innovative ideas. Forget employee engagement. Let’s start talking about people engagement. Let’s stop tossing around terms like work/life balance and come up with, once and for all, solutions that are not cookie cutter, but individual.

Bridging the Work-Family Divide: What the Best U.S. Employers Are Doing to Help Working Families (Sloan Work and Family Research Network)

Yes, these employers understand the business case for flexibility. They know from first-hand experience that having a flexible and effective workplace helps them attract and retain the best workers, boosts employee engagement and productivity, and improves the physical and mental health of their employees. It even reduces business expenses (think of the money saved on office space when some folks work at home) and increases profits by cultivating a committed staff that keeps customers satisfied.  Beyond the business case, many of these award-winning employers also say they believe it’s just “the right thing to do.” They see their employees as individuals who want to do well on their job and also want time to bond with their new babies and participate in the lives of their children, who want to be there when an aging parent falls ill or needs help getting to a doctor appointment. And they understand that even employees without pressing family obligations might want to reduce their hours or take some time off to train for a sports competition or volunteer in their community or take a short sabbatical.

Work/Life Integration: Leader’s Series (HR Ringleader)

The take away for me was that it would be interesting to do a series of posts from people in different geographies, from different generations, on what work/life flexibility means to them and whether or not they think it works.  I’m thrilled to say that Eric Winegardner (from Monster), Bill Boorman (UK based Bill Boorman Consultancy), and Beth Carvin (CEO of Nobscot Corporation) all signed on to participate in the series.  I don’t know if this will turn into a generational divide, a men vs. women debate, or a geographical smack-down between the US and the UK.  What I do know is that I have three of the brightest in the HR industry weighing in on a great topic.  We welcome your comments and ideas on what work/life flexibility means to you.

Government jobs rank high (Metro News Toronto)

Students in the survey listed interesting work as their number one consideration when choosing an employer, followed by work-life balance, good people to work with, job security and good training opportunities respectively in the top five.   A high initial salary was sixth on the list of factors students consider for a potential employer, suggesting students have a sophisticated career outlook that takes into consideration their personal, emotional and financial goals.   In essence, Canadian students want the big picture of what work-life balance entails.  “Work-life balance is about flexibility and control — it’s not just about absolute hours,” Meerkamper said.

Managers a Barrier to ‘Good Jobs’ (bNet blogs)

The report has called for government to help employers create good jobs, but the Work Foundation’s own recommendation for employers to share best practice with each other seems a far more likely route to success.  The good job assessment: five areas to consider:

• Work-life balance — flexible or shift-working, job shares.

It is Not Our Parents Workplace Anymore (Huffington Post)

In addition, shifts in generational values and attitudes need to be addressed. Today’s workers are more interested in maintaining a work-life balance; they are seeking jobs that offer flexible work arrangements to address both the needs of their employers but also the needs of their families. They are looking for jobs that offer arrangements such as workplace health programs, telecommuting options, green sustainability and job share and part-time options. In order to recruit and retain the talent pool necessary to address tomorrow’s challenges, employers must seriously consider the deficiencies in today’s workforce and begin to develop solutions to better improve our educational system, create new incentives to attract tomorrow’s workers, and stay competitive in a global marketplace.

7 Tips for Balancing Life and Work During the Holidays (Power Home Biz)

With the holidays fast approaching, thoughts turn to work-life balance more so than any other time of year. If you are like many of us, you must keep up with your work responsibilities while fitting much more into your personal life. This can get crazy stressful if you let it, especially if your home is also your workplace. Whether you are a work at home mom, small business owner, or employee, here are some tips for avoiding or reducing stress this holiday season.

Press Releases

Happiest doctors caring for children, elderly, study finds

A new University of California Davis study on physician job satisfaction found differences among medical specialties, with the happiest doctors caring for children and the elderly….Additionally, researchers found work-life balance is becoming more important among doctors, Leigh said.  “In the past medical students have been very attracted to income,” Leigh said. “But having a controllable lifestyle is becoming more important.” Geriatrics is one specialty where doctors have control over their work hours, because elderly patients in nursing homes have flexible hours, Phillips said.

New Report: Federal Government Would Improve Recruitment and Retention by Offering Parental Leave Benefits Common in Fortune 100

While the federal government is generally known for its good employee benefits, in the area of paid parental leave it lags behind the private sector,” said IWPR Executive Director Barbara Gault. “If we are to truly realize the President’s goal to make the federal government a model for good work-life balance, the first step is simple: provide paid parental leave.”  Balancing work and family is particularly important to young college graduates entering the workforce. Two-thirds of college students say that balancing work and family is a priority for them, according to a report by the Partnership for Public Service.

Career Life Connection News and Events

Career Life Connection will be exhibiting at the Massachusetts Conference for Women on December 10, 2009 at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center:  Come on by and talk work/life balance/flexibility/fit at the annual conference where women can connect, be motivated, network, get inspired and build their skill base.  Last year the event brought together more than 5,000 women for the day.  Also be sure to check out the career fair raffle where Career Life Connection will be looking to put more balance back into your life with a one-hour massage gift certificate to Bella Sante.

Social Recruiting Summit – November 16 – NYC

Social media is rapidly becoming more than just another tool in a recruiter’s toolbox — it’s an important part of the future of the talent acquisition profession. The goal of #socialrecruiting summit is to have an industry conversation about these tools, talk about tactics and strategies that are already in the field and working, not pie-in-the-sky ideas.  Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection will be part of that conversation.  If you are attending the Social Media Summit or just in NYC and would like to talk about social media, workplace flexibility or work/life happiness with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.

Career Life Connection will be attending the OnRec/Kennedy Information Recruiting Conference in Chicago November 3 & 4th.  If you’d like to meet Leanne Chase and talk work/life with her contact her at chase at careerlifeconnection dot com.  You can also catch her and many HR professionals talking about how to fail spectacularly in business at this fun industry event.

Leanne Chase of Career Life Connection spoke about #work/life with Human Resources Professionals during the October 8th Episode of HR Happy Hour:  The WorkLife Show.

ERE Interviews:  Career Life Connection (JobRadio.fm)

Last week we stalked some of the job search vendors at the ERE Fall Expo in Hollywood Florida. This is the first of several interesting interviews from the expo floor. Meet Leanne Chase from Career Life Connection, an online community all about finding flexible work.