Should Workplace Flexibility, Work-Life Balance be Legislated?
April 23rd, 2009 | by admin
There have been some articles recently about legislatures taking steps toward making workplace flexibility more of a legal right. The first I saw involved the UK giving caregivers of young children the “right” to ask for more flexibility at work. Now I’m not sure that parents should be the only ones to have this “right”, I’m not sure it should be mandated by the legislature and if there is no teeth to back it up, like penalties for companies who never “hear” their employees request…does it matter?
There are also some US states that are working on prolonging the time that employees can be caregivers to family members. As someone who has looked into the Family Medical Leave Act twice (once when having my own child, and once to help care for a terminally ill parent) and used it, I think it is incredibly important to be able to care for family memebers without losing your job. But I also think some of the regulations handcuff business and need to be refined to avoid abuse in the system.
Finally, an article today about the discrimination that actually goes on when someone takes time to care for family members disturbs me. Again if the legislation to be able to take time off, doesn’t actually prevent workers from being discriminated against for doing so…does it matter that there is legislation at all?
I’m interested in your thoughts…
Congratulations to last week’s coffe clatch winner Joanne Sardini. As always you could win free coffee for answering this question here, or replying @leanneclc on twitter or posting on the Career Life Connection facebook fan page.
4 Comments
I think the last thing our government needs is another committee to write more legislation that has no real effect on peoples’ lives. Even the family medical leave act doesn’t do a whole lot to meet the needs of most real life situations. Yes, you are guaranteed a job after 12 weeks, but that’s about it. I’m also inclined to take an unpopular position on what defines discrimination when it comes to people missing out on promotions and opportunities because of personal responsibilities. If you look at it from the company’s perspective, they are paying someone to do a job. If that person is not doing his or her job over a reasonable period of time for any reason, there should be consequences. I think that flexibility is a great thing, but I think that, in most cases, flexibility comes down to how one person treats another, not corporate policy or culture. Even in large companies, individual hierarchies often get away with behavior that goes against “corporate policy.”. Other individuals, who are generally nicer PEOPLE, give their staff more flexibility, even though it is not explicitly dictated by the company. So, if policy can’t even be consistently enforced in the micro-environment of a single company, how can it be possible for the government to come up with blanket legislature that will cover all situations? I think people just need to be nice, considerate, and tolerant. Warning, cliche coming… can’t we all just get along??
Great comments from Twitter today:
DocGrawitch @leanneclc #worklife No, it eliminates competitive advantage, assumes work-life balance means the same 2 all, and comes w/ 2 many strings
pkassner @leanneclc Work+Life Fit just surveyed American view points on #worklife legislation http://tr.im/iXt7 Also asked question in 07
More from twitter:
chrysula @leanneclc USAs track record in human/work relations hasn’t been stellar w/out it. We lag entire Western world. Productivity < will follow.
From Twitter:
lesley_phillips: “Numerous studies have found that flexible workplace policies enhance employee productivity…” Mst emplyrs don’t get that part.