Workplace Flexibility in the News For the Week Ending 5/2/2009

In the News

Legislation column: Easing rules for workers, employers in best interest (Kern Business)

What’s changed is the struggling economy, as well as a realization that both business owners and employees need scheduling flexibility to meet a rising set of challenges. For employers this includes rising costs, greater demand and less resources. In the case of employees, challenges can be meeting child care needs, taking care of medical issues, or just a desire for greater work-life balance.

Best practices document on work/family balance issued by EEOC (CCH)

“Today we take another step forward, articulating not just the bare minimum required to avoid unlawful discrimination, but also thinking broadly about the ways in which family-friendly workplace policies can improve workers’ ability to balance caregiving responsibilities with work,” said EEOC Acting Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru.

Are Furloughs and Option? (NY Times)

Some experts expect furloughs to become a permanent part of the landscape, as one means to keep company costs down over the long term.That actually could be a good thing for both the organizations and the people that employ them, argues Lori Long, who, in the blog by the workplace expert Anita Bruzzese, is described as an expert in work-life balance.

MIT’s new faculty work/life web site (MIT News)

MIT faculty members looking for support in the area of work/life balance now have a new resource at their disposal: a single MIT web site that pulls together much of the information that was previously scattered across multiple sites.

Michelle Obama image makeover: First lady’s approval ratings soar as she embraces traditional role — with a modern twist (Chicago Tribune)

She was no longer the woman who wrote a provocative essay on her experiences as a black student at Princeton, but a busy mother who worried about work-life balance and getting the kids to soccer practice on time.

Feature: Work-life balance is key for younger docs: survey (Modern Physican Online)

A major retention and recruitment issue that was previously a gender issue, work-life balance, is now a generational issue. Younger doctors of both genders are making the same demands that were once the domain of young mothers in medical practice, says Joseph Scopelliti, M.D.

Hart to Heart: Stay-at-home mom says ‘No thanks, Dr. Laura’ (Savannah Morning News)

Instead, I uphold a mom’s ability to choose the right work-life balance and child care arrangement for her family. Yes, Dr. Laura, some moms can be breadwinners and breadmakers. And be good at both.

10-10-10: A Formula to Make Smart Career Choices (Globe and Mail, Canada)

And why do you say work-life balance is a myth?

Balance is a myth. When it comes to conflicts between your work and your personal time, you need to make trade-offs. You cannot have it all, all at the same time. But I’ve found that point is not obvious to everyone, or even widely accepted. When you 10-10-10 a work-life dilemma, you must be very clear with yourself about the relative importance of the things you value. If your highest value is professional achievement and wealth, you are de facto choosing that the amount of time you devote to work will be more than the amount of time you devote to all other activities. If your top value is being there all the time for your kids while they grow up, you are de facto choosing not to be a CEO. Climbing the corporate ladder requires unimpeded availability and unfettered commitment. So does being an ever-present parent.

Good Time for Balance? (Straits Times, Singapore)

She gave two suggestions as to how companies seeking to minimise costs during this period could improve work-life balance in the process.

One is to institute flexible working arrangements such as part-time or contract work. This will keep women employed as they will be able to work and still take care of their children.

‘Teleworking’, which allows employees to work from home, is another way, said Madam Halimah, the deputy secretary-general of the NTUC.

Companies should pay more attention to work-life balance in downturn (Singapore News)

Recent surveys found that more companies in Singapore are implementing flexible work arrangements to encourage women to enter and stay on in the workforce. As a result, many of these companies are seeing higher productivity and staff morale.

Life in the Slow Lane (Stuff, New Zealand)

Edwards says friends can’t believe her luck or the fact that she’s been able to find a way to make a living and still be a mum without the usual stress of frustrated bosses, revolving babysitters, and taxiing children all over town.

Principals Struggle with Pressure (New Zealand Herald)

A New Zealand Council for Educational Research report found less than a third of primary school principals felt they had a satisfactory work-life balance.

Flexible working policies: a comparative review (Institute for Women’s Policy Research, UK)

This report reviews the evidence on the impact of the UK Right to Request flexible working compared with the impact of flexible working statutes in a range of other  countries. It builds on earlier studies to show that British flexible working rights are less enforceable than in other countries, particularly for men, but that the legislation is more comprehensive by covering a wider range of working patterns than elsewhere.

Press Releases

Survey: Commitment to Alternative Workplace Strategies is Being Driven by Current Economic Landscape (Microsoft and CoreNet Global Survey)

“From our global survey we have consistently seen two main reasons corporations are implementing existing AWS. The first reason is about people — the ability to attract and retain talent and provide a better work-life balance by enabling employees the flexibility to work remotely. Second, improving productivity and collaboration. Cost, whether right sizing the portfolio or overall cost cutting, were also important, but less than the people issues,” said Katherine Randolph, Director, Unified Communications for Microsoft.

In the Blogs

10 Secrets for Women Leaders to Increase Visibility and Credibility (Health and Women)

Secret #10 Know your long-term goals, maintain work/life balance, and support other women

Technology: Friend or Foe for Work/Life Balance? (Ant’s Eye View)

I like technology, not love, but like.

I like technology because it has afforded me the flexability to work remotely. But at the same time technology can tie you to your work.

Drawing on Brilliance (FC Expert Blog, FastCompany)

We achieve true work/life balance when what we “do” is who we really are. This economy is starving for new revenue sources; new answers to our most compelling problems.  This economy needs you!

The Best Companies In New York (ShopTalk)

They were recognized for having workplace environments that foster positive employee relations and a good work-life balance.

Work-Life Balance and the Stock Market (Caliandjody.com)

Still, the reason why this kind of PR works is telling. Because even though this study is operating at the most macro of macro levels, it shows once again how much pain people are in at work.

Cracks in the Ceiling (The Talent Blog on The AmLaw Daily)

The factors that were pushing women away from law firms were the same ones cited by Gen Y lawyers entering the profession as important to their careers: a desire for a more balanced work life, even if that meant reduced pay. I was struck by the fact that the women voicing these concerns in law firms were seen as outliers; in corporations, the women were driving change.

A Question of Balance:  Querying the Work-Life Connundrum (HR-Worldview)

I have a problem with the term ‘work-life balance’. It implies that life begins when work finishes.

CSR for Smaller Businesses – Employees and Workplace (David Coethica’s Blog)

In an increasing number of recruitment situations, especially for higher skilled positions, potential employees are grilling businesses on topics such as work-life balance, values, environmental position and volunteering opportunities.

Best Places in Government to Work (Inside the Headquarters)

Researchers based their rankings on a variety of workplace categories. They looked at training and development, strategic management, pay and benefits, work/life balance, and more. Scores also were broken down by demographic — gender, age, and ethnicity.

Events

Flexible Work:  Stretchy Strategies for Worn Out Work (teleseminar May 11th-14th)

Listen as 9 experts reveal how to revolutionize your business through flexible work policies.

Career Life Connection in the News

Advice Isn’t Always Good For You (MSNBC)

Leanne Chase, president of Career Life Connection, was excited about attending a SCORE meeting in Boston, but didn’t end up with much help. Despite that, she plans on attending again next week.

New Nanny Math (Forbes)

Leanne Chase, 40, mother of a 3-year-old and owner of a business, Career Life Connection,

Twitters Work-Life Balance Tips (BusinessWeek.com)

It takes many villages – 1 at home to help with family life, 1 at work to fill in as needed, 1 full of friends to keep you sane #worklife

Career Life Connection on You Tube