In the News
Pushing The Women’s Movement Forward (Forbes)
Congress should also expand access to workplace flexibility and fair work schedules by reforming the Fair Labor Standards Act and passing a law that guarantees workers the right to request flexible work. Flexible work arrangements (e.g., part-time work, flexible workday schedules and telecommuting) are crucial for many workers with multiple responsibilities. Unfortunately, outdated labor laws continue to make flexible work difficult.
Americans, Amid Recession, Dislike Their Jobs (The Street)
Even after the deepest recession in 80 years and an unemployment rate that doubled in two years, many Americans don’t like their jobs. So says a Conference Board report, which found that only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their employment situation, based on a survey of 5,000 households. Just 12% said they were “very satisfied.” That marks the lowest job-satisfaction rate since the organization first conducted the survey in 1987, when 61% of respondents liked their jobs. In 2008, the satisfaction rate was 49%.
Super-fast broadband for the whole country is vital to future prosperity (Telegraph)
Teleworking can mean more job opportunities, for example, for the disabled and those with child-care responsibilities who wish to work part-time – or allow someone to take a job with a firm based too far away for a daily commute – while also improving work-life balance for many. Potentially, it can also contribute to reducing congestion and lowering carbon emissions.
The number of people working remotely from home more than doubled in the decade to 2007 and, as next-generation broadband becomes more widely available, this figure will only increase rapidly. All our lives will be transformed beyond recognition by the exciting opportunities for business, education, leisure and access to public services. Indeed, it will soon be seen as indispensable as electricity, gas or water.
Teleworking can mean more job opportunities, for example, for the disabled and those with child-care responsibilities who wish to work part-time – or allow someone to take a job with a firm based too far away for a daily commute – while also improving work-life balance for many. Potentially, it can also contribute to reducing congestion and lowering carbon emissions.
The number of people working remotely from home more than doubled in the decade to 2007 and, as next-generation broadband becomes more widely available, this figure will only increase rapidly. All our lives will be transformed beyond recognition by the exciting opportunities for business, education, leisure and access to public services. Indeed, it will soon be seen as indispensable as electricity, gas or water.
Head honchos keep work aside for a big slice of life (The Economic Times)
Babu and Kaza represent a growing tribe of executives who take time out for their family and themselves, despite tough work schedules and high-stress jobs. In their own quiet ways, they’re cutting off from the professional network and bringing more balance into their lives.
Workplace flexibility offers greater security (Human Resources Magazine)
Cynical workforces are keenly aware they are being engaged with to agree to something they may not like – and while that might mitigate the impact of change around them it does not alter the fact of it. HR needs to move to a new employment paradigm – one that acknowledges the reality of risk, uncertainty and change. The pressure on organisations to restructure and change is intensifying. The need for contractual flexibility as they reshape and restructure is obvious…
It is a hugely attractive vision:employees would have real power. HR conversations would become genuinely honest; engagement would be a two-way process founded on greater equality; and insurance systems would handle the reality of risk. Greater flexibility, greater security – any takers?
Survey: Most Americans unhappy at work (Dallas Business Journal)
Americans of all ages and at all pay levels are increasingly unhappy at their jobs, according to a new report by The Conference Board, an independent economic and business forecasting organization . Researchers interviewed 5,000 households across the United States and found that only 45 percent of those surveyed are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61.1 percent back in 1987 when the annual survey was launched. The Conference Board says the numbers are overwhelming negative and could spell trouble for the nation’s overall productivity.
Harvard Prof Wonders: Why Are There So Many Women Veterinarians? (Wall Street Journal)
Women are more likely, for instance, to be labor economists than macroeconomists. “But in other cases the decision is largely governed by a desire for career and family and involves a trade-off between earnings and aspects of the job such as work flexibility over the year, week and day.” Women are trading pay to get workplace flexibility, she suggests, and are drawn to professions where it’s relatively easier to do that.
Smartphones: Office Shackles or Tool for Work-Life Balance (San Francisco Gate)
Any and all executives or managers looking to get more productivity from their information workers–and, really, what company isn’t shamelessly espousing a “more with less” philosophy these days?–might want to pay attention to the following strategy: Set your workers free from the office…”Telework is on the rise, poised to grow to 63 million U.S. iWorkers by 2016,” Schadler writes. “Regardless of its telework frequency, this group is technology-bound, more likely to use virtually every tool in the stable.”
Your Career: New Year Know-How (New York Times)
At the start of a new year, many people hope to see some positive changes in their jobs. Given the struggles at many companies, workers may need to make those changes happen themselves. Fortunately, basics like keeping a good attitude and maintaining a healthy work/life balance can go a long way toward improving a worker’s sense of well-being. That might not get you a raise or immediate promotion, but you might feel a lot better when you walk through the office door each day.
Fresh walk-out for south Wales rail signalling workers (BBC News)
General secretary Bob Crow said since the last action members were “even more determined” to stop the imposition of new rosters, which he said would wreck the work-life balance of staff. “This dispute is all about money,” said Mr Crow, who is expected to address workers at a meeting in Cardiff later. “It’s about cutting corners and demanding that staff are at management’s beck and call regardless of the impact on home lives.”
For More Workers, Home Is Where the Office Is (Wall Street Journal)
As we continue to dig ourselves out of the deepest recession since the Great Depression, many of us have lost corporate jobs. Others worry that layoffs are lurking. We’re taking on free-lance assignments, contract work and short-term projects — and getting them done in the extra bedroom, eat-in kitchen or spare corner in the utility room.
In the Blogs
California: An Example of State Action on Workplace Flexibility (Sloan Work and Family Blog)
What is undeniable is that work family conflicts are real and growing. There is a mismatch between the needs of families and the structure of work. Furthermore, there is a growing consensus in Washington that workplace flexibility of some kind is needed and that creative public policy is part of the solution. Flexible work arrangements, teleworking, job sharing and other policies that the private and public sectors are already employing matter. Yet more action is needed and needed now. As California marks the important anniversary of its policy, may all those who care about improving work life balance in America take this opportunity to reflect creatively on policies that can enhance the flexibility of workplaces for the benefit of all.
Who are the most satisfied workers? (Miami Herald – Work/life balancing act blog)
Who do you think is more satisfied, the guy who made it to the corner office and calls the shots or the guy who started his own business and struggles to pay the bills? When it comes to work life balance the most satisfied workers are self employed. I can completely understand why that would be true, can you? It feels good to have control over your own work schedule.
Work-life Balance for Small Businesses (Is4business)
The report into flexible working for SMEs offers 10 recommendations to make sure that flexible working works for everyone. These include:
- The perception that flexible working is an arrangement for parents and carers only needs to be challenged as it can cause resentment in the workplace amongst other employees.
- Any extension of the right to request flexible working should be on a voluntary basis. SMEs need a transition period to check their suitability for the scheme and to try out new working models in practice.
- The benefits system is too inflexible and does not support people who wish to work part time. The situation, where couples are often forced to take one full time job instead of two part time ones because of the way the system rewards full time working. In particular, part time work should not simply be seen as something available to only low skills workers.
The Next Decade: What’s In Store for Working Moms (and Dads)? Hint: Meow! (Current Mom)
Today’s blog is a response to several pieces from the past week or so on the future of women – mainly, professional women - and work. Actually, it’s less of a reaction and more of a tour through some of the articles, blogs, and other pieces I’ve been reading in the past week or so about women and workplace changes. It provides some context – some background reading - for my more personal musings from last week about finding, creating, and refreshing my own work-life balance. Turns out that the at the beginning of our new recession-led decade, working women – and the issues of child care and work-life balance – are all the rage.
Paid Leave Makes Horse Sense (Moms Rising)
Vacations are good for your health. And, you don’t need to get away to any fancy Caribbean retreat to get the benefit of time-off from work. But it helps if you are a horse. In New York City, that is. The City’s Health Department has proposed new rules for those horses hitched to carriages that carry tourists around parts of town. If implemented, the horses would get 5 weeks of job-protected vacation. During their time off, the horses would continue to enjoy their standard payment – room and board, along with grooming. It is a reasonable business decision to invest in these workers since the vacation time will likely prolong their work-life and enhance their productivity…For the rest of the nation’s workforce, however, no federal law provides any paid time off – and that includes vacation, holidays, and sick time.
5 Barriers to Workplace Flexibility (Los Angeles Security Camera)
Workplace flexibility, results-only work environments, and work-life balance initiatives often get stopped in their tracks before there’s even an attempt at making them work. Why? Because people fear change, fear losing control, and are worried about potential negative implications that may or may not be realized. Here are five barriers to workplace flexibility that may be holding you and your organization back from fully embracing the flexibility you want and need:
Achieving work-life balance: More than just a juggling act (American Medical News)
But what is work-life balance, exactly? And how do you achieve it? Experts say there is no single definition and some don’t even like to use the phrase. But generally they agree work-life balance translates to satisfaction with one’s entire life — professional and personal — and it can be reached even while working long hours.
Top 5 work/life balance stories of 2009 (NW Jobs)
I could say a lot of bad things about the many ways in which 2009 did a serious number on the workforce. Instead, I’ll list what I think were some of the most significant work/life balance stories of the year. If you’d like to weigh in with your own, please do so in the comments below.
Press Releases
One-in-ten workers (12 percent) whose companies cut benefits or perks said they would stay at their current jobs for six months or less, while 27 percent of workers who did not receive a raise or promotion in 2009 said they would leave their current positions in less than a year if they did not receive either. Nearly one-in-five (18 percent) workers who experienced pay cuts said they are willing to stay at their current jobs for only six months or less.
Events
Wake Up, This Is the Reality!: A Fem2.0 Campaign to Shift the Public Narrative Around Work/Life
From January 25 to February 5, 2010, Fem2.0 will present a blog radio series – one program a day, each zooming in on how today’s work environment and policies are impacting a particular community. The series’ purpose is to demonstrate how work/life is NOT just a women’s issue but everyone’s issue. There will be more details about each segment very soon.
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)
Research Reports/Papers
Workplace Flexibility Policies and Wage Growth: Are the Penalties Equal for All Workers?
This paper explores the career trajectories of workers using flexible work practices to see how employers evaluate such workers using the standard metric of wage increases over time. Earlier research has shown markedly lower wage growth for professional and managerial mothers who use flexible work arrangements when their children are small (Glass, 2004), but fathers and non-parents who use the same workplace policies have not been carefully evaluated. Yet fathers who deviate from the “ideal worker” norm of continuous work availability are becoming more numerous, while many other fathers express dissatisfaction with their lack of flexible work options (Powell, 1997; Reynolds, 2005). National survey results show strong interest in and utilization of flexible work practices across a variety of family statuses (Jacobs and Gerson, 2004). This study estimates fixed effects models of respondents in the 1989-2002 panels of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth to assess the comparative impact of having a flexible schedule, working from home, and working reduced hours on the wage growth of mothers, fathers, and non-parents.
Career Life Connection News and Events
What is a Mommy Blogger? (TheMamaBee)
Earlier this week Babble came out with it’s list of the fifty best “mommy bloggers.” In a lot of ways it’s a great list — I read many of these women and have linked to some of them, notably The Mommy Blog and Silicon Valley Moms Blog. But the list also left me a little conflicted because almost none of the blogs listed were issues-oriented…And yet, I would have loved to see a blogger like Morra Aarons-Mele (Women and Work, MomsRising), Joanne Bamberger (PunditMom), Kami Lewis-Levin (The Fence, A Blog for Working Moms), Leanne Chase (Career Life Connection) or Cali Yost (Work Life Fit) make the list. All are moms, all are successful bloggers, all write about issues core to mothering — and yet, somehow, they are not in the “mom blog” space.
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.