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| DESCRIPTION | |
| When it's lacking: - There's an unspoken understanding that work should come first in employees' lives. - The culture honors workaholics. Everyone else feels guilty. - There's pressure on people to make tradeoffs, with work almost always winning over family. - Late arrivals and missed days due to family circumstances -- an ill child, for instance -- are grudgingly tolerated. |
When it's thriving: + People at all levels of the organization respect the fact that there's life beyond work. This is backed by real action -- as in the case of the manager who gives a half day off to a staff member following a 12-hour sprint to meet a key deadline. + Employees can take work home if they want to -- but they don't feel guilty if they choose otherwise. + It's understood and accepted that employees often bring a part of home to the workplace. For example, for the sleep-deprived father of a newborn, expectations are reasonably lowered and rules are flexed. + People feel that their lives are in balance. |
| EXAMPLES |
| As an associate at a prestigious law firm, Martha had what appeared to be an excellent
career situation. If she stayed on her current track for several years, she was destined
to become a partner. There was just one problem: travel. Her work required her to
spend three days a week -- every week -- on the road. At first it was fun, then it
became tolerable, then it became unbearable. She began to feel disconnected from
the rest of her life back home as work came to define her. Many of her colleagues
seemed to handle the travel just fine, but for her, it simply didn't work. Things
were too out of balance. On one of her out-of-town trips, she made a fateful decision.
Soon after, much to the surprise of the law firm's partners, Martha forced a rebalancing
of her life by handing in her resignation. Matthew remembers the day it dawned on him. It was a Thursday evening, at about 9:30 p.m., when he realized that for four evenings straight he had dug into his briefcase and spent a few hours doing work from the office. Everything else had gotten shoved aside, including his family. But on that particular Thursday, Matthew resolved to do something different. He packed his briefcase, snapped it shut, and made a promise: In the future, he would spend no more than two evenings per week doing work, and each time, he would spend no more than two hours. He knew it wouldn't be easy; he had gotten into the habit, and it seemed that he needed to work the extra hours at home. But too many other important -- some would even say more important -- things in his life were getting neglected. |
| ACTION IDEAS |
| Create an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable bringing their children to
see the workplace. The kids get to see where mom or dad work, employees get to show
off their kids, co-workers get to meet the children they've been hearing about for
months or even years -- and the line between work and home begins to blur. Organize a company picnic, museum party, holiday gathering -- some kind of mixer for employees' families. An event like this is like a million water-cooler conversations. It makes the statement: We are not our jobs. If an employee is constantly showing up late for work, ask him or her: "What can we as an organization do for you to help you get here on time?" That's right, do for them...rather than to them. Expect some good answers, and be ready to make the tough system changes that may be required. When it's an occasional thing, flex the rules. Example: A person arrives late because the regular babysitter got sick. The culture should respect family needs more than it respects the corporate rule book. Whatever you do, don't punish people for doing right by their families. Have a conversation with a significant other about the "state of balance" in your life. If you have children and they're old enough, involve them in the conversation as well. Does the balance feel right? If not, what can be done? Talk about it, think about it, sleep on it, talk some more -- and take positive action. |
| Copyright 1998-2002 by Tom Terez and Tom Terez Workplace Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 21444, Columbus, Ohio USA 43221-0444. Tel. 614-571-9529..mail@BetterWorkplaceNow.com HOME | 10-Minute Briefing | Free Online Tools | Insight and Inspiration | Laugh and Learn | Buzzword Bingo | Kits, Books, and Tools | Keynotes and Services | Meet Tom Terez | Tell a Friend | Bronze Access |
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