Lecture 2
Contemporary issues in HRM
Definition of work life balance
- It is the equilibrium between the amount of time and effort that somebody spends o
work and family responsibilities
- Important in attracting employees and training them – they want a balance
Why is it becoming a challenging topic since the pandemic etc?
- Adapt to new external challenges, putting pressure on the employees, having to
juggle with work and family responsibilities – adjust to new technology etc
- New Pressures
Like riding a bike, must avoid obstacles to maintain a balance, things can get out of balance,
so you must make changes to your path etc
Different for everybody as everybody has different needs and priorities.
Continuous balance is impossible, but we can make changes throughout our life and making
the right choice can lead to a great work life balance.
Work life initiatives – 4 areas
- Leave provisions - e.g. maternity leave
- Flexible hours provisions - e.g. part time work, remote work (from home), job
sharing
- Supportive structures and programmes – some organisations help employees to
attend uni
- Social policy initiatives – provided by the gov, single mother given housing
allowance and additional financial benefits from gov
- Pfizer, IBM- introduced work like initiatives in their programmes – decided it was
important to have these arrangements to aid their employees in becoming more
productive and therefore the company becomes more successful when they have
happy employees.
- Good companies = google and HSBC
Work life balance and diversity
- Virgin
- Vivienne Westwood – designed outfits they wear to work – “no matter their gender,
gender identity or gender expression”
- They can choose which uniform they wear regardless of gender
- Virgin offers unlimited holiday to their employees
- Recent moves to relax rules o visible tattoos
- KPMG
- Decrease in demand from clients
- New voluntary flexible work and leave options – to avoid redundancies
- Reduce work hours through the flexible work arrangements
- Options are open to both partners and staff
Contemporary issues in HRM
Definition of work life balance
- It is the equilibrium between the amount of time and effort that somebody spends o
work and family responsibilities
- Important in attracting employees and training them – they want a balance
Why is it becoming a challenging topic since the pandemic etc?
- Adapt to new external challenges, putting pressure on the employees, having to
juggle with work and family responsibilities – adjust to new technology etc
- New Pressures
Like riding a bike, must avoid obstacles to maintain a balance, things can get out of balance,
so you must make changes to your path etc
Different for everybody as everybody has different needs and priorities.
Continuous balance is impossible, but we can make changes throughout our life and making
the right choice can lead to a great work life balance.
Work life initiatives – 4 areas
- Leave provisions - e.g. maternity leave
- Flexible hours provisions - e.g. part time work, remote work (from home), job
sharing
- Supportive structures and programmes – some organisations help employees to
attend uni
- Social policy initiatives – provided by the gov, single mother given housing
allowance and additional financial benefits from gov
- Pfizer, IBM- introduced work like initiatives in their programmes – decided it was
important to have these arrangements to aid their employees in becoming more
productive and therefore the company becomes more successful when they have
happy employees.
- Good companies = google and HSBC
Work life balance and diversity
- Virgin
- Vivienne Westwood – designed outfits they wear to work – “no matter their gender,
gender identity or gender expression”
- They can choose which uniform they wear regardless of gender
- Virgin offers unlimited holiday to their employees
- Recent moves to relax rules o visible tattoos
- KPMG
- Decrease in demand from clients
- New voluntary flexible work and leave options – to avoid redundancies
- Reduce work hours through the flexible work arrangements
- Options are open to both partners and staff
