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Expert opinion

So what has been achieved and where to next?  A recent paper by Professor Brad Harrington (Boston College Center for Work & Family) and Professor Jamie Ladge (Northeastern University) helps answer those questions by identifying:

1. Current organisational perspectives on work-life
2. Trends affecting the future of work-life
3. Future directions, and shifting the focus from policies and programs to cultural change
4. Work-life leadership skills required for work-life integration.

In essence the paper found that proactive attention is needed to truly shift work/life from being perceived as an “accommodation” to a strategic management issue, and this implies developing leadership capability and shifting mindsets, as well as moving work/life from an HR area of expertise to core business.

1.  Aim and method
The goal of this study was to identify key trends that impact the work-life field, and to determine future directions for organisations in responding to these challenges.  A series of interviews were conducted with leading researchers and practitioners in the work-life arena.  Transcripts from interviews with recipients of the (USA) The Work-Life Legacy Award were analysed and the researchers also facilitated a “Future Search” conference, which brought together 25 thought leaders on work-life issues.

2.  Findings
In line with the objectives of the research, findings were made in relation to (i) organisational perspectives; (ii) trends; (iii) future directions; and (iv) leadership skills.

3.1  Current organisational perspectives on work-life
Where does work-life sit within an organisation?  The researchers found that work-life initiatives can be housed within many different areas of HR, depending on varying perspectives that an organisation may have on work-life.  These differing perspectives, which are summarised below, can lead to different understandings of what constitutes a comprehensive work-life culture.

1. The Diversity and Inclusion perspective sees work-life initiatives coupled with diversity and inclusion programs.
2. Work-life initiatives are often seen as a way of extending Health and Wellness programs.
3. Organisations can take a more integrated approach with a Talent Management perspective.  Here work-life programs lead to more flexible ways of working, enabling talent to be found, hired, developed and retained.
4. Work-life initiatives may also be managed within Employee Relations and Corporate Citizenship departments.
5. When work-life initiatives are closely connected to compensation and benefits, they are viewed as a major non-monetary component of the Total Rewards package.
6. The Cultural Change perspective is a departure from other perspectives, as it suggests that organisations constantly adapt to address the ever-changing external environment, rather than simply implementing workforce accommodations in response to employee challenges.  This type of organisation uses work-life initiatives as part of a broader strategy to make itself more flexible and adaptable, and views these initiatives as a new way of working, where outcomes are measured, rather than ‘face time’.

3.2  Trends affecting the future of work-life
Summarised below is a prioritised list of trends that experts in the field believe will impact on organisations and employees:

1. The Ageing workforce and generational diversity is set to challenge the way work is performed.  Engaging an ageing workforce is a challenge where populations are experiencing low birth rates.  Further, the expected increase in generational diversity will place demands on organisations to find ways to address the needs of various age cohorts and their differing values and work styles, as well as the fact that these needs will change at different life stages.
2. The global challenge.  Working across cultures and countries, where work-life integration is defined and treated differently, can be enormously challenging.  Globalisation has implications for how and when people work.
3. Diversity and inclusion challenges are major drivers of work-life programs.  When employees are viewed as individuals with unique needs, organisations are required to find new ways of conceptualising work and creating inclusive environments.
4. Overwork and stress were identified as a major issue, with employees feeling under increasing pressure to cope with greater workloads.
5. Technological advancement may be viewed in this arena as ‘both a blessing and a curse’.  On one hand technical advances have expanded opportunities, but on the other, technology has led to intrusion into people’s non-work lives.
6. Shifting career attitudes and patterns.  Employees are shifting towards self-management of their careers and goals, with a greater emphasis placed on subjective rewards such as feeling respected and doing work that reflects one’s values.

3.3  Future directions
The researchers identified the major challenge for the future as shifting the focus from simply possessing a set of policies and programs, to fundamental cultural change – a change in the way careers and work are viewed by organisations.  Four main areas were identified as areas for action to facilitate work-life integration:

1. Influence organisational leaders. Chief Executive Officers and other senior leaders must signal their level of support for work-life issues. Senior executives must set the tone, give permission, and encourage new ways of working.  Line managers must also be convinced, as they are the ultimate executors of work-life change. Successful strategies for influencing line managers include providing a clear business case, flexibility training, appointment of champions, feedback from internal surveys and manager career-life planning.
2. Help individuals make career choices.  Assisting employees with their career choices and encouraging them to share career-life aspirations and challenges is seen as critical.
3. Develop HR policies and programmes to facilitate successful work-life integration, provide guidance, help ensure equity and consistency, and aid cultural change by making an explicit change in formal policies.
4. Influence social policy by collaborating with government and community groups to address the needs of employees.

3.4  Work-Life Leadership Skills
Work-life programmes today are still owned by the HR function, but a much greater emphasis on strategies that fully engage the whole organisation is necessary to foster work-life integration.  Who is best equipped to lead organisations to reach a stage where all parties have a ‘shared vision’? Five specific areas of expertise have been identified below as a requirement for work-life leaders.

1. Change management expertise – anyone working in the work-life arena must, clearly, be an expert in the organisational change business
2. Consulting skills - the ability to educate and coach managers on how to use innovative work-life practices is critical.
3. Ability to demonstrate how innovative workforce practices lead to positive organisational outcomes.
4. Training employees in the skills necessary to make appropriate career choices.
5. Understanding how work-life perspectives can be incorporated into a broad range of workforce management practices.

4.  Conclusion
The current challenge for organisational leaders is finding new ways to make a cultural shift in how their organisations conceptualise work-life integration.  This shift requires moving from a program and policy approach (that is currently seen as an accommodation for working mothers) to a more comprehensive approach to workforce management (that addresses the growing work-life needs of all employees).  While tremendous progress has been made, there is still much to be done to institutionalise this new way of working and managing the workforce.

For more information see Harrington, B and Ladge, J.J.,(2009)’Work-Life Integration: Present Dynamics and Future Directions for Organisations’ Organisational Dynamics, Vol. 38, No2, pp. 148-157, 2009