Work Life Balance

Here is a real-life situation: Few years back, I was conducting an interview along with my colleague for an important role which deals directly with customers. During the interview, the candidate repeatedly asks question around how our company takes care of work life balance of its employees. As expected, my colleague who happens to be the hiring manager who was very concerned over this subject and selected a different person whom he thought was showing willingness to stretch. How justified was my colleague's reaction?

The concept of work-life balance emerged when more women opted to work and had to juggle between pressures of office, motherhood and running the house. Since then, it has evolved into a bigger group with men starting to share the responsibility of managing household chores. In today's situation, from an individual standpoint, unless both wife and husband work together it is very difficult run the house.

From an organization’s standpoint, every Boss wants all of you - your brain, commitment, your energy and you being healthy. Missing an employee fully or partly is like Indian cricket team playing a match with one of the key players distracted on the field. Bosses know that work life policies in the company brochure are mainly for branding, and actual work-life arrangements are negotiated one-on-one. This adjustment costs them something. I have seen these adjustments work for a period but fall apart eventually. Employees are expected to come back to the original schedule and contribute to organizational growth.

Here are few points to consider when you think of work life balance:

 ·   We all know investors expect companies to outperform every quarter. In this context, leaders take aggressive targets and try reaching them. They are constantly on lookout for individuals who are achievement oriented and can run ahead of the pace determined them. Amid this highly competitive and ruthless environment, talking about work life balance is seen as a drag. Figure out what your boss expects from you and make your plans accordingly.

 ·       Be very wise with respect to the reason you seek for having a work life balance. Reasons like maternity, taking care of an infant child do fly well. But I have seen people seeking time for trekking, cycling, yoga etc. There could be some glamour to these requests, but behind the curtains bosses cringe at these kinds of requests.

 ·       Take up stretch assignments and earn few chits. These chits can be exchanged when we need time out of office. I have seen top performers lying low for few months to take of care of their personal issues and coming back with full force. Usually bosses try giving this flexibility to their trusted team members who come to their rescue when any crisis arises.

 We work in organizations that must earn profits, come up with new and innovative products, acquire new clients and pay good dividends to shareholders. Unless we see ourselves actively contributing to these objectives, we are missing something big.