A Study on Recent Trends in Work Life Balance Practices with Special Reference to KBL

Transcription

1 A Study on Recent Trends in Work Life Balance Practices with Special Reference to KBL Professor and Head, Dept of MBA, Sanjivani College of Engineering, Kopargao, Ahemednagar ABSTRACT: Work-life balance has become an increasingly pervasive concern to both employers and employees of most organizations. Work-life balance which primarily deals with an employee s ability to properly prioritize between work and his or her lifestyle, social life, health, family etc, is greatly linked with employee productivity, performance and job satisfaction. Where there is proper balance between work and life, employees tend to put in their best efforts at work, because their family is happy. Most research studies have shown that when there are happy homes, work places automatically become conflict free and enjoyable places to be. Increasing attrition rates and increasing demand for work-life balance have forced organizations to look beyond run of the mill Human Resources interventions. As a result, initiatives such as flexible working hours, alternative work arrangements, leave policies and benefits in lieu of family care responsibilities and employee assistance programs have become a significant part of most of the company benefit programs and compensation packages. Here researcher attempted to study recent trends in work life balance practices adopted by some of the leading companies. Study is divided into two sections. Section 1 deals with recent trends and section 2 deal with study if exiting work life balance practices adopted by KBL. KEY WORDS: Work life balance, recent trends, existing practices, INTRODUCTION: Work-life balance policies, workplace culture, childcare and maternity issues can have a special resonance for those who are facing a crisis pregnancy. As the report suggests, a supportive workplace culture, measures that promote work-life balance and the availability of affordable, accessible and high quality childcare can influence the decision-making process in a crisis pregnancy situation. In short, those who feel that they can successfully combine work and parenthood are more likely to continue with an unplanned pregnancy and parent their child. The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is aware of the need to make educational establishments and workplaces more child-friendly. The availability of local affordable childcare is vital if we are to succeed in reducing the number of crisis pregnancies in Ireland that end in abortion. I hope that this report will support and inform policymakers and employers who are considering introducing measures to make the workplace more supportive of their workers' need to balance employment commitments with family life. These areas are becoming increasingly important for all employees, not only for those with families. RESEARCH PROBLEM: The aim of this research is to highlight recent trends in work life balance practices OBJECTIVES OF STUDIES: 1. To study recent trends in work life balance 2. To study existing work life balance practice at KBL Section-1. RECENT TRENDS IN WORK LIFE BALANCE PRACTICES: 1. Family Friendly Initiatives to Resolve (International Labor Office. 2008) Family-friendly policies can help the women employees to balance the work and family responsibilities, yield benefits for themselves, for their families, and their employers. Family-friendly policies can benefit employers also, can help them for retaining highly skilled employees who might otherwise seek more accommodating employers or leave the workforce entirely. 34

2 2. Formal Organizational Initiatives : In the Asia Pacific countries particular concerns for families include the impact of people marrying older in life or not at all, rural urban migration and gender inequality in remuneration and career development. These socio demographic changes place pressure on firms to be proactive in addressing issues concerning work-life balance, including the provision of Family Friendly Workplace arrangements (Hall, L. & Liddicoat, L. (2005). As given by Tara Shankar & Bhatnagar the 10 best organizations which Fortune (2009) quote, are the ones, where employees feel encouraged to balance their work and personal life. For example the company Mattel provide 13 paid holidays, two paid days for volunteer in schools, two onsite child-care centers, five paid days of paternal leave (for new mothers and fathers) adoption assistance, half days on Fridays all year long and on site toy stores that offer discounts to their employees. As cited by Fang-Tai Tseng (2012), that numerous studies have shown that working hour reduction is a tough yet beneficial labour policy to both the employees and the employers (Bosch & Lehnorff 2001, Kramar 1993,MacInnes 2005, Perry-Smith & Blum 2000, Thornwaite 2004, Strachan & burgess1988, Solomon Therefore the favored companies are those which have formal friendly initiatives to balance WLB.. In India only few MNCs and prominent ITES companies are providing the facilities of flexible location (telecommuting) and time facilities but these facilities are widely used in the developed counties. As per a SHRM survey it is found that top five formal friendly initiatives are: Dependent care flexible spending account (71 % respondents) Flexi-time (55% respondents) Family leave above required leave of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (39% respondents) Telecommuting on part time bases (34% respondents) Compressed work weeks (31% respondents) 3. Creating Family Friendly Supportive Work Culture Only few organizations are opting formal friendly initiatives in India. On the other side of the coin the informal support by the supervisors and colleagues is mostly practiced, which is a positive indication of supportive work culture. According to social exchange theory, by offering informal family friendly culture the organizations demonstrate their efforts in favour of the wellbeing of their employees. So the answer of first question given in the introduction is that if there is dearth of formal family initiatives practiced by the organizations and no provision in Indian legislation then supportive work culture and informal family friendly initiatives can solve the work-life interface. 4. Personal Values, Beliefs and Life Style for Work-Life Enrichment The critical question is whether Work Life Balance (WLB) is for the individuals to receive and maintain or it is the responsibility of the employer? In the former discourse, research has looked into WLB as a personal choice. In addition, values, worker type, role demand and conflict are some of the elements that domain has emphasized. On one side, the current work scenario, intense pressure, constant declines, changing demographics has put pressure on the dual earning parents. And on the second side of the coin we are ourselves responsible for the present scenario. Urbanization and westernization have broken our joint family system. We are losing our values and beliefs of tolerance, adjustment and respect. 5. Spirituality and work-life Sometimes the projected issues of life and work are because of our attitude towards life, behavior with others and mismanagement of our time. A large volume of research shows that people who are more religious and spiritual have better mental health and adapt more quickly to health problems compared to those who are less religious and spiritual. So, physical and mental wellness is directly proportional to our eating style, lifestyle, habits, attitude and spirituality. 35

3 6. History and growth of WLBPs in India: Welfare provisions to family-friendly initiatives 6.1 Working hours: The Factories Act, 1948 regulates the working hours of employees including leave, holidays, overtime, and employment of children, women and young persons. This is the first of its kind legislation in India that has regulated the working conditions in factories and has ensured basic minimum requirements for the safety, health and welfare of factory workers. The working hours for an adult worker are prescribed not to exceed 48 hours in a week and 9 hours a day. This Act also restricts the working time of women employees and adolescents during evening that is 7 pm to 6 am. It provides for weekly holidays of one day so that the total workdays do not exceed 10 consecutive days. In case of requirement to work on a holiday a worker should be allowed a compensatory holiday (Secs. 52, 53 and 71). 6.2 Crèches: The Factories Act, 1948 also requires having crèches in factories employing more than 30 women workers to take care of their children (Sec. 40) which can be considered as a kind of WLBP since it helps women workers to better integrate their work and family demands. 6.3 Leave Provisions: Various kinds of leave provisions and benefits are available under Factories Act, 1948, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and Employee State Insurance Act, These include, 1) Earned Leave (the convenient leave sought by individual employee) 2) Casual Leave (leave for some family related purpose e.g. burials, weddings etc.) 3) Sick Leave (most times with doctors recommendations) 4) Compensatory leave (compensated with leave with wages for the absence from duty against the work performed by worker on any other day than normal working day). Under Employee State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948 every insured employee is entitled to get cash benefits for the period of sickness occurring during the benefit period and certified by a duly appointed medical officer Maternity Benefits: Another much acclaimed benefit considered to be family-friendly is, maternity benefit provided to working women for certain periods before and after childbirth. In western countries much talked statutory provision for maternity benefit comes from the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), 1993 which mandates that all eligible employees of a covered employer can take up to twelve weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during any 12-month period to care for a newborn child or newly adopted child; to take care of a child, parent, or spouse with a serious health problem; or to recover from one s own serious health problem. Some of these benefits are also provided to working women in India under Maternity Benefit Act, The Act extends to the whole of India and is applicable to every factory, mines or plantation (including those belonging to Government) and to every shop or establishment wherein 10 or more persons are employed or were employed on any day of the preceding 12 months. 7. Current status of WLBPs in India As a strategic response to the significant changes that have taken place in work and family spheres, 7.1. Intel India is committed to provide tools and work environment solutions to reduce work and personal life challenges, maximizing employee contributions and enhancing Intel's Great Place to Work value. Apart from providing five-day working and flexible working hours, it also provides certain benefits for employees and their families. Such benefits include 1) Hospitalization Insurance Policy, Intel pays 100 percent of the premium for employees and 80 percent of the premium for dependents. 2) Under Business Traveler Medical Plan, Intel provides medical coverage to full-time and part-time Indian employees, at no cost, while they travel on business outside of India for a period of up to 90 days.3) Under Annual Leave Time employees in their first two years with Intel, receive 15 working days of leave per calendar year. After two years with Intel, employees receive 20 days of leave per calendar year excluding 12 paid public or festival holidays in a calendar year. 7.2 IBM India offers its employees options such as flexible workweek schedules, working from home, part time employment, family counseling, and leave of absence programs under WLBPs. IBM s policy manual 36

4 says that the organization is serious about helping employees achieve career/life balance. Other provisions include study reimbursements, global opportunities, recreational activities, clubs and helping employees deal with life events, from getting married to taking a career break TATA scores high on almost all the welfare parameters. Employees of different strata work in TATA and hence, the initiatives are tailored towards their unique needs and requirements. For example, since a larger proportion of workforce in manufacturing plants of TATA is illiterate and belong to the lower strata of society, the company has introduced adult education programs and education about family planning as a part of welfare program for them. Crèche facility is provided where the percentage of female employees is more than 20. TATA group of companies has extended the domain of welfare practices to outside the workplace by involving their employees in social responsibilities like community development programs. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is an emerging new economy organization under Tata group which has a pool of educated executive class employees. The company has encouraged the formation of groups with similar interests to come together to conduct various activities like book reading. Maitree is an initiative for the spouses of employees and it has helped in bringing together the families of the employees Zensar Technologies provides child care arrangements such as crèche facility to its employees. It arranges Pizza and Coke an informal meeting where associates (they refer employees as associates ) can meet their seniors and discuss anything and everything. It has a facility called Madat Online a 24/7 service which is available for employees to take care of some of their personal day-to-day activities (e.g. dropping cheques, drawing cash, pay telephone bills and school fees of employees children. 7.5.Agilent Technologies, identified as one of the great places to work by a survey conducted by Times Group and Great Place to Work Institute in 2008 has been very supportive for employee work-life balance It provides freedom and flexibility in deciding time and place of work to its employees and rewards employee performance than working more number of hours. 7.5 Organization s concern for employee work-life balance. Analysis of interviews with some of the HR managers in India suggests that most common policies and benefits across organisations in manufacturing and software sectors are maternity benefits and comprehensive health and medical insurance policies. Quite a few organizations offer flexi time, leave options like paternity leave and so on to employee benefits like child care facilities, video conferencing to reduce travel, not scheduling work events during weekends and so on. However, flexi time and telecommuting are not well documented policies across organizations although they are offered discretionarily to selective few (in most cases to the senior managers). SECTION.2. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA: Percentage = No. of response/ Total no. of respondents* 100 Table.1. From how many years you are working in this organization? Sr. No. Response in years Number of respondents Number of respondents in % More than 15 years Interpretation: 50% of employees are having more than 15 years of experience in organization. Table.2. Are you satisfied with the working hours of the organization? 37

5 Interpretation: All of the employees are satisfied with working hours of the organization. Table.3. Does after working hours you get enough time to spend with your family? Sr. no Response Number of respondents Number of respondents Interpretation: All of the employees are able to give enough time to their family. Table.4. How often do you think or worry about work (when you are not actually at work)? Sr. no. Response Number of respondents Number of respondents in % 1. Never think about work Sometimes Often Always Interpretation: Majority of employees are think or worry about work. Table.5. Does the company provide maternity leave to the employees? Sr.no Response Number of respondents Number of respondents in % Interpretation: Company is providing maternity leave to women employees. Table.6. How would you rate KBL s insurance policy?(parivar suraksha yojana, Mediclaim, accident insurance policy etc.) 1. Excellent Very good Good Poor 0 0 Interpretation: 58% of employees have rated as very good to companies insurance policy. Table.7. Do you think with the effective work life balance activity, organization is able to retain its employees? Interpretation:100% of employees are thinking that with effective work life balance activity organization is able to retain its employees. 38

6 Table.8. How would you rate, pressure of work in the organization? Sr. no. Response Number of respondents Number of respondents in % 1. Extremely high Very high High Low Average Interpretation: 58.33% of employees are thinking pressure of work in organization is high Table.9. How do you rate the leave policy of the company? 1. Excellent Very good Good Average Poor 0 0 Interpretation: 75% of employees are satisfied with leave policy of company. Table.10. Would you require flexible time? 1. Yes No Interpretation: 83% employees require flexi time. Table.11. How would you rate the KBL s work life balance activity? 1. Excellent Very good Good Average Poor 0 0 Interpretation: 41% employees rate the KBL s work life balance activity as good. Findings: Half of employees are having more than 15 years of experience in organization. All of the employees are satisfied with working hours of the organization. 39

7 All of the employees are able to give enough time to their family. Majority of the employees are think or worry about work. Company is providing maternity leave to women employees. Majority of the employees have rated very good to company s insurance policy. All of the employees are thinking that with effective work life balance activity organization is able to retain its employees. Majority of the employees are thinking pressure of work in organization is high. Majority of the employees are satisfied with leave policy of company. Majority of the employees require flexi time. All of the employees think that if employees have good work-life balance the organization will be more effective and efficient. Majority of employees rate the KBL s work life balance activity as good. Suggestions: Company can go for providing flexible working hours. Job clarity and work allocation within team should be there. Company can go for counseling of employees to solve their problems. Conclusion: Only ITES are few other companies are able to manage work life balance of their employees. Other companies in India need to think serious about the strategy in order to increase effectiveness. References: Burke, R.J. (2000) Do managerial men benefit from organizational values supporting work-personal life balance? Women in Management Review, 15,2, Coser, L.A. (1974) Greedy Institutions; Patterns of Undivided Commitment. New York: Free Press. Crompton, R. (2006) Employment and the Family. The Reconfiguration of Work and Family Life in Contemporary Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Lewis, S., Gambles, R. and Rapoport, R. (2007) the constraints of a work life balance approach: an international perspective. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18,3, Thornthwaite, L. (2004) Working time and work family balance: a review of employees' preferences. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42,2,