For some employees flex-time can be a case of “Beware what you ask for.”
Progressive organizations allow a variety of alternative work schedules and arrangements. For both employers and employees this has been a welcome revolution in workplace attitudes. Employees are able to meet family obligations, while employers are able to maintain productivity and improve retention rates.
Employees no longer have to choose between loyalty to their employee and the desire to fully participate in their children’s lives. Work-life balance is achieved — children receive nurturing, organizations receive results and staff realize a reduction in the guilt and stress that often accompanied attempts to keep the balance in check.
But while flex-time has allowed employees to better organize the conflicting demands of job and family, work-life balance can turn into “work-life blend.” I use the phrase “work-life blend” to describe the way workplace responsibilities can permeate a person’s days and nights.
Work-life blend occurs when flex-time places a person in a state of being “on-call” all the time. Employees who work at home on a part- or full-time basis can slip into a dangerous routine that leads to exhaustion.
Consider a typical day for some: Wake early, feed children and get them off to school. Spend a couple of hours working at home and then leave for a meeting at the office. Return in time to pick kids up from school, settle them in with a game or project, while you make a couple of quick calls. Break for dinner. Help with homework (the school board likes you fully involved as well), get kids to bed, do some neglected household chores, then turn on your computer and begin the next block of work time.
Weekends also find blocks of time allocated to stay ahead of workloads. A few hours here, a few calls there and pretty soon it’s working any time you’re not caring for the kids — work has blended into your life so seamlessly it’s always at your side. And sleep? The recommended eight hours a night for an adult is an unrealistic target — on a good night you sometimes catch six.
Employers can help stop work-life balance from being overtaken by work-life blend. Managers should be aware of the workloads their reports deal with, and step in to adjust responsibilities or devote resources as required — it’s not as expensive as replacing a burnt-out employee. Employees should be encouraged to be protective of their own wellness, and set boundaries. For example, no working on Sundays or after midnight.
Work-life balance enhances the quality of life. Work-life blend has more in common with workaholism.
Progressive organizations allow a variety of alternative work schedules and arrangements. For both employers and employees this has been a welcome revolution in workplace attitudes. Employees are able to meet family obligations, while employers are able to maintain productivity and improve retention rates.
Employees no longer have to choose between loyalty to their employee and the desire to fully participate in their children’s lives. Work-life balance is achieved — children receive nurturing, organizations receive results and staff realize a reduction in the guilt and stress that often accompanied attempts to keep the balance in check.
But while flex-time has allowed employees to better organize the conflicting demands of job and family, work-life balance can turn into “work-life blend.” I use the phrase “work-life blend” to describe the way workplace responsibilities can permeate a person’s days and nights.
Work-life blend occurs when flex-time places a person in a state of being “on-call” all the time. Employees who work at home on a part- or full-time basis can slip into a dangerous routine that leads to exhaustion.
Consider a typical day for some: Wake early, feed children and get them off to school. Spend a couple of hours working at home and then leave for a meeting at the office. Return in time to pick kids up from school, settle them in with a game or project, while you make a couple of quick calls. Break for dinner. Help with homework (the school board likes you fully involved as well), get kids to bed, do some neglected household chores, then turn on your computer and begin the next block of work time.
Weekends also find blocks of time allocated to stay ahead of workloads. A few hours here, a few calls there and pretty soon it’s working any time you’re not caring for the kids — work has blended into your life so seamlessly it’s always at your side. And sleep? The recommended eight hours a night for an adult is an unrealistic target — on a good night you sometimes catch six.
Employers can help stop work-life balance from being overtaken by work-life blend. Managers should be aware of the workloads their reports deal with, and step in to adjust responsibilities or devote resources as required — it’s not as expensive as replacing a burnt-out employee. Employees should be encouraged to be protective of their own wellness, and set boundaries. For example, no working on Sundays or after midnight.
Work-life balance enhances the quality of life. Work-life blend has more in common with workaholism.
