Is life a balancing act?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this case study is to highlight to individuals and businesses the importance of work‐life balance and how it can have a massive impact on one's daily life. It aims to describe the pitfalls of not having a policy in place and also how a business can go about implementing a policy.

Design/methodology/approach

The subject scope of the paper is to inform employers and employees of all aspects of work‐life balance from the cause and effect to the methods available to help them achieve a great balance and improve productivity and wellbeing.

Findings

The case study shows that work‐life balance is having a massive impact not only on businesses productivity, but also on the economy as a whole. A massive amount of money is being lost due to illness, etc. The information included from companies such as BT who have already implemented a work‐life balance programme shows that the results are significant. The increase in staff wellbeing and productivity is amazing and shows that implementing these programmes really makes a difference.

Originality/value

The case study is invaluable to any employer who has a team of staff. The findings of the research undertaken with BT shows that companies cannot wait until work‐life balance becomes a “must have” – it needs to be implemented straightaway to ensure that staff are happy in their job and that no aspect of their career is contributing to ill health. BT show that by ensuring that “work‐life” balance is prevalent in their business they have reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and have a more responsive and effective workforce.

Citation

Hughes, N. (2007), "Is life a balancing act?", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 39 No. 5, pp. 281-284. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850710761972