The majority of UK businesses have accepted that work-life
balance policies are here to stay and provide business benefits,
according to the Work Foundation's latest survey. However, there
was found to be management resistance to adopting policies in about
33% of employers.
The majority of employers surveyed (68%) said they accept that they
have a responsibility to help staff achieve a healthy work-life
balance. This attitude was found to be particularly strong in the
public and voluntary sectors and among utility firms.
Work-life balance policies among these employers were not just
aimed at working parents but were extended to all staff. They were
seen as central to making an organisation a successful,
high-performance workplace.
However, 28% still take a narrow statutory approach and limit the
work-life balance policy to working parents. Responses from human
resources professionals revealed that "management resistance to
change" was the number one difficulty faced by 30% of firms.
Nick Isles, deputy director of advocacy at the Work Foundation,
said, "The idea that flexible working should only benefit the
employer still pervades the thinking of too many UK managers. Many
surveys and case studies show that those employers who instigate
and apply these policies see bottom-line benefits."
Employers that have adopted a positive approach to work-life
balance issues did so to boost staff retention (52%), make the
organisation more attractive (39%) to new recruits and to improve
overall performance (38%). They said policies had been introduced
in response to employee demand (36%) and increasing workforce
diversity (35%) as well as a way to reduce sickness absence
(29%).
Only 3% of firms formally measure the take-up and impact of their
work-life balance policies.
Isles said, "It is reassuring to see so many organisations adopting
an enlightened approach. In a service sector-dominated economy such
as the UK, workers are the most important factor of production."