Case Study

Work Life Balance is Meaningful DAILY Achievement and Enjoyment in each 4 of our Life Quadrants:

WORKFAMILYFRIENDSSELF

Global privately held company.8,000 Employees 45 Locations WorldwideInnovative Business Style: “To make money

and have fun”.Organizational culture is founded on a team-

based environment.Employees have no job titles.Leaders emerge naturally

4 Basic PrinciplesFairness to each other and everyone with

whom they come into contactFreedom to encourage, help and allow other

associates grow in knowledge, skill and scope of responsibility.

The ability to make one’s own commitments and keep them.

Consultation with other associates before undertaking actions that could affect the reputation of the company by hitting it “below the waterline”.

Associates manage themselves by being fair.There are very few company policies;

practices develop naturally and do not need to be framed.

There are no set working hours.Personal and Family responsibilities are okay;

no need to explain for missed days of work.Challenges: “Very easy to get caught up in

the positive environment and find yourself over-committing”

What are key elements in the corporate culture that may prevent employees from taking advantage of there being no set work hours?Looking back at the 4 basic principles: Fairness

to each other and everyone with whom they come into contact, and the ability to make one’s own commitments and keep them.

If everyone in the corporation is being treated fairly and staying committed at the same time then employees may feel bad if they take advantage of the company because they’re not being mistreated.

What are some challenges employers may face when trying to implement W.L. Gore’s distinctive approach to work-life balance in different countries of its operations?One mane challenge that is most likely faced

would be the no set working hours, because some groups of people don’t have that level of morale that this company expects. Associates will miss days and not care because they know they will not get into trouble.

Key PointsWhen they are part of a clearly understood

management style, work-life balance arrangements can work without being supported by formal policies and procedures. Work-life balance can be an integral part of a holistic management approach.

Organization should focus on life issues for employees/associates and actively work on these as well as work development to ensure the balancing of work and life.

Good leadership and mentorship are important to encourage employees to balance work and their professional life.

Founded in 1928 in the U.SCurrently employs more than 100,000 people

worldwideEmploys 1,530 staff in East Kilbride, Scotland

where 700 are operatorsOperates plants 24 hours a day, seven days a

week

Work-life Balances Arrangements OfferedPart-time workDependency leaveEmployee assistance programJob sharingHealth careSpecial shift arrangementsStudy leaveEmergency holidays

Only offered to premier employees to attract high caliber peopleRecognize and reward

Major change in work hours in the year 2000 at the East Kilbride plant

Today full-time operators work seven 12-hour shifts over a 2 week spanFour days one week 3 days the next week

When work hours changed job sharing was offered2 people share a full time job between themEqually splitting number of hours worked

Mary McDonald was a single parent with two childrenFull time was too strenuous

She wrote a letter to the HR dept. Her application was successful and she was matched with a job partner

She says the system has worked very well for her“I’m full of energy on the days I work – Motorola

gets 100 percent from me”She says it’s very good for her family life

Neil McKinven is a senior life managerBelieves job sharing plays a high-profile roleHelps plant remain competitiveHelps retain high pool of job talent

Most job share employees are womenFamily CommitmentsMaternity leaves

Problems with job sharingTemporary employees during holidays

Unfamiliar with workManagement has to step in

Keys elements of job sharingProcesses have to transparent and understoodEveryone must be aware of expectationsMaintain good communicationIdentify any issues

How does Motorola’s job sharing fit their business needs?Maintain high profile workersRetain pool of highly qualified and well trained

talentBenefits to company’s high rating

America’s 100 Best Corporate Citizen award list

What are the advantages and disadvantages of job sharing to job sharers and their managers?Flexible scheduleCompetitive work environment to obtain benefitsHoliday temp do not know workManagers have to step in

Swedish home furnishing retailer.Global Business: 150 stores in more than 20

countries25 stores in the U.S.Dream: “to create a better everyday life for the

many people.”HR Idea: “to give down-to-earth, straightforward

people the possibility to grow, both as individuals and in their professional roles, so that together we are strongly committed to creating a better everyday life for ourselves and our customers.”

Organizational Culture based on Swedish national values of commitment to, and time with, family and community, combined with concern for a healthy environment.

Emphasize coffee breaks so that employees can socialize.

Work-Life Balance Expressed: Paid days off for all staff for first day of school leave, marriage leave and “moving house leave”.

All employees can take advantage of free podiatry and massage sessions during work time.

Shows investment in workers.Most recent health initiative would be IKEA’s fit

for a week program.Work-Life Balance = Win Win SituationIt increases morale and commitment by

improving psychological contracts and gives “something tangible to staff so they perceive IKEA as a caring company that they enjoy working for.

Key PointsWork life balance is tied closely to

organizational culture.Work-life balance is not just about flexibility in

work for life outside work, it also works the other way around: “Bringing aspects of wider life-like health initiatives and socializing-into work can be fun”

“The best way to engage more people in work-life balance programs is to let co-workers who have experienced it advocate it by word-of-mouth.

52 court sitesemploys approximately 1,000 civil servantsExtends throughout ScotlandDivided into 3 operational headquarters

Agency headquarters, Supreme courts, Sheriff courts

Did not get serious about work-life until 98-99Lost key employees over paternity leave and

family issuesWomen compromise 57 percent of workforce

Today SCS has a high variety of work-life balance arrangementsFlex-time (start work anywhere between 8 and

10)Long as specified amount of hours worked every

weekHome-workingJob sharingStudy LeaveEmergency and specialPublic community (voluntary work )Care leave (ill family member)

Parental leaveChildcare financial allowances (nursery care)

Joe Smith – executive officer at Dumbarton Sheriff CourtDaughter Rebecca born with complex heart

diseaseNot expected to liveBeat the odds with 13 operations at the age of 3

daysNow in first year of elementary schoolSpent 18 months of her life in hospitalFaces a heart-lung transplant in future

Smith tried to manage work through all of thisDriving 84 miles a day after a promotionContacted management about this problem

Smith was granted a special leaveAlso accessed SCS Employees assistance

programPrivate counseling and free for employeesSmith felt supported and seen benefitsHe states, “all the managers have supported me

and it’s two way”

Key PointsImportant for staff to align their expectations

or work-life balance initiatives to business needs

Employees are more likely to benefit if they ask the people directly affected what arrangements they want

Understand situation from individuals point of view

Support line managers making the decisions on implementing the WLB policies through training and coaching

StudentWork, school, and extracurricular activities

Is your work and school life balanced?Does your job offer flexible hours or special

time off during finals week

Do you often find yourself sleeping in class?Maybe you should research and consider work-

life balance