Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. It is achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society.
Striking a balance between the needs of the individual employee, customer and organisation demands the following:
- For employees: Different individuals will have different expectations and needs at different times in their life
- For customers: Organisations need to respond to the demands of their customers if they are to continue to be successful
- For organisations: Organisations need to be able to manage costs, maintain profitability and ensure that teams work effectively together.
The opportunity for individuals to balance their home and work lives is a central component of Good Work.
Research suggests that people are experiencing a time squeeze, particularly women, and demographic trends suggest that this is not going to go away.
There are a number of business benefits stemming from work-life balance, which some of our case studies demonstrate.