Historically, corporations have equated long working hours with a high level of staff commitment and achievement. Some, however, have begun to view the lives of employees more holistically and are finding that increased flexibility is good for employees, their families and the company’s own bottom line.

Research undertaken by multinational Xerox suggests employers are reducing their ability to operate more efficiently and productively if they do not consider how family and work responsibilities affect each other. The study was based on the belief that work could be restructured around the issues of family, community and personal life, giving them priority while, at the same time, benefiting the organisation. This approach was implemented in one Xerox business unit with outstanding results. The increase in sales and customer satisfaction was attributed to employees’ feeling greater support from their employer and more in control of their lives.

A national bank in the US took work-life integration a step further by allowing new parents to bring their babies to work until the age of six months. Certain ground rules were established to ensure the productivity of other employees was not adversely affected, however the basis of the approach came from a need to protect the bank’s bottom line. The organistion had four female employees who were pregnant simultaneously. Two of them managed departments. The cost of hiring replacement consultants or temporary employees was significant so the bank devised its plan to ensure the employees returned to work as quickly as possible.

Increasingly, organisations today are developing innovative strategies as they compete for the services of high quality employees and position themselves as employers of choice. Fresh solutions and new technologies that help employees balance the demands of work and personal life, are proving to be critical in achieving these goals.