Introducing change
A successful work-life strategy is as much about
how you introduce and implement change, as the options you plan to
offer.
1. Identify the core business
needs and build a case
2. Tailor policies to suit operational and employee
need
3. Develop a set of clear guidelines
4. Communicate what you are doing, and why
5. Monitor and evaluate progress
1. Identify the core business
needs and build a case
The process:
- Ensure ‘buy in’ by demonstrating
to colleagues and senior management how a strategy will benefit
business and the workforce as a whole
- Calculate cost and time savings
- Consider the policies and practices you want to develop.
Potential cost savings and benefits:
- Advertising and recruitment costs reduced
- Training costs reduced
- Costs saved by reduced sick leave
- Costs saved by reduced absenteeism
- Fewer sales lost during hand-over time owing to
reduced staff turnover
- Less time spent interviewing
- Less time and money spent on inductions and supervision
- Office space savings
People benefits:
- Gains in numbers of skilled applicants for
jobs
- Increase in levels of employee commitment
- Flexibility across the workforce to suit customer
requirements
- More innovative thinking among staff
- Enhanced employer brand
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2. Tailor policies to suit
operational and employee need
The work-life practices you adopt you will need to meet
your operational needs as well as employees’ priorities. You
should consider the following:
- Policies and procedures already in place
- The impact on customers of new ways of working
- Whether your employees all need to start and finish
at the same time
- The management time and training needed to co-ordinate
a more flexible workforce
- Back-up arrangements when employees are on leave
- Planning and scheduling to cover busy periods
- Balancing
business and personal needs
- The core elements
of a work-life strategy
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3. Develop a set of clear
guidelines
- Written guidelines demonstrate to employees that
work-life issues can be discussed openly
- Include guidelines in contracts of employment or
in a staff handbook
- A written statement or policy will help improve
your employer brand
Sample guidelines
Flexible Working Policy for Joe Bloggs
Ltd:
- Applications for extended leave or
flexible working (other than in an emergency) will always
be considered, but first need to be discussed and agreed with
your manager so that:
- The needs of the business are taken
into account
- The impact on other members of staff
is considered
- The best option is identified to
meet everyone’s needs
Managing the arrangement:
- A notice period of x weeks/months is
required before further changes are made
- Reviews to ensure that the agreement
is working, will take place at intervals of 3 months
- All requests will be given equal consideration,
taking the above points plus overall employee performance
into account.
- We will try our best to accommodate
your needs, but there is no guarantee that this will be feasible.
However, where a refusal is necessary, the matter can be reviewed
again after 6 months, taking the same considerations into
account
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How to compile guidelines:
:
Flexible working - include:
- Types of flexible working available
- Application procedure for changes
to work hours
- Who will decide final approval
or refusal
- Review procedure
- How business and employee needs
will be met.
Taking Leave - include:
- Details of annual leave allowance
- Sick leave procedure
- Parental and maternity leave
- Time off for dependants
- Details of what you offer, if
anything, over and above the statutory minimum
Employee support - include:
- Details of any back-up that you can offer employees,
such as:
- Help finding childcare or
other local services
- Access to counseling
- Subsidies or loans.
- Glossary
of work-life balance terms
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4. Communicate what you are doing,
and why
Once you have decided on the appropriate strategy for
your type of business, make sure it is communicated to employees and
managers as well as in recruitment advertising:
- Put details in employment contracts
- Put details in the staff handbook
- Use managerial briefings
- Use training sessions
- Use individual appraisal sessions to inform people
of changes
Let everyone know about success stories but also tackle
problems or queries promptly when they arise.
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5. Monitor and evaluate
progress
Monitoring the effectiveness of your work-life strategy
will help you to map progress and reinforce the business case to management:
- Monitor turnover:
- What is the level of staff turnover?
- What are the reasons for turnover?
- Do maternity cases return to company after maternity
leave?
- Monitor absenteeism:
- What is the current level of unscheduled absenteeism?
- What are the key causes of absence?
Where to next?
Using a consultant
Tips for implementing your work-life strategy
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