Tips on implementing your work-life strategy
Use this checklist to make sure that the whole
organisation is aware of your new or revised strategy
1. Core strategy and objectives:
- Make sure that work-life balance is addressed
as a core strategic issue within the enterprise as a whole, and
by individual teams or departments
- Make sure the benefits to the business (such as
lower staff turnover) are clearly understood by everyone
2. Organisational culture and attitudes:
- Encourage a culture that respects the need
for work-life balance for people at all lifecycle stages
- Remember that long working hours may still be needed
occasionally to meet business demand, but should not become a way
of life required to succeed in your organisation
- Individuals should still be required to take into
account business needs and the needs of colleagues when making personal
arrangements, such as holiday leave
3. Policies and resources:
- Create a set of simple guidelines or policies
to include in employee contracts; these should cover flexible working,
leave and carer support
- These should be tailored to the size and make up
of your business
- In these changing times, it is reasonable to state
that policies over and above statutory legal requirements may have
to alter - with notice where possible - to meet changing
business needs
4. Employee communication
- Good communication helps to highlight company
benefits to new and existing staff, and helps to reinforce the type
of environment and attitude you want to create
- Use the standard means of communication to ensure
everyone is aware of the new or changing policies
- Share success stories and tackle problems promptly
5. Management support and buy-in
- Make sure that managers receive clear guidance
about company work-life strategy as well as the benefits of adopting
it, such as time savings
- Make sure that managers are supported in implementing
the new way of working and have somewhere to go with queries, concerns
and difficulties.
- Lessons learned should be shared amongst managers.
6. Work re-organisation
- Set up a ‘work design team’ to
look at new ways of organising work that will help meet business
objectives while creating the flexibility that employees need
- Agree a trial period and regular reviews to make
sure new ways of working are meeting both business and personal
needs - adjustments can always be made
Where to next?
Trouble-shooting - implementation Q&A
Introducing change - your action plan
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