IXL Laundry Services Group Ltd (IXL)
Improving work-life
balance in a small business
The company
IXL, based in Buxton, Derbyshire and with a depot in Chester, provides
laundry and dry cleaning services to domestic and contract clients
in the Midlands and North Wales. The owners previously sold another
business, Classic Cleaners, in March 2002, having bought IXL in October
2001.
Turnover £750,000
Workforce
The company has few young employees. Three employees have been with
IXL for over 25 years; the longest serving member of staff has been
there for 38 years. The turnover of factory staff and drivers has
always been low. The company usually has no more than one member of
staff on maternity leave at any one time.
| No. of employees |
20 |
| % female |
75 |
| Average length of service |
10 years (for 50% of staff) |
* All figures are based on
the year ending March 2002.
The problems
High turnover of office
staff:
Staff and systems were inherited when the owners bought IXL. The owners
recognised that that some systems were outdated and bureaucratic.
Traditional culture:
Flexible working options are still rare in many SMEs outside London.
Apart from women with children, most employees are unused to weighing
up work-life benefits when applying for jobs.
Response
Simple, informal work-life
approach:
- IXL has an ‘open door’ policy
- Any employee can make a request to work flexible
hours
- The business case is paramount; not the personal
reason for the request
- Managers need to take into account the production
schedule in the factory and overall employee cover and attendance
- Part-time jobs were introduced: when some office
vacancies arise, they are re-advertised as two part-time roles at
20 hours per week
Business benefits
- Staff retention and loyalty:
- Low cost of implementation:
- Work-life policies cost only management time to implement
- Reduced recruitment and training costs:
- The turnover of office staff has been reduced
- More efficient office systems:
- New part-time office roles enabled IXL to introduce more
efficient systems over time
Challenges
Factory production
requirements:
- Work-life initiatives have to revolve around an understanding
of weekly and monthly production requirements
- Employees are encouraged to work out rotas among
themselves that ensure production is completed on time, while accommodating
individuals’ personal commitments
- Drivers and factory workers start at 7.30am and
finish at 4.00pm or 3.00pm on Fridays: this timetable leaves sufficient
time for personal commitments
- Office staff can work more flexible hours: they
can start early and/or work late
Employees motivated
more by salary:
- Unemployment in Buxton is 5% and there are few factory
jobs
- Family support is traditionally strong: grandparents
expect to look after grandchildren whilst their sons and daughters
are at work
- IXL’s workforce tends to be older, therefore
fewer staff than the national average have childcare responsibilities
- Potential recruits are therefore motivated more
by salary than work-life balance policies
Entrenched attitudes
as a barrier to change:
Some office
staff were not prepared to learn the new systems and chose to leave
In practice
Kathleen, 48, has
recently started a job with IXL as a part-time bookkeeper.
The case:
- Kathleen keeps horses and needs to feed them in the
morning before work
- Usual office hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm, but Kathleen
negotiated to start work at 9.45am before she joined
Kathleen says:
“I appreciate the flexibility that I have in starting later.
IXL is currently changing computer systems and accounting packages.
I’ve often worked longer than my agreed hours in order to ensure
a smooth transition of the system.”
Benefit to IXL:
Agreeing to Kathleen’s request to work flexible hours has helped
engender a spirit of co-operation, which benefits the business and
the bottom line.
Anna, 36, has
recently started a job with IXL as a secretary working two and
a half days per week.
The case:
- Anna has three children and needs to get to two different
schools and a nursery in the morning before work which are several
miles apart.
- Anna negotiated to start work at 9.15am, to accommodate
the extra time needed to cover the distances.
Anna says:
“The flexibility in starting times and a shorter lunch, if required,
is a huge benefit as it means travelling through lighter traffic and
being able to deliver all three children to their destinations calmly
and safely. I don’t have the worry of being five minutes late
as I know I can make the time up at lunch or after work.”
Benefit to IXL:
IXL has gained Anna’s skills and ensured she has the flexibility
to manage both her work and her other commitments.
June 2003
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