Media centre - Endorsements

Do organisations really think work-life balance is a good idea?

A. Yes - as the quotes below show:

Why implement work-life policies?

“BT introduced its pioneering flexible working policies because of business need.”
Caroline Waters, Director, People Networks, BT. April 2003

“The launch of our work-life programme stemmed from organisational feedback…UK employees were keen to have more flexibility in the way they were allowed to work and wanted to take more ownership and responsibility for managing their own lives.”
Derica Rice, General Manager, Eli Lilly, UK. April 2003

“Key areas of our business are cyclical and we need a flexible workforce to match staffing levels with business peaks.”
Neil Sherlock, Partner Public Affairs, KPMG. April 2003

“At PricewaterhouseCoopers we firmly believe that promoting work-life balance is a ‘business critical’- issue and not simply the ‘right thing to do’. Profitable growth and sustainable business depends on attracting and retaining top talent and we know, from our own research and experience, that work-life policies are an essential ingredient of successful recruitment and retention strategies.”
Sarah Churchman, Head of Diversity, PricewaterhouseCoopers. April 2003

Responding to customers

“When people are your most valuable resource, work-life balance policies and practices make common sense. Employees are more productive if they are able to balance their work and personal lives effectively and in creating employee groups, which reflect the society in which they work, the business can understand our customers better, which in turn leads to increased sales.”
Debbie Rotchell, Employment Policy Specialist, Marks & Spencer. April 2003

“Nationwide operates in an increasingly dynamic customer led environment where it is vital to meet the changing demands of our members. Having a flexible and responsive workforce enables us to meet the needs of our members with a 24/7 operation.”
Adele Lightowler, Corporate Personnel Consultant, Nationwide. April 2003

“Our stores and depots increasingly operate 24 hours a day, 363 days a year and flexible working solutions are vital to the efficient running of these operations. Flexible working has proven to be a really valuable tool in many areas of the business.”
Glyn House, Employment Brand Manager, Sainsbury’s. April 2003

Impact on the bottom-line

“In bottom line terms, BT’s 7000 plus home workers create an annual cost saving of over £52 million a year through increased productivity (they are on average 20% more productive than their office based colleagues), reduced sick absence levels and by simply not occupying desks!”
Caroline Waters, Director, People Networks, BT. April 2003

“…A survey has revealed that over 80% of Work Options employees [those working on a flexible basis] have seen improvements in their working performance…Internal research also shows that Work Options can generate tangible business savings by extending staff cover at zero cost, matching resources with peak demand, reducing absenteeism and boosting retention.
Sally Evans, Head of Equality & Diversity, LloydsTSB. April 2003

“…[work-life practices] offer[s] the Group a variety of benefits including: enabling the business to be more flexible and agile; providing our employees with more opportunities to arrange their work and career around personal circumstances; reduced employee turnover; reduced sickness absence; increased retention of key skills and experience; increased employee commitment and motivation; and attraction of quality candidates for positions.”
Gill Bruce, Resourcing, Group Human Resources, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. April 2003

“…we have positive evidence that improved productivity results from those working flexibly, due to their ability to balance their working lives, their increased satisfaction with their working life and their commitment to the company and to delivering results.”
Linda Emery, Head of Diversity, Unilever UK. April 2003.

Recruitment and retention

“Achieving work-life balance is now a key differentiator for young people joining the labour market and deciding for whom they will work. Work-life balance is also a key retention tool.”
Caroline Waters, Director, People Networks, BT. April 2003

“My experience…has convinced me that offering your employees work-life balance policies improves retention and creates a greater degree of loyalty.”
Janet Lakhani, IXL Laundry Group. April 2003

“KPMG wants to recruit and retain the best talent in the market, so responding to the changing expectations of our key recruitment markets is essential…Facilitating better work-life balance through a range of flexible working options, flexible benefits and volunteering initiatives has also helped KPMB retain talent and has contributed to the diversity of experience of our staff..”
Neil Sherlock, Partner Public Affairs, KPMG. April 2003

Small business

“When our business was based in Surrey, flexible working options really helped to establish a united workforce. Employees came form a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds…Flexible working meant that staff of different ethnic backgrounds could easily accommodate each other’s needs for time off that was important to them.”
Janet Lakhani, IXL Laundry Group. April 2003

Managing work-life policies

“The work-life programme is, however, not a free for all, and requires a responsible and mature approach from every employee. Our first and foremost aim must always be to meet business objectives and to fulfil customer demands.”
Derica Rice, General Manager, Eli Lilly, UK. April 2003

Organisational culture change

“For BT, it has also been a transformational experience. We have softened our hierarchies and eliminated much unnecessary bureaucracy. We now have all our people’s creativity and energy focused on innovative solutions in a constantly changing world and, as our needs and our employees’ needs change we now have a model that ensures that together we can continue to adapt the arrangements which will ensure the future success of our people and of our business.”
Caroline Waters, Director, People Networks, BT. April 2003

Changing the long hours culture

“As well as helping the bank to meet its core strategic aims, Work Options [organisational work-life balance policies] is all about moving from a ‘long hours culture’, where attendance matters more than achievement, to an environment where people are valued for the results they deliver and the competencies they demonstrate.”
Sally Evans, Head of Equality & Diversity, LloydsTSB. April 2003

“Every employee’s contribution is valued and rewarded individually regardless of the hours they work. Managers are trained to assess performance by actual contribution to the Society and service provided to members, rather than by hours worked.”
Adele Lightowler, Corporate Personnel Consultant, Nationwide. April 2003

“We therefore set about a major change programme to create a more flexible working environment and a culture of supported self-help - quite a tough challenge considering professional services are generally regarded as having a “macho long hours culture”. Our journey has evolved into our firm-wide diversity strategy, which has, at its core, the business imperative of recognising that all our people are individuals. Once you take this perspective, it soon becomes very evident that one way of doing things - one way of working - is highly unlikely to suit everyone.”
Sarah Churchman, Head of Diversity, PricewaterhouseCoopers. April 2003

 

Social Case

“We recognise the business case for allowing employees to balance their work with other aspects of their lives. We believe, as a socially responsible employer, that it is the right thing to do but are also acutely aware that this must be balanced with the needs of our customers.”
Debbie Rotchell, Employment Policy Specialist, Marks & Spencer. April 2003

Top