Work Life Balance

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Introduction The role of employment and the place of work have changed throughout the world due to economic conditions and social demands. Work life balance is an issue increasingly recognized for strategic importance to organisations and of significant importance to employees. Organisations need to attract and retain valued employees, whilst for employees, it is the balancing responsibilities at work and at home. Work life balance does not mean an equal balance, and the right balance today will probably be different tomorrow. The best work life balance could be one in which important areas of an individuals life don’t have to be neglected in favour of work related duties and goals. A changing and growing workforce has employers looking for more work life balance opportunities when it comes to choices of an employee. Many trends in workforce demographics and society in general, have impacted on businesses and the labour market. Global competition, renewed interest in personal lives and family values and an ageing workforce are factors which contribute to the survival of organization. Workplaces must provide flexibility in the workplace itself, structure of jobs, and in the way employees perform their work. One of the means to help provide personal and professional goals is work life benefits and programs. The concept of work-life balance according to Manfredi and Holliday (2004) is based on the notion that paid work and personal life should be seen less as competing priorities than as complimentary elements of a full life. The way to achieve this is to adopt an approach that is conceptualized as a two way process involving a consideration of the needs of employees as well as those of employers. Why should organisations implement work life balance – is it a critical business criteria or just “the right thing to do”? MEANING AND DESCRIPTION OF

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