{"id":1666,"date":"2014-06-17T17:48:59","date_gmt":"2014-06-17T17:48:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peeriosity.com\/shared-services\/articles\/?p=1666"},"modified":"2022-05-12T08:33:45","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T08:33:45","slug":"worklife-balance-programs-to-increase-employee-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peeriosity.com\/shared-services\/articles\/2014\/06\/worklife-balance-programs-to-increase-employee-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Work\/Life Balance Programs to Increase Employee Engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"

While creating a high-performing workforce starts with a progressive hiring process \u2013 by including problem-solving, customer service, and conflict management skills as part of the selection process \u2013 it doesn\u2019t end there.\u00a0 <\/span>Creating a culture of support and mutual respect with carefully designed programs to allow employees to balance their work responsibilities with life responsibilities can positively impact employee performance<\/a>, retention, and overall engagement.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A recent PeercastTM<\/sup> featuring a $10B+ global company with over 25,000 employees in the Pharmaceutical and Health Care Services industry, examined how they were able to achieve a 15% reduction in headcount over a 6-year period while at the same time their volume of business was supported by Shared Services<\/a> increased by 100%.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Success came from creating a culture of continuous improvement using highly motivated employees who responded positively to a range of employee-friendly programs.\u00a0 <\/span>Here are a few examples:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Onsite services include a childcare center (not subsidized), a fitness center (subsidized), dry cleaning services, onsite ATMs, and take-home-dinners available for purchase from the cafeteria.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Benefits plans that include health and wellness, domestic partner coverage, adoption subsidies, family or parenting leave of absence, and counseling services.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Flexible work schedules<\/a> including four-day workweeks, rotating schedules, and flexible workday start times.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Permanent part-time positions and job sharing with benefits for employees who work half-time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The ability to schedule to work remotely for a portion of the week, and upon request to meet personal commitments.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One key enabler to the success of these programs at the featured company is the use of a self-directed work team structure in the Shared Services organization.\u00a0 <\/span>This structure gives small groups of employees the autonomy to balance their schedules with the current workload and ensure that all team objectives are consistently achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

A related iPollingTM <\/sup>question asked member companies to indicate the percentage of employees in Shared Services who are eligible for flexible work arrangements.\u00a0 <\/span>The results indicate that members are most likely to either embrace or reject this approach, with 48% reporting that 80% or more are eligible, and 43% reporting that the eligibility is either less than 20% or is none.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Here are the details:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ipolling<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Here are a few of the comments from iPolling participants:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>The thinking of our senior leadership is that the positions in shared service are more geared to a junior person and therefore need more oversight. Not everyone on the leadership team agrees with this position.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>We have had great success with our flexible work program. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>The team is offered flexible work hours and some have the ability to work from home time to time<\/a>; however, not on a regular basis.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>With the exception of employees who have responsibility for leading teams (for example, supervisors and managers), all employees are eligible to participate.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Telecommuting is limited to specific departments and functions within our organization. For the departments that allowed telecommuting, more than 50% of the workforce takes advantage of it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>We currently do not offer flexible schedules in our shared service center. There is a desire for it, but management at this time does not support it.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>Refining this capability has enabled our Global Shared Services organization to meet business requirements in the event of snowstorms, floods, and other violent storms.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How high performing is your Shared Services workforce?\u00a0 <\/span>Are your Shared Services employees eligible for flexible work arrangements?<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are your<\/em><\/span> peers and how are you collaborating with them?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cPeercastsTM<\/sup>\u201d are private, professionally facilitated webcasts that feature leading member company experiences on specific topics as a catalyst for broader discussion.\u00a0 <\/span>Access is available exclusively to Peeriosity member company employees, with consultants or vendors prohibited from attending or accessing discussion content.\u00a0 <\/span>Members can see who is registered to attend in advance, with discussion recordings, supporting polls, and presentation materials online and available whenever convenient for the member.\u00a0 <\/span>Using Peeriosity\u2019s integrated email system, Peer MailTM<\/sup>, attendees can easily communicate at any time with other attending peers by selecting them from the list of registered attendees.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/sup>\u201ciPollingTM<\/sup>\u201d is available exclusively to Peeriosity member company employees, with consultants or vendors prohibited from participating or accessing content. Members have full visibility of all respondents and their comments. <\/span>Using Peeriosity\u2019s integrated email system, Peer MailTM<\/sup>, members can easily communicate at any time with others who participated in iPolling. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Peeriosity members are invited to log into <\/span>www.peeriosity.com<\/span><\/a> to join the discussion and connect with Peers.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Membership is for practitioners only, with no consultants or vendors permitted.\u00a0 <\/span>To learn more about Peeriosity, <\/span>click here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While creating a high-performing workforce starts with a progressive hiring process \u2013 by including problem-solving, customer service, and conflict management skills as part of the selection process \u2013 it doesn\u2019t end there.\u00a0 Creating a culture of support and mutual respect with carefully designed programs to allow employees to balance their work responsibilities with life responsibilities […]<\/p>\n

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