Due to expectations that salaried employees should be available 24/7, should devote 60+ hours of face time at the office, and should be in constant touch with a laptop or Mobile phone emails in today’s Managerial profession.
Do you take few extra days onto business trip and combine it with family vacation?
I know it’s more difficult for dual-career families to co-ordinate family time around one person’s travel schedule.
How to balance work-life flexibility & Greedy jobs? is it manager responsibility or the organization need to provide real flexibility and allow people to be in the office only when necessary with growing “culture of connectivity,” saying 16% of the workforce is hyperconnected and that may soon increase to 40%. Saving Changes...
S RajasekarSenior Project Manager| AllscriptsBangalore, Karnataka, India
In this fast phase world.... time is money.
Work life balance is organizational thing environment should support this so project manager can leverage this for them and team. In service industry this is dying due to lack of projects / tough competition..etc business/work is given high priority over anything else.
For sustainable business / work balance is important. It is like walking on the rope .. balance is everything. Saving Changes...
An increasing percentage of the workforce is working remotely. This will reduce the need for face time and be reliant on adequate technology to facilitate communication. I think corporations in general appreciate the benefits of flexible work arrangements on employee satisfaction and the organization's bottom line. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I support flexibility because I believe it enhances commitment and productivity. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
You can not fight againts culture. On the other side, everything is negotiable. If they need you because you add a value that they can not find into other person then you have possibility to negotiate. The point is to make that value visible. To negotiate you have to prepare for that. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Not everywhere drives/supports that type of culture. My experience is trust in the employee's professionalism with a flexible environment. Saving Changes...
Sromon DasSenior Project Manager| Mara ConsultingHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
I like this quote by Warren Buffett: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
while it may be a bit melodramatic, i think it's important to set boundaries with your organization/ manager.
As Sante mentioned- many orgs are offering flex work to employees. I was a GE business partner for a few years and they have been promoting flexible work arrangements and family friendly policies over the past few years. Saving Changes...
I agree with Andrew. The culture you describe is common in large accounting firms but is not common in public sector.
Telecommuting has helped and hindered work-life integration.
Given the choice, I will always prefer to work for companies who measure what and how you did vs. how many hours you spent.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Effective delegation and have a level of support behind you can work in your favor. I do not feel that enforcing an "always connected" culture among your employees is going to drive the best level of productivity in the long run. People need time to check out, re-energize and comeback with a fresh state of mind. I also find that this is a personal choice of the employee in this position. They are the ones to make this decision in how they set and manage their expectations with their peers, supervisors and customers. Saving Changes...
I work in the public sector is there is very much an idea that "face time" is extremely important. Recently, however, there has been a push to promote initiatives such as telework and other forms of remote work. It is still clear that for many in higher positions there is a belief that if you can't see your employees they are not working. This is not necessarily true of how many workers operate. Some people are able to be more productive if they are able to have more autonomy over their work and schedules.
Overall I believe that organizations should foster a work culture that rewards productivity but allows for flexibility in how work is accomplished. On the other hand, it's also up to individuals to do their best to ensure that their personal preferences for work-life balance are aligned with the culture of their organizations. Saving Changes...
Walter DyerProject Manager| LightGrid, LLCBowie, Md, United States
One of my favorite managers, Edith Brown of Allied Signal Aerospace, Communications Systems Division, told me that a person deserves what he accepts. I will not turn a $100. an hour salary into $5.00 an hour by not having a life outside the company. That doesn't mean that I won't put in the long hours when they are needed, but I will not give up my marriage, my worship, my family, my choir time, or my health, consistently for work. When you are dead you can't spend a dime. In business you vote with your feet. A good salary does deserve some sacrifice. Not self immolation. One of my best friends had a heart attack at 36. That is just wrong. If it is too much, walk away. Knowing when to leave is an art not a science, but let your gut will tell you, not an ambulance driver's sirens. Saving Changes...
Community Champion
