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Photo: Business Wire
To lead, inspire and support businesses to improve their positive impact on people and communities is the vision of Hong Kong’s non-profit Community Business Leadership Team (CBLT). Jim Thompson, Chair, CBLT, said “In this time of economic recession our companies rely - more than ever, on a healthy, productive and engaged workforce.” This is why CBLT is promoting it’s second annual Work-Life Balance Day on October 23, 2009.
The purpose of CBLT’s Work-Life Balance Day is to raise awareness about work-life balance as a business issue. The desired outcome of raising awareness is for companies to demonstrate their commitment to improving work-life balance for their employees by designing an initiative to be launched on work-life balance day.
Not unlike employees in America, the Hong Kong survey found an increase in employees’ willingness to work more hours during trying times. They have adjusted their ideal yet realistic work-life ratio accordingly, from 60:40 in 2007 to 62:38 in 2008. As such, employees’ primary obstacle for achieving work-life balance is long working hours.
Example of one organization’s Work-Life Balance Day initiatives
Company: Allen & Overy
Nature of Business: Legal
Employee Band: 100-499
This international law firm distributed fruit, organized stretching and stress workshops, made Wii machines available for staff to play on and encouraged staff to go home on time. The firm also offered staff half-price tickets to a musical on the evening of WLB Day.
CBLT's research is a good example of how businesses can begin to benchmark their performance in the area of work life balance. Tracking this issue can provide valuable insight into the trends and needs in organizations and the workforce as a whole. Work-life balance day can be a useful tool for raising awareness in the area of work life balance and improving the lives of familes, as well as strengthening organizations' people capital.
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