B.V.V.

Sangha’s

BASAVESHWAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)

BAGALKOT-587102
[TEQIP Lead Institute, Govt. Aided Institution, AICTE Recognized, Affiliated to VTU
Belgaum]

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

MBA PROGRAMME

Subject: Seminar REPORT

Topic : Work life Balance

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Prof. Vaibhav Deshapande Sangeeta kudagi

 Contents

Abstract 3

Introduction 4

Meaning 5

Reasons 6

Solutions 7-8

Importance 9-10

Benefits 11

Conclusion 12
ABSTRACT
Work-life balance signifies the extent to which an employee experiences feeling fulfilled and
having his or her needs met in both work and non-work facets of life. Through experiencing
greater work-life balance, individuals report feeling better in general (e.g., greater job and life
satisfaction) and tend to behave in favorable ways (e.g., lower turnover and absenteeism).
Historically, the influx of women in the workplace jumpstarted research into how female
employees could successfully care for families while working, but today work-life balance is
discussed with respect to multiple affected groups (e.g., men, single parents). In the modern
era of technology and convenience, organizations have begun to provide their employees
with helpful ways to balance their work and non-work roles through benefits like flexible
work hours, telecommuting, and so on. However, offering these benefits is not enough; the
organization and management must stand behind its promotion of healthy work-life balance
for employees by creating a culture as such and designing policies that support this initiative.
Otherwise, employees feel pressure to continuously work, which can be perpetuated by
mobile devices and constant accessibility of the internet that allows employees to transport a
workstation wherever they go. Results indicate that in general many people report
experiencing poor work-life balance but not for lack of wanting it; therefore, employers and
employees alike should consider what is most important for achieving this healthy balance.
Implications and next steps for practitioners are discussed.
INTRODUCTION
Employees with work-life balance feel their lives are fulfilled both inside and outside of work
and they experience minimal conflict between work and non-work roles. Those who achieve
this balance tend to have higher levels of satisfaction with their jobs and life in general, as
well as lower levels of stress and depression. From an employer’s viewpoint, encouraging
work-life balance may attract new hires, help reduce turnover and absenteeism, and increase
the chances of employees voluntarily engaging in “pro-social” behaviors that rise above and
beyond their job requirements. Nevertheless, findings are mixed with respect to effects of
employee work-life balance on the company’s bottom line. For example, having family-
friendly work policies, when a firm uses good management practices overall, does not detract
from profitability, but may not always increase profits. In sum, evidence suggests a work
strategy of “running yourself ragged” has costs both for meeting performance goals and
enjoying life; the employee and the organization benefit most when workers experience
greater balance between what they do on and off the clock.

The term work life balance (Work Life Balance) was coined in 1986 in response to the
growing concerns by individuals and organizations alike that work can impinge upon the
quality of family life and vice-versa, thus giving rise to the concepts of “family- work
conflict” (FWC) and “work-family conflict” (WFC). The former is also referred to as work
interferes with family” (WIF) while the latter is also known as “family interferes with
work”(FIW). In other words, from the scarcity or zero-sum perspective, time devoted to
work is construed as time taken away from one’s family life. Work/life programs existed in
the 1930s. The policies and procedures established by an organization with the goal to enable
employees to efficiently do their jobs and at the same time provide flexibility to handle
personal concerns or problems at their family People entering the workforce today are more
likely to turn down to promotions if it is new job means, the employee is having to bring
more work to home.
Meaning

Work-life balance refers to the level of prioritisation between personal and professional
activities in an individual’s life and the level to which activities related to their job are present
in the home.

The ideal work-life balance is open to discussion. Freethinker Paul Krassner said that
anthropologists often define happiness as having little or no differentiation between an
individual’s professional and personal lives.

Work-life balance is a topical issue due to the increased amount of technology that removes
the importance of physical location in defining the work-life balance. Previously it was
difficult or impossible to take work home and so there was a clear line between professional
and personal.
Reasons for poor work life balance
Trying to balance work and home life is getting harder for many workers, new research finds.

Despite an increased emphasis by many organizations on trying to improve work-life

balance, nearly 25 percent of U.S. workers say finding enough time for their work and
personal lives has gotten more difficult over the last five years, according to a study from EY,
a provider of assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services.

Employees point to a variety of reasons for their poor work-life balance, including:

1. Having salaries that haven't increased much, but expenses that have.

2. Increased responsibilities at work.

3. Working longer hours.

4. Increased responsibilities at home.

5. Having children.

Creating a positive work-life balance has been especially difficult for younger generations.
The study revealed that about 50 percent of millennials and Gen X employees have seen their
responsibilities increase at work over the last five years, while more than 40 percent said they
have seen their obligations at home increase at the same time. [3 Ways to Maintain Work-
Life Balance While Staying Connected ]The research revealed that millennials are the most
likely generation to sacrifice their professional success for an improved work-life balance.
Specifically, millennials are more willingly than their older counterparts to change jobs or
careers, give up an opportunity for a promotion or move their family to another location to
better manage their work and family lives. In addition, they're also more likely to take a pay
cut in exchange for more work flexibility.Having a flexible work structure is important for
the majority of employees globally, regardless of age. Nearly 66 percent of those surveyed
said after competitive pay and benefits, being able to work flexibly and still be on track for
promotions and work with colleagues, including their boss, who support their efforts to work
flexibly, are what they want most out of their jobs.
Solutions
1. Don't overbook.

This may seem unusual to people who try to crowbar as much as possible into every
workday. The problem is: Things rarely go according to a prearranged agenda. That means a
lot of time falling through the cracks chasing down appointments, unreturned phone calls and
other items that simply aren't going to happen. "Don't try to plan on doing too many things,"
says McGonagle. "Assume that only 50% of the things you plan on doing today will actually
get done. If you don't, you'll just waste valuable time trying to find out why things didn't
happen."

2. Prioritize ruthlessly.

The secret to booking your time effectively boils down to knowing what's important and what
can wait. But it's critical to use the sharpest knife possible in trimming the essential from the
secondary. "Learn to ask questions that help you determine the level of urgency," says Krista
Kurth, co-author of Running on Plenty at Work. "Negotiate longer lead times whenever you
can and don't give into the "instant-and-immediate answer" syndrome. Treating everything as
top priority is draining and depleting."

3. Learn how to say no.

One of the biggest land mines to effective time management is recognizing you don't have to
agree to everything and with everyone. Use your priority criteria to identify requests that
simply aren't worth your time. "I've learned that saying no to one thing opens the door to
saying yes to something else," says Kurth. "That can mean anything from cleaning my desk
to getting a good night's sleep."

4. Organize.

Bringing your time into line isn't just a matter of scheduling. The mechanics of how you
operate can be every bit as important. That means organizing most every element to allow as
smooth a workflow as possible. "Everything in your business should be set up using logical
systems so anyone needing anything can find it when they need it," says Peggy Duncan, an
Atlanta-based personal productivity authority. "Eliminating clutter and the chaos it causes
will give you a gift of 240 to 288 hours every year."

5. Use technology.

Although personal habits and practices can do wonders for time management, don't overlook
technology as yet another weapon to make the most effective use of your workday. For
instance,Microsoft Outlook with Business Contact Manager lets you organize a wide array of
customer and product particulars, allowing quick and easy access. "Sticky notes are one of
the worst things in the world," says McGonagle. "You should live by your database. That
way, nothing is ever forgotten."

6.Know it won't always be perfect.

Try as we all may, time management isn't an exact science. Don't stress out—and waste time
in the process—by obsessing over every second of time. Do what you can and enjoy
whatever time you spend more pleasantly or productively. "Be grateful for what goes right
and learn from your mistakes," says Kurth. "Act as if they were scenes in a movie that you
get to retake."
Importance of work life balance

1. To maintain your mental health

It’s unfortunate that not all employers place enough importance on mental health in the
workplace.But the topic is really prevalent at the minute, as studies show the dangers and
risks that could lead to a variety of issues, from stress-related illnesses to depression.A very
common issue that you may have heard about is burnout. This occurs when immense pressure
is put onto a person, culminating in “chronic stress.”That stress could be caused by a variety
of things, from outrageous workloads (and no work-life balance) to simply not feeling valued
for the hard work you do.If you do notice that you have been acting out of character lately
then it may be time to start assessing your work-life balance or speaking to a professional.

2. To ensure your physical health and wellbeing

And, as the old adage says: healthy body, healthy mind… so a great way to maintain your
mental health is to ensure that you are physically feeling healthy too.That includes regular
exercise and eating healthy but also not overdoing it at work!Perhaps money can buy
happiness in certain circumstances, but if you spend all of your time working or thinking
about work then it’s more than likely that it won’t. (Yes, there are some exceptions
obviously).Worse still, the stress caused from such a lifestyle can lead to other physical issues
like high blood pressure and heart disease. It’s just not worth it.

3. It increases productivity

Your company wants employees who are hard-working and productive.And staying for
unnecessarily long hours at the office might make you feel like you are contributing a lot to
the office; however the quality of work is probably worse… making the effort much less
productive.Studies reveal that those who maintain a steady work-life balance are much more
productive than those who do not. A positive way of life automatically leads to amazing
results.
4. Become a more rounded individual

If your life revolves around work, then you lose a lot of the other positive dimensions that
make you attractive to employers (and other people).Having interests outside of work will
increase and improve your skills and make you a more rounded and interesting
individual.You’ll be able to share those experiences and knowledge with other people.This is
seriously something that employers look for. That’s why you need to include a hobbies
section on your CV and that’s why they ask what you enjoy doing in your spare time.

5. You only get one life

You only get one life, so live it to the fullest.(Whatever happiness means to you, chase
it).You don’t want to get years down the line and realise you missed out; time is something
CONCLUSION

 A balanced lifestyle boosts the sense of responsibility and ownership.

 Build better relationship with management.
 Builds confidence.
 It plays an important role in improvement of employee morale.
 It reduces absenteeism, and retain organizational knowledge particularly during the
difficult economic times.
 It is necessary to understand the critical issue of work life balance and to champion in
work life programs.
 This would offer a win-win situation for employers and employees
REFERENCE

 www.thebalancecareers.com
 worklifebalance.com
 wikipedia.org