1. Flexible Working Hours & Work-Life Balance
A Presentation by Novera Ansar

2. A Piece of News
PTCL implements flexible work arrangements ( Islamabad): PTCL has introduced new flexible work arrangements to facilitate its employees. 
The new steps include flexible working hours for all employees and work from home facility for the working mothers of the company.
Launched under the umbrella of ‘WorkEase’, these initiatives are designed to further promote a culture that encourages work-life-balance, diversity inclusion and boost employee engagement.

3. Work Life Balance
Nowadays work-life balance has become a common apprehension for both employees and employer due to:
demographic changes
women participation in work
increasing number of dual career families
and change in work settings.
Work life balance is the state of equilibrium where any person is able to get satisfies with personal and professional life.

4. Research Background on Work-Life Balance
‘Overworked Employees’ and ‘Time squeeze.’
Adoption of International HRM practices.
Idea of high-performance or high-commitment work systems.
Evidence of employer practices increasing work demands: groups/teams, performance related pay, appraisals.

5. Main questions for our discussion
Why do conflicts between working life and family life arise?
Do long hours increase employees’ feelings of conflict between work and family life?
Do specific HRM practices increase these feelings?
Do flexible working hours & time choices reduce these feelings?
Are feelings of work-family conflict higher in women with young children?

6. Negative ‘work to home’ Spillover
‘How often would you say the following statements are true of yourself? (Almost always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never)
After work I have too little time to carry out my family
responsibilities as I would like.
My job allows me to give the time I would like to my
partner/family.
My partner/family gets a bit fed up with the pressure
of my job.’

7. Some Of The Changes Occurring In The Society
globalization
informatisation
cultural diversity
customer orinted-ness,
dynamics of demands on the job market
intellectual capital
key competencies
new HRM systems
dealing with stress

8. What is Workplace Flexibility?
Workplace Flexibility or Flexible Work
Arrangement is a business strategy that allows workers to make choices about core aspects of their work, such as:
Time - when and how long work is performed,
Place - where work is performed, and/or
Task - the specific tasks that are performed at work.
Workplace flexibility Though traditional and well‐known types of work
flexibility (such as telework, flex‐time, paid and unpaid leave, and job sharing) are most often
used, less traditional methods (such as phased retirement) are also helpful in assisting workers
achieve an improved work‐life balance. Various flexible strategies can be offered to employees
and combined to address the needs of employees with complex employment situations.
The ODEP‐WB Forum expanded the scope of traditional workplace flexibility to include flexibility
around job tasks through job‐task negotiation—that is, understanding the ways an individual’s
job can be structured or restructured so that it meets the needs of both the employer and
employee as an important addition to the traditional workplace flexibility definition that
focuses only on time and place.
IBM found that employees with flexibility report less life stress that employers who do not offer flexibility. Bristol-Myers Squibb and New England-based financial services company. Look at how this impacted hourly vs. no hourly workers. It’s more than a matter of practicality and job requirements. It does have a dramatic impact on a person’s work life balance and health and productivity. Building workforce flexibility to support the client facing roles the retail and hospitality where engagement is critical in the level of commitment needs to be high for these client and service positions. It is a business necessity and a business tool. It is dangerous for management take the attitude that hourly workers are to be structured, and require physical presence, for specified. At times. Flex time, compressed work schedules or other options have proven successful by several companies, Texas instruments 60% have a compressed work week schedules in manufacturing.

9. Flexible Work Arrangements
Compressed Work Week: fewer, longer days
Flextime: A work schedule with variable starting and ending times, within limits set by one’s manager.
Part-time Work
Personal or Family Leave: A block of time off while retaining one’s job. maybe paid or unpaid)
Home based - Staff conduct business from their homes.
Telecommuting/telework center: - Two or more staff members share office operations and space for a single employer to reduce commute time, alleviate traffic/parking/congestion problems.
Other Best Practices
No‐ (or low‐) cost best practices that can improve employee job satisfaction and productivity.
Schedule control means creating regular and predictable work schedules. Workplace flexibility
strategies designed to allow employees more schedule control, which have also been
documented to improve employee engagement and job satisfaction are: flextime, compressed
time, reduced time, job sharing, teleworking, career exit and reentry, scheduling choices, short time
leave, episodic leave, and extended leave.
Traditional flextime allows employees to arrange the start and end of their work day
around an employer’s established core operating hours. The compressed work week
permits employees to work their specified hours over fewer days, with some companies
even offering “summer hours” in which employees may end their day at 1 p.m. on
Fridays as long they work longer days Monday through Thursday. For workers who are
looking for fewer hours overall, the reduced time option allows part‐time employees to
work fewer hours throughout the entire work week (Monday through Friday), while job
sharing allows two employees to share one full‐time job. Some employers even allow
their full‐time employees to reduce their hours to as few as 30 per week without losing
their “full‐time” status and employee benefits such as health insurance coverage, paid
vacation, and sick leave. This option allows for employee job security in the event of
unexpected or expected life events. Additionally, career‐exit and reentry policies allow
for flexibility in the entry, exit, and reentry of an employee at the same job.
Short‐term, episodic, and extended time‐off policies allow employees to leave work
without repercussions when the need arises to care for a family member, for self‐care,
or to attend to responsibilities unrelated to work. While short‐term leave is used by
workers who need one to five days off, extended time off is often better suited to the
needs of employees (or a family member of the employee) with disabilities and/or
chronic health conditions who need to take time off to receive medical care, respite
care, rehabilitation, or other health‐related services.
Flex‐coupons allow workers take a couple hours off when they need to attend to their
non‐work obligations. These hours are stored and added to the shift.
Shift change policies that allow workers to swap shifts with their colleagues. This can
include donated leave policies.
Companies can reduce operating costs by more than $6,500 for every person who telecommutes just once a week. Lister, K. & Harnish, T. (2010). Workshifting Benefits: The Bottom Line. CA: Telework Research Network.

10. Flexible Work Arrangements (cont.)
Virtual office - Staff have the skills, equipment, tools and technology to perform job duties from wherever the person needs to be: home, office, car, etc.
Job Sharing - two or more part-time employees share the responsibilities of one full-time job at a pro-rated salary.
Job Carving – Customizing a position by keeping one or more, but not all, of the tasks from the original job description.
More commonly known as telecommuting, formal flexible work place arrangements are very different from the informal practice of professional and administrative staff occasionally working at home. The university offers a more formal arrangement for flexible work schedule at an alternate location, such as a staff member's home, one or more days a week.
Telecommuting:
Telecommuting: Regularly work at home or at an alternative worksite during part or all of a work schedule. Companies can reduce operating costs by more than $6,500 for every person who telecommutes just once a week.
Source:
Other Best Practices
No‐ (or low‐) cost best practices that can improve employee job satisfaction and productivity.
Schedule control means creating regular and predictable work schedules. Workplace flexibility
strategies designed to allow employees more schedule control, which have also been
documented to improve employee engagement and job satisfaction are: flextime, compressed
time, reduced time, job sharing, teleworking, career exit and reentry, scheduling choices, short time
leave, episodic leave, and extended leave.
Traditional flextime allows employees to arrange the start and end of their work day
around an employer’s established core operating hours. The compressed work week
permits employees to work their specified hours over fewer days, with some companies
even offering “summer hours” in which employees may end their day at 1 p.m. on
Fridays as long they work longer days Monday through Thursday. For workers who are
looking for fewer hours overall, the reduced time option allows part‐time employees to
work fewer hours throughout the entire work week (Monday through Friday), while job
sharing allows two employees to share one full‐time job. Some employers even allow
their full‐time employees to reduce their hours to as few as 30 per week without losing
their “full‐time” status and employee benefits such as health insurance coverage, paid
vacation, and sick leave. This option allows for employee job security in the event of
unexpected or expected life events. Additionally, career‐exit and reentry policies allow
for flexibility in the entry, exit, and reentry of an employee at the same job.
Short‐term, episodic, and extended time‐off policies allow employees to leave work
without repercussions when the need arises to care for a family member, for self‐care,
or to attend to responsibilities unrelated to work. While short‐term leave is used by
workers who need one to five days off, extended time off is often better suited to the
needs of employees (or a family member of the employee) with disabilities and/or
chronic health conditions who need to take time off to receive medical care, respite
care, rehabilitation, or other health‐related services.
Flex‐coupons allow workers take a couple hours off when they need to attend to their
non‐work obligations. These hours are stored and added to the shift.
Shift change policies that allow workers to swap shifts with their colleagues. This can
include donated leave policies.
Companies can reduce operating costs by more than $6,500 for every person who telecommutes just once a week. Lister, K. & Harnish, T. (2010). Workshifting Benefits: The Bottom Line. CA: Telework Research Network.

11. Which employers are Flexible?
Currently, employers most likely to be moderately to highly flexible:
are non-profits;
are larger; >500 employees
have more women in their workforces;
have fewer hourly employees;
have more part-timer employees, and
have more women and racial or ethnic minorities in top/ senior positions.
In sum, nonprofits offer more programs, policies and benefits than for-profits do, making them an
interesting choice for employees who want employer support in managing their work and personal
lives. Furthermore, employers with more diversity in top/senior positions provide more support.
When these initiatives cost money (caregiving leaves, child and elder care assistance and health and
economic security), employers that are larger also are more likely to provide a higher level of support.

12. Employers Main Reasons For Implementing Work Life Balance Initiatives
Retention of employees
Help employees manage work and family life
Improves Morale
Legal mandates
Responsive to needs of workforce and workplace
Integrates Work-Life-Health
Increases job satisfaction, loyalty and engagement
Lowers stress and health care costs
Improves productivity and performance
It is the right thing to do
Employers Main Reasons For Implementing Work Life Balance Initiatives
MAIN REASONS and FOR IMPLEMENTING
WORK LIFE INITIATIVES Employers with eight or more work life policies or programs (flexible time, caregiving leaves and dependent care assistance) were asked the main reasons they have implemented these initiatives. It was an open-ended question for which employers could say whatever they wanted and could give multiple reasons.
As shown in Table 23, the main reason cited by employers for developing workplace flexibility,caregiving leaves and dependent care initiatives is the retention of employees in general (37%), with fewer mentioning the retention of highly-skilled employees (12%). Although a lot of the discussion in the work life field is around retaining highly skilled employees, employers appear motivated to retain employees in general. The second most important reason is helping employees manage work and family life (16%), followed by improving morale—important in a period of economic uncertainty—and legal mandates (both 12%), recruiting employees in general and “it is the right thing to do” (both 11%).
It is clear that employers are motivated by a combination of business reasons—retention and
recruitment—as well as the desire to help employees.

13. What if a company is not concerned about work life balance ?
An employee:
is not able to work in an effective and flexible way
is not able to concentrate on his/ her tasks
makes mistakes, even causes accidents
may not respect some procedures and regulations
is often on a sick leave
may avoid changes and new challenges
may leave the company

14. Myths
Flexible workplace strategies are only for special interest groups such as individuals with disabilities or women with small children or favor for Individuals.
Flexible strategies are too expensive to implement, especially for small employers.
Offering flexibility to low-wage employees isn’t worth the investment.
Flexibility is wasted on employees in high- turnover industries such as retail, hospitality, restaurant, and tourism.
PUSH BULLET ONCE
Workplace flexibility is a universal strategy that is beneficial to all working parents, older
workers, individuals with disabilities, and most others who seek a balance between their work
and personal lives. Only 34% do. The majority of managers (60-77%) studied believe that flexibility is a business strategy

15. Make Changes in your Mind Set & Perceptions
So: stop, then: feel and think……………don’t expect others to do that for you.
What is important for you?
What would you like to achieve?
Who would you like to be?
Expand your imagination.
Take your decisions.
Be calm.
Specify your goals.
Find a balance.
Take your first step 

16. References
ODEP Workplace Flexibility Toolkit -
Employer Alliance Work-Life Toolkit –
How to Ask for a Flexible Work Arrangement -
Customized Employment and Flexible Work Arrangements -
Negotiating with Employers -
Campaign to support WLB
Work-life Balance and the Economics Of Workplace Flexibility
Business Impacts of Flexibility
Worker