Topic 3. Work life balance

Question 1

Explain why in 2001 the quality of work life got worse.

Answer 1

Because:

• Increased work intensification and pressure
• Perceived need to slow down to have more time for persronal interests, environment and family.

Question 2

In the 1990’s downshifting appeared. What is downshifting?

Answer 2

Downshifting is swapping a life of total commitment to work and high rewards for less demanding, part-time work or self-employment.

Question 3

True or false: there are increasing numbers of employed women.

Answer 3

True.

Question 4

What are the wishes in the ageing workforce?

Answer 4

• Wishes to work fewer hours or different shift patterns

- Wishes to combine easily work with family, other commitments and any healthy problems.

Question 5

True or false: The ageing population. Employees have caring responsibilities, but only for their children.

Answer 5

False. They have caring responsibilities for their children AND elderly parents.

Question 6

Employers are forced to attract and retain talented workers. But how?

Answer 6

By:

• Introducing work-life balance policies
• communicating the image of a progressive organisation
• focussing on recruitment and retention
• by encouraging work-life balancec initiatives.

Question 7

Wat are the drivers for work-ife balance?

Answer 7

• The demographic factors
• The 24/7 society
• Work intensification
• Social responsibility of the organisation.

Question 8

24/7 society. What does this mean?

Answer 8

The traditional working hours from 9:00 to 17:00. These are not always respected.

Question 9

True or false: work intensivation is the cause of greater levels of stress. Anxiety, work overload, loss of control, pressure, long hours and insufficient personal time.

Answer 9

True.

Question 10

What is the contra reaction of work intensification?

Answer 10

Change of values.

Question 11

Who are willing to sacrifice their personal lives for total commitment to work? Especially younger workers, average workers or old workers?

Answer 11

Especially younger workers.

Question 12

True or false: Social responsibility of the organisation. Employers have a dury of care and they have to promote a healthy working environment.

Answer 12

True.

Question 13

To respond to family responsibilities, legal regulations have been introduced since several years. Which regulations?

Answer 13

• Ante-natal care
• Maternity leave
• Maternity pay

Question 14

What is ante-natal care?

Answer 14

Pregnant employees have the right to attend medical appointments without losing any pay.

Question 15

What is maternity leave?

Answer 15

Women have the right to take time off before, during and after their baby is born.

Question 16

What is maternity pay?

Answer 16

Employees will receive at least 75% of their salary during maternity leave. (paid by the mutual health insurance company)

Question 17

To respond to family responsibilities, legal regulations have been introduced since several years. Which?

Answer 17

• Parental, paternity and adoption leave.
• Time off for family members.
• The right to reques flexible working.

Question 18

What is parental, paternity and adoption leave?

Answer 18

Both parents have the right to take up unpaid leave, also in case of an adoption.

Question 19

What does time off for family members mean?

Answer 19

The right to take time off for urgent family reasons, such as falling ill, giving birth or being injured.

Question 20

What is the right to request flexible working?

Answer 20

The right is only to make a request, which means that the request can be turned down in some occasions.

Question 21

True or false: family-friendly practices are very costly and make organisations internationally less competitive.

Answer 21

True

Question 22

True or false: an argument against the family-friendly practices is that it is unfair for the employees who don’t have families.

Answer 22

True

Question 23

Which one is no argument in favour of the family-friendly practices. The combination of working with family responsibilities.
Encouragement of single mothers to work.
Father doesn’t ake a greater share of domestic responsibilities.
Needed skills and experience at the disposal of a tight labour market.

Answer 23

Father do take a greater share of domestic responsibilities.

Question 24

True or false: while legislation mainly addresses to parents, there is a strong demand for flexible work options for some employees.

Answer 24

False. For ALL employees.

Question 25

Name the three different types of work flexibility

Answer 25

- The numbers of hours worked - When these hours are worked - Where these hours are worked

Question 26

True or false: the meaning of WLB depends on the perosn and at present flexible options are mostly taken by men.

Answer 26

False. Present flexible options are mostly taken by women.

Question 27

True or false: part-time work is always recognized as a flexible option.

Answer 27

False. Part-time work remains the most popular option, but it is so common that it is not always recognised as a flexible option.

Question 28

Page 14 & 15 tabel!

Answer 28

Don't forget

Question 29

Name 5 benefits of work-life balance.

Answer 29

- Reduced absenteeism - Raise of morale - Increased job satisfaction - Increases job motivation - Positive impact on retention and recruitment. - Increased job performance by working more effectively as employees are less tired. - Sabbaticals (space and time to develop in other ways & fresh ideas into the workplace)

Question 30

Name the four problems with work-life balance.

Answer 30

1. The take-up gap 2. The manager's role in implementing WLB 3. Limits on access 4. Lack of strategic approach (explanation in the sheets)

Question 31

The perception that WLB is for a particular group, that is women with children, creates two problems. Which?

Answer 31

1. These women are seen as employees not interested in a real career which limits their career development. 2. They can be aliented from the rest of the workforce who are not allowed to these special privileges.

Question 32

What are the two reasons of the take-up gap?

Answer 32

1. It costs the organisation a lot of money | 2. Some people are financially committed to full-time hours.

Question 33

True or false: the role of the manager in implementing WLB can disturb the introduction and implementation.

Answer 33

True

Question 34

How can manager's disturb the introduction and implementation of WLB?

Answer 34

– They think flexible working damages the performance targets of the team – They think flexible working for some means higher workloads for others – Pressure on them to be fair; they have to decide who will be allowed to work flexible.

Question 35

Increasing the independency of employees so that they can make autonomous decisions without consulting. Which concept is this?

Answer 35

Empowerment.

Question 36

True or false: the most common mistake in WLB is transforming full-time work into part-time work without thinking about the long-term objectives, the nature of the job and the workload in general.

Answer 36

Very true

Question 37

True or false: part-time workers always feel satisfied with their job.

Answer 37

False. Part-time workers can have the impression doing full-time job in part-time hours and with a part-time staff.