EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Work-life balance is a broad concept including proper prioritizing between

"work" (career and ambition) on one hand and "life"
(Health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development) on the other. Related, though
broader, terms include "lifestyle balance" and "life balance".

Balance is the key to lead a successful and beautiful life which includes
everything but in balance. It is important in everyone’s life be it in the life of an
entrepreneur, student or a housewife to maintain a balance between various aspects of
their daily routine. A student must know how to balance between his studies and
curricular activities; otherwise he will fail in one or the other thing. It is equally important
that we maintain our balance between materialistic and spiritual or religious life as well.

Our life has so many things to deal with, like our relationships, work, health,
entertainment , responsibilities for family and country etc and to be successful in all these
aspects, we must know how maintain balance between all of them.

In our everyday life, it is the work which occupies the major part of our life and
many people get so occupied with their work that they end up neglecting other important
things of their life. In corporate world where there is huge pressure on employees to meet
their deadlines and long working hours, people really have lost balance in their lives.
There is no denial that one can not survive without work because this is what ultimately
gives you the money which is the source of everyone’s survival but along with work
other things are also necessary. Sometimes some goal or target grabs so much of our
attention that we forget everything else and devote all our energy in accomplishing that
goal. Achieving goals or targets is not bad but leaving everything else behind for that one
particular goal or target can be harmful for an individual.

Time management is the solution to most of our problems. Everybody is provided

with twenty four hours only but it depends upon us how we utilize them. And within
these limited hours only we have to accomplish all our tasks along with giving rest to our

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bodies and minds. And to manage the time, it is very important that we set our priorities
for our life. When we set our priorities, then it becomes easy to divide our attention
according them. For some people it’s their work which is a priority, so they spend more
time with their work. When we divide our time according to our priorities, then there are
very few chances that we will not be leading a balanced life.

In the end what matters is that we live a life in which we are happy and does not
hold any regret that we are missing out something because we don’t have enough time.
When we will manage our time wisely according to our priorities, then it will never be so
difficult for us to maintain balance in our life.

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INTRODUCTION

What is Work Life Balance?

Work-life balance is about creating and maintaining supportive and healthy work
environments, which will enable employees to have balance between work and personal
responsibilities and thus strengthen employee loyalty and productivity.
Today’s workers have many competing responsibilities such as work, children,
housework, volunteering, spouse and elderly parent care and this places stress on
individuals, families and the communities in which they reside. Work-life conflict is a
serious problem that impacts workers, their employers and communities.

The concept of work-life balance is based on the notion that paid work and
personal life should be seen less as competing priorities than as complementary elements
of a full life. The way to achieve this is to adopt an approach that is “conceptualised as a
two way process involving a consideration of the needs of employees as well as those of
employers”. In order to engage employers in this process it is important to demonstrate
the benefits that can be derived from employment policies and practices that support
work-life balance, and the scope that exists for mitigating their negative effects on the
management of the business.

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Why does Work life Balance matter to Employers and Employees?

Work life and personal life are inter-connected and interdependent. Spending
more time in office, dealing with clients and the pressures of job can interfere and affect
the personal life, sometimes making it impossible to even complete the household chores.
On the other hand, personal life can also be demanding if you have a kid or aging parents,
financial problems or even problems in the life of a dear relative. It can lead to
absenteeism from work, creating stress and lack of concentration at work.

This emphasis on individual needs is very important. At a time when diversity is

increasingly characterising the workplace there can no longer be any one approach fits
all. The needs of people are likely to vary widely according to age, stage in life, gender,
wider family circumstances and so on. An effective work-life balance strategy will have
the flexibility to accommodate the needs of different types of employees so that they can
all contribute to the business.

The adoption of work-life balance policies and practices can improve an

organisation’s ability to respond to customers’ demands for increased access to services
and deal with changes in a way that can be satisfactory to both employers and employees.
There is also evidence which suggests that employers who support a work-life balance
ethos and offer flexible working arrangements are likely to have a competitive advantage
in the labour market; in particular in relation to the new generation of employees.

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History of Work Life Balance

The expression was first used in the late 1970s to describe the balance between an
individual's work and personal life. In the United States, this phrase was first used in
1986.
Over the past twenty-five years, there has been a substantial increase in work which is
felt to be due, in part, by information technology and by an intense, competitive work
environment. Long-term loyalty and a "sense of corporate community" have been eroded
by a performance culture that expects more and more from their employees yet offers
little security in return.
Many experts predicted that technology would eliminate most household chores
and provide people with much more time to enjoy leisure activities; but many ignore this
option, encouraged by prevailing consumerist culture and a political agenda that has
"elevated the work ethic to unprecedented heights and thereby reinforced the low value
and worth attached to parenting".
Many Americans are experiencing burnout due to overwork and increased stress.
This condition is seen in nearly all occupations from blue collar workers to upper
management. Over the past decade, rises in workplace violence, an increase in levels
of absenteeism as well as rising workers’ compensation claims are all evidence of an
unhealthy work life balance.
Employee assistance professionals say there are many causes for this situation
ranging from personal ambition and the pressure of family obligations to the accelerating
pace of technology. According to a recent study for the Center of Work-Life Policy, 1.7
million people consider their jobs and their work hours excessive because of
globalization.
These difficult and exhausting conditions are having adverse effects. According to
the study, fifty percent of top corporate executives are leaving their current positions.
Although sixty-four percent of workers feel that their work pressures are "self-inflicted",
they state that it is taking a toll on them. The study shows that seventy percent of US
respondents and eighty-one percent of global respondents say their jobs are affecting their
health.

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Changing & increasing work pressures

A decade back, employees used to have fixed working hours or rather a 9 to 5 job
from Monday to Friday. The boundary between the work and home has disappeared with
time. But with globalization and people working across countries, the concept of fixed
working hours is fading away. Instead of just 7 or 8 a day, people are spending as much
as 12-16 hours every day in office. In recent years there has been an intensifying debate
about the rights, wrongs and responsibilities of recognizing the value of providing greater
cohesion between the various elements in their lives.

The technological blessings like e-mail, text messaging and cell phones which
were thought of as tools to connect them to their work being away from their workplace,
have actually integrated their personal and professional lives. Now professionals find
themselves working even when they are on vacations.

The ever-increasing working hours leave the individuals with less time for
themselves and to pursue his hobbies or leisure activities. This hinders the growth of the
person as an individual in terms of his personal and spiritual growth. Professionals
working in the BPO industry, doctors and nurses and especially IT professionals are the
few examples who are facing the brunt of the hazard constantly.

Reasons for imbalance

There are various reasons for this imbalance and conflicts in the life of an
employee. From individual career ambitions to pressure to cope up with family or work,
the reasons can be situation and individual specific. The speed of advancement of
information technology, the increasing competition in the talent supply market has led to
a "performance-driven" culture creating pressures and expectations to performance more
and better every time. Also, many a times, many people find it difficult to say "NO" to
others especially their superiors. They usually end up over burdening themselves with
work. The increasing responsibilities on the personal front with age can also create stress
on personal and professional fronts.

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Making Work Life Balance Work

This has been divided into two parts Part A and Part B respectively.
Part A
Outlines the basics of introducing a flexible work strategy into an organization for
the first time. It includes steps for assessing, developing and documenting flexible work
arrangements that suit both employee and organizational needs, and establishing processes
to measure the success of work life initiatives.
Part B
Focuses on how to make flexible work initiatives a normal part of workplace
culture. It outlines a range of strategies that organizations can use to develop a business
where workplace flexibility is encouraged and supported.

Part A
Step One: Identify the work needs of the employees
Step Two: Assess what will work in your organization
Step Three: Document your arrangements
Step Four: Establish processes to measure success

Developing a flexible work strategy

This section provides steps for introducing a flexible work strategy into an organization
for the first time - assessing, developing and documenting flexible work practices that suit
both employee and organizational needs.
1. focuses on identifying the flexible work requirements of employees.
2. stresses the importance of implementing flexible work practices that meet the
needs of your organization and its clients.
3. involves documenting new work arrangements and ensuring that initiatives meet
legal requirements.
4. focuses on establishing ongoing measurement processes to ensure that flexible
work practices remain relevant to the organization and its workforce.

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What are flexible work practices?
There are a wide variety of initiatives that organizations can introduce as part of a
flexible work strategy. Many of these focus on greater flexibility in hours and work
arrangements, some relate to leave arrangements and other focus on provision of
assistance to employees in the workplace.

Step One: Identify the work needs of the employees

Understanding which initiatives will be most beneficial in attracting and retaining
staff is the key to developing an effective flexible work strategy.
The types of flexibilities that will appeal to any organization’s workforce will depend on
where employees are at in their work life cycle. Many organizations have concentrations
of employees from a particular gender or age cohort, particularly within sections of
occupations. The first step in developing a flexible work strategy focuses on identifying
the needs and desires of current employees, and determining which flexible work options
would best assist them to balancing work and lifestyle commitments.

The aim of this first step is to gather information about the specific flexible work needs of
employees within your organization. Some strategies for identifying needs are:
• asking employees individually (this may work best in small workplaces);
• discussion with employees in staff meetings;
• holding focus groups;
• asking employees through general surveys, or via managers and supervisors; or
• undertaking a formal work life balance survey.

In larger organizations, it might be useful to establish a work life balance

consultative group with representatives from various sections and/or roles within the
business. The consultative group could work on identifying the needs of employees and
then assist with the other steps in implementing flexible work practices. Be aware that the
needs of the workforce may change over time, as employees change their family and
lifestyle arrangements. It is important to regularly check that flexible work initiatives are
continuing to meet employee needs.

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Conducting a work life balance survey
Conducting a work life balance survey is not a complex process. The survey should be
short and simple, and could be used to:
• find out more about employees’ work life preferences;
• provide employees with a list of flexible work practices and other initiatives that may be
made available; and
• ask employees which options they would use if made available.
Remember to ensure that employees have confidentiality when providing survey
information.

The Better Work Life Balance Survey

The Better Work Life Balance Survey is a free questionnaire to help employers in
evaluating and improving their work life balance policies. The Survey aims to measure
how effectively organizations accommodate work life balance, by assessing employee’s
awareness of work life balance policies and their comfort levels in using these policies.

Step Two: Assess what will work in your organization

Flexible work initiatives need to work for the organization as well as for
employees. The second step in developing a flexible work strategy is to assess what
flexibility initiatives will be feasible for your workplace. It is important to think broadly
when examining the impact of flexible work arrangements. For example, establishing a
job sharing arrangement might require additional time in the setup phase, but result in a
higher level of productivity in the long term. Major issues to consider in relation to the
feasibility of flexible work arrangements include:
• required client or customer contact hours / opening hours;
• minimum staffing requirements in both busy and quiet times;
• equipment operating needs; and
• workload peaks and troughs.

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Associated issues such as insurance, worker’s compensation, legal liability, security,
taxation and superannuation implications, equity and supervision need to be considered
carefully for some of the flexible work practice options.

Undertake a cost-benefit analysis

It is also important to consider the cost and level of administrative support required
for any new initiatives. Some initiatives, such as establishing a workplace family room,
may require initial expenditure but be very cost efficient in the long term.
As part of the decision making process, employers could conduct a cost benefit analysis of
proposed flexible work arrangements to ensure there are real advantages to both the
employer and employees, and that the advantages outweigh costs.
As staff turnover has cost implications, employers could calculate the cost of staff
turnover, i.e. the costs of:
• paying out accrued hours and leave entitlements;
• temporary replacements or overtime until the job is filled;
• advertising, selection and recruitment; and
• induction; and on and off the job training time for the new employee and supervisors.
Any additional costs of flexible work initiatives, such as the cost of additional equipment
in setting up a workplace family room or working from home arrangements, should be
calculated over the life of the equipment and be offset against savings associated with
retaining skilled productive employees.

Trial and see

Trialing a new flexible work arrangement is a good way to see if it suits both
employees and the organization. A short term trial could be agreed with a fixed end date,
and a review undertaken at the end of the trial to determine its effectiveness.

Flexible work is for everyone

It is important to remember that employees of any age or gender may desire more
flexible work arrangements. Flexible work arrangements can help attract and retain

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mature age employees, employees who have elder care or child care responsibilities and
employees who wish for more flexibility in hours to better meet their lifestyle preferences.

What makes flexible work initiatives successful?

The best flexible work initiatives are those that are:
• Consistent with the employer’s short and long term objectives of improving workplace
flexibility, productivity and efficiency;
• integrated into the organization’s business plan and human resource policies;
• Adaptable to meet the changing needs of the employer and employees;
• Supported by managers and supervisors;
• Available to all employees;
• Clearly explained so that employees are informed of the options available, the rules and
conditions that apply and the benefits which are expected by the employer;
• Well promoted to encourage employees and supervisors to make use of the flexible work
practices;
• Not too disruptive to normal work requirements;
• Not risking any occupational health or safety standards for the employer or employees;
• Measured and evaluated to ensure benefits are being achieved; and
• Monitored and reviewed to meet the changing needs of the employer and employees.

Calculating the cost of paid parental leave

Paid parental leave is a being implemented by many organizations as a strategy for
retaining experienced staff. Paid parental can result in increased return rates of employees
for parental leave, as well as recognition for organizations as good employers.
The average cost of paid parental leave can be easily calculated. Using the minimum
standard for paid maternity leaves set by the International Labour Organization, which is
14 weeks paid leave and the average number of employee per year who take parental
leave.
The cost of providing additional paid leave to employees will be offset by the costs
incurred in replacing employees who do not return from parental leave including paying

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out employment entitlements; training new employees; conducting recruitment processes
and lost experience and corporate knowledge.

Step three: Document your arrangements

It is important to formalise any new work arrangements in writing. The third step in
developing a flexible work strategy is documenting your arrangements.
Flexible work arrangements can be documented in any way that suits your organisation.
In larger workplaces, a formal human resource policy on flexible work practices may be
appropriate.
Alternatives include detailing flexible work arrangements:
• in staff manuals;
• in induction handbooks;
• on the work notice board; or
• or business intranet.
Make sure that all employees are aware of where to find the information.
Having a written version of all flexible work arrangements is essential so that employees
can be made aware of policies and initiatives available, and so that employees can plan for
current and future needs. Documentation can also assist both managers and employees by
establishing a clear and transparent process for assessing any requests for flexible work
arrangements.

Making it legal
Organizations must ensure that any new flexible work arrangement is consistent with their
obligations under industrial relations laws and relevant awards, agreements, and/or
contracts of employment. State and federal legislation both provide minimum entitlements
to annual leave, bereavement leave, parental leave and career’s leave.
For example, a proposed flexible working hours arrangement must adhere to the ‘hours of
work’ clause in the relevant award. If there is conflict between award requirements and the
proposed arrangement, employers may wish to formalize these negotiations via a certified
agreement.

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Developing a flexible policy
Flexible work policies do not need to be long and complex documents. They should
clearly outline the provisions relating to each flexible work arrangement. Key information
that could be included is:
• the aim or purpose of the policy and the flexible work initiative;
• the nature of the provision;
• eligibility criteria if any;
• the application process including who has decision making ability;
• an appeal process if appropriate; and
• the date when the policy is effective and when it will be reviewed.

Step four: Establish processes to measure your success

The fourth step in developing a flexible work strategy is to establish processes that
measure the success (or lack of success) of any initiatives.
Ongoing assessment will help ensure that your flexible work practices remain relevant to
the needs of the organisation and its workforce.
What is practical to measure will depend on the size and nature of your organisation. The
table below provides a range of suggested areas where it may be possible to measure the
effects of work life balance initiatives.

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Area What can be measured?
Staff Retention  Staff turnover rate, number of job vacancies.
 Cost of replacing an employee, including advertising,
recruitment costs, on and off the job training costs and
administration costs.

Staff Attraction  Number of applicants for each job vacancy advertised

 Cost of recruitment, induction and training

Usage rates of work life  Number of employees working part time, number using
flexible work hours, number of employees taking paid
balance initiatives
parental leave etc

Productivity  Workload indicators

 Productivity indicators

Absenteeism  Amount of sick leave taken per employee.

Satisfaction with work  Employee satisfaction with flexible work arrangements

through balance initiatives survey of focus groups
life balance initiatives
 Employee satisfaction with work life balance, job
satisfaction and wellness through repeat work life
balance survey
 Management satisfaction and/or problems with flexible
work arrangements through survey or focus groups

Cost of initiatives  Costs of setting up home based work facilities (offset

with reduced cost of office accommodation if
appropriate
 Costs of additional paid leave provided to employees.
 Additional administration costs if any

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Part B
Making flexible work ‘normal’ practice
This second section focuses on how to make flexible work initiatives part of the
normal practice of any organization. It outlines a range of suggested strategies that
organizations can use to help introduce a culture where flexible work is encouraged and
supported.
One of the major challenges for organizations is to turn a flexible work policy into
practice and ensure employees are actually using flexibilities. Unfortunately, in some
organizations the availability of flexible work policies does not necessarily result in
widespread take-up by employees. This divide between the availability and utilization of
work life initiatives is often referred to as an “implementation gap”.
An implementation gap may exist in organizations for a variety of reasons. These include
issues of organizational culture, management support and employee perceptions - all of
which can lead to a lack of acceptance of flexible work as part of normal work.
There is often a misconception that certain types of work cannot be performed in a
flexible way. It may be difficult for management to fully support flexible work options
due to a lack of time, or knowledge about how to manage such practices. A lack, or a
perceived lack, of true organizational support may send a message to employees that
utilizing flexible work options will be detrimental to their career.

The three steps described in this section focus on overcoming the potential causes of an
implementation gap - by better integrating flexible work arrangements into everyday work
and organizational culture. The steps are not necessarily sequential. They can be
implemented concurrently or in the order that best suits organizational needs.

Step One: Concerned with support and training for managers and supervisors.
Step Two: Emphasizes the importance of employee communication to encourage a high
take up of flexible work options
Step Three: Covers strategies for integrating flexible work into an organisation’s standard
employment practices.

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Understanding the implementation gap
Despite senior management being committed to work life balance and a wide range of
flexible working arrangements being available, the project found a poor take-up rate of
part time work, home based work, and phased retirement options.
The major reason for this poor take-up rate was the various operational pressures faced by
middle management. It recommended that middle managers required greater corporate
support to successfully balance operational requirements and the needs of individual staff
members.

Step One: Concerned with support and training for managers and supervisors
Managers and supervisors play a key role in implementing a flexible work strategy.
Individual managers are usually responsible for assessing requests for flexible work
arrangements, and management attitudes is a driving force for workplace culture.
Step one focuses on strategies for providing managers and supervisors with the
information and tools they need to effectively manage flexible work arrangements.

Educate managers about the business imperative for flexible work

Managers and supervisors need to be active supporters of the organisation’s flexible work
strategy.
Managers need to be aware of the business imperative for flexibility, including the role of
flexible work arrangements as an attraction and retention tool for valuable employees.

Provide training for managers

Effectively managing employees on flexible work arrangements is a leadership skill, and it
should not be assumed that all managers or supervisors are comfortable and competent
with this task.
Equipping managers and supervisors to assess requests for flexible work arrangements,
implement change, and manage employees who are working flexibly is an essential part of
fully implementing a flexible work strategy. Training management also sends a clear
message to all employees that the organisation takes work life balance seriously.

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Flexible work training for management could include information on how they can best
manage their own work and lifestyle commitments, as well as supporting work life
balance for employees.
A key focus area should be the allocation of work and management of performance of
employees who are not in the workplace for a standard working week.

Provide simple processes and procedures

The work to be undertaken by managers and supervisors in approving requests for flexible
work options, and in supervising employees on flexible work arrangements, should be
supported by simple and clear policies, procedures and documentation. Policies and
procedures could be accompanied by how to guides, checklists and examples for
managers to follow when dealing with a request for flexible working arrangements.

Encourage managers to use flexible work options

Managers and other senior staff should be encouraged to improve their own work life
balance and model flexible work options. This can send an important message to all
employees that using flexible working arrangements is acceptable. When flexible work
arrangements are used by managers, they are more likely to be requested by employees.

Management sets a good example

One organisation has a senior management position being job shared by two long-term
employees, a female employee who has a young child, and a male employee who is on a
phased retirement arrangement.
Each works two set days per week, and they alternate each Friday, so that each works
exactly half time hours. Handover is done through emails, providing updates on workload
and key issues.

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Reward managers who actively encourage flexible work
Managers should be recognized and rewarded for encouraging flexible work and
managing staff on flexible working arrangements. The nature of the reward will
obviously differ depending on the organization, but could include a bonus, a mention in
the staff newsletter, or a congratulatory letter from the CEO when a specific milestone is
reached.

Step Two: Communicate your flexible work strategy

Communication is a key tool in integrating flexible work into organizational culture. Step
six outlines a range of communication strategies that can raise awareness of flexible work
initiatives.
Communicate regularly
Regular ongoing communication about flexible work is important to the success of any
strategy.
Employees should be regularly made aware that flexible work options are available, and
that the organization supports these options being used.
Some suggestions for regular communication:
• dedicate regular time to flexibility discussions at staff meetings;
• remind employees of flexible work policies in organizational circulars, emails or
newsletters;
• find examples of employees who are working flexibly and publicize them as case
studies;
• develop a flexible work section on your organization’s intranet or in the employee
handbook; and
• include an information brochure on flexible work options in all employees’ pay slips
once each year.

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Use flexible work as a recruitment tool
An organization’s perceived support for flexible work and the availability of flexible work
options can be a major attraction for potential employees. Information on the options
available should be included in any information made available to job applicants.
However, it is important to ensure that any claims made in job advertisements about
flexibility are matched by reality, and that workplace culture actively promotes all
employees using flexible work arrangements.

Acknowledge key life events

Major events or changes in an employee’s personal life often signal a need for a change in
working arrangements. Organizations may want to encourage and support the use of
flexible work arrangements by providing information tailored to major life events.
Employees who are pregnant, having a first grandchild, or having to care for an elderly
parent may benefit from information on flexible initiatives specifically for their
circumstances. Mature age workers may be interested in information sessions on phased
retirement or part time work so they understand their options for remaining in the
workforce.

Communicate to new employees

All new employees should be made aware of the flexible work options available to them
during the induction process. The organization’s flexible work strategy and information
on specific work options should be included in employee handbooks and induction
materials.

Communicate by example
The best method of highlighting to employees that your organization is serious about
workplace flexibility is to communicate by example. Having role models for flexible
work at all levels of the organization is critical to the success of any flexible work
strategy.

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In an organization serious about work life balance, both employees and managers should
take advantage of flexible work arrangements and actively trying to maintain a balance
between work and life, particularly in terms of reducing work hours.

Celebrate flexible work arrangements

Organizations should celebrate successful flexible work arrangements. Case studies of
teams with large numbers of part time employees, or of sections reaching significant
milestones, such as all managers having undertaken work life training, should be
promoted across the organization and to external clients if appropriate.

Communication encourages return to work

Providing a ‘parental leave pack’ to pregnant employees may encourage them to return to
work sooner. The pack may contain information on:
• parental leave entitlements;
• return to work options; and
• the availability for support for breastfeeding responsibilities.
It will also send a clear message that the organization values their skills and ongoing
contribution to the workplace.

Step Three: Make flexible work standard practice

The integration of flexible work options into all workplace arrangements is a key element
in fully implementing a flexible work strategy. The facilitation of flexible work needs to
become a standard part of all human resources policies and workplace practices.
Step seven suggests some strategies for integrating flexible work into your organisation’s
standard employment practices.

Include a commitment to flexible work in job descriptions

Job descriptions or role statements can provide a framework for cultural expectations on
employees as well as outlining specific job requirements. It may be appropriate to add
support for flexible work arrangements into job descriptions of managers and supervisors
within the organization.

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Incorporate work life balance into performance management
There can be a significant link between work performance and the state of an
employee’s work life balance. Employees who are not able to balance work and lifestyle
commitments may be suffering stress, and work performance may decrease.
An employee’s working arrangements could be included as a standard topic for discussion
at performance development and performance review sessions. This would provide all
employees with a formal way to discuss current work arrangements and potential changes
to improve flexibility.
It is also important to ensure that any system of performance management or
workplace rewards focuses on rewarding outcomes rather than rewarding hours worked.
Directly or indirectly rewarding long hours will send a strong message to employees that
the organization is not supportive of work life balance, and may financially disadvantage
part time employees or other employees using flexible work arrangements.

Keep your flexible work strategy up-to-date

A flexible work strategy should be a dynamic document and reviewed on a regular basis.
Changes in workforce demographics or in the family situation of employees can also
result in new or different flexible work initiatives being important for employees.

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Benefits of Work Life Balance

Finding a ‘perfect’ balance between work and life is rare.  The nature of that balance is
different for every person, and changes over time for each person.  So we shouldn’t strive
for perfection, but to constantly be aware of making choices that will benefit all aspects
of our lives.
Achieving work/life balance is an investment – it does take time and effort to implement
the changes necessary.  But it’s worth the effort!  Work/life balance offers some major
rewards.  Here are some of the potential benefits: 

At Work
 Feeling more rested and energized
 Working more productively and getting more accomplished, leading to greater
career success
 More fulfillment from work

In Life
 Improving relationships with family and friends
 Better physical and mental health
 Making choices about your priorities, rather than sacrifices among them
 More leisure time to spend with loved ones, or time for yourself

Effective work-life benefits encourage employees to work harder and discourage them
from quitting their jobs, according to research.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, men and women hold similar views of work-life
benefits, it was found in the survey of over 50,000 workers. Moreover, star employees
assign almost as much importance to work-life balance as other employees and have
similar work-life preferences.
The report found that people who are happy with their work-life benefits
Work 21 percent harder
Are 33 percent more likely to plan to stay at that organization

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SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Existing Work-Life Benefits

Current work-life benefits could be better, the report found. Only 16 percent of
employees are satisfied with their organization's work-life practices. Nearly a third of
workers are skimping on work to meet personal commitments.
The majority of people don't even know what's available to them. Less than one-third of
employees are aware of their employer's work-life offerings. Work-life benefits might
include permission for telecommuting, flexible hours and on-site or subsidized child care.
Of those who are aware, only 25 percent say those offerings match their preferences. And
more than half of employees never use the available work-life benefits.
What Work-Life Benefits Do Employees Want?
Employees prefer work-life benefits that help them manage their workload. For instance,
they like flexible work schedules, an appropriate amount of work and predictable
working hours.

When asked about the five most desirable employer practices,

63 percent of employees included a flexible work schedule
62 percent cited an appropriate workload
13 percent was the average for all other work-life practices.
Recommendations for Employers
Companies should improve their work-life benefits and communicate them to employees,
the report suggested.
"Employees don't necessarily have to use work-life practices to generate positive returns
for the organization," the researchers noted. "Awareness of the work-life proposition is,
in fact, slightly more important than consumption of it."
The most powerful factors that increase awareness and use of work-life benefits are:
 Peers visibly using work-life practices
 Clear implementation guidelines

23
  Employee control
Research Design

Methodology

This research is undertaken to assess the number of hours put in by employees over and
above the expected and its effect on their personal lives. The main aim of such a design is
to ensure that the required data are collected objectively, accurately and economically.

Data Collection

Primary Data: Data regarding the amount of time employees spent working was collected
from the software used at the Time Office that recorded the employee entry and exit time.
The organisation makes use of fingerprint recognition based software for employee
attendance logging. The employee is required to scan his finger on entering and leaving
the premises. Logs of Employee arrival and exit times were obtained from the Time
Office.

Secondary Data: The secondary data was collected from the existing data, company
records, and the Internet.

Research Tools

Questionnaire: The questionnaires used in this study were direct and structured. The
types of questions asked in this questionnaire were both closed-ended and open-ended.
The main objective was to determine whether the employees were comfortable with their
current work schedules or yearned for a more balanced work life.

Sample Size: The sample size was limited to the employees working in break shifts at
Ming Yang and Masala Bay. The Managers of the two restaurants were also involved in
filling the questionnaires designed for them.

24
Objective of the study

• To understand the importance of work life balance.

• To understand the problems faced by the organization due to break shifts.
• To suggest ways and means to check attrition due to work life imbalance.

Literature Review
Work Life Balance, Molly Gordan,
authenticpromotion.com
Gist of the article:
 Strategies to help reign your Work Life Balance
 Work Life Balance and the power of thinking positive
 Refine your Work Life Balance by setting healthy boundaries

Managing Work Life Balance, Mark Stevenson

contentdig.com
Gist of the article:
 Importance of maintaining a Work Life Balance
 Steps to maintain work life balance
 Time Management is the best solution to Work Life Balance

Scope of the study

This study is related only to the Work Life Balance of the restaurants (Ming Yang and
Masala Bay) of the Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra.
The study has been conducted with the employees of the respective restaurants which
includes the Waiters and their respective Restaurant Managers.
This research could be used by the Restaurant managers in order to change the current
method of Break Shifts to Straights.
The research also can be used as a Case for the institutions planning to pursue Work life
balance.

25
Limitations
 Work Life Balance is a very difficult concept to be adapted in any organization.
 It will take a long time before it could be studied and applied in practice. It has to
be systematically studied and calculated so that the employees are benefited.
 While taking the survey of the employees they would not be open in giving their
opinions.
 It would not be clear as to what the employees would exactly need to balance
their Work and Life which in turn would be difficult to apply this concept.

26
Industry Overview

Introduction to Hotel Industry

One of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of our time is the hotel
industry. The hotel industry alone is a multi-billion dollar and growing enterprise. It is
exciting, never boring and offer unlimited opportunities. The hotel industry is diverse
enough for people to work in different areas of interest and still be employed within the
hotel industry. This trend is not just in India, but also globally.

Modern hotels provide refined services to their guests. The customers or guests
are always right. This principle necessitated application of management principles in the
hotel industry and the hotel professionals realized the instrumentality of marketing
principles in managing the hotel industry. The concept of total quality management is
found getting an important place in the marketing management of hotels. The emerging
positive trend in the tourism industry indicates that hotel industry is like a reservoir from
where the foreign exchange flows. This naturally draws our attention on HOTEL
MANAGEMENT. Like other industries, the hotel industry also needs to explore avenues
for innovation, so that a fair blending of core and peripheral services is made possible. It
is not to be forgotten that the leading hotel companies of the world have been intensifying
research to enrich their peripheral services with the motto of adding additional attractions
to their service mix. It is against this background that we find the service mix more
flexible in nature.

The recruitment and training programmes are required to be developed in the face
of technological sophistication. The leading hotel companies have been found promoting
an ongoing training programme so that the personnel come to know about the use of
sophisticated communication technologies.

27
General Classification of Hotel Industry

Classifications of hotels - On the basis of standards:

Like most of the countries in world, India also has hotels divided in different
categories depending on their location, facilities, infrastructure and amenities provided.
All the star hotels in India are government approved with continuous control on the
quality of services offered.

Five Star Hotels

The most luxurious and conveniently located hotels in India are grouped under
Five Star Deluxe Hotel categories. Five Star Deluxe in India are globally competitive in
the quality of service provided, facilities offered and accommodation option. These are
top of the line hotels located mostly in big cities. These hotels provide all the modern
facilities for accommodation and recreation matching international standards in
hospitality. In such type of hotel HR department are established separately and to execute
and to follow the concept of HR strictly, HR professional are hired.

Four Star Hotels

A rung below five star hotels are Four Star Hotels, these hotels provide all the
modern amenities to the travellers with a limited budget. Quality of services is almost as
high as the five stars and above categories. These kinds of hotels are there for the
travellers with limited budget or for the places which might not get the tourist traffic
associated with larger cities. In such type of hotel concept of HR is more or less followed.

Three Star Hotels

These are mainly economy class hotels located in the bigger and smaller cities
and catering to the needs of budget travellers. Lesser in amenities and facilities, these
hotels are value for money and gives good accommodation and related services on the
reduced price. Services would be stripped down version of higher categories of hotels but
sufficient to fulfil customer basic needs. In such type of hotel concept of HR may or may
not be present. If present all functions of HRD is curtailed.

28
Two Star Hotels
These hotels are most available in the small cities and in particular areas of larger
cities. Catering to the backpacker tourist traffic, these hotels provide all the basic
facilities needed for general accommodation and offers lowest prices. In this type of hotel
concept of HR is absent.

One Star Hotels

The hotels with most basic facilities, small number of room’s locations in the far
-flung areas are grouped under One Star Hotel category. These hotels are best when
customer is looking for cheapest available accommodation option. In this type of hotel
concept of HR is an alien word.

29
Career Opportunities in Hotel Industry

Some of the careers opportunities in the hotel industry are as follows.

The industry offers more career options than most: - No matter what kind of work we
enjoy and wherever our aptitudes lie, there is a segment of the industry that can use ours
talents.

The work is varied: - Because hotels and restaurants are complete production, distribution
and service units, and managers are involved in a broad array of activities.

There are many opportunities to be creative: - Hotels and restaurants managers might
design new products to meet their needs of their guests; produce training programs for
employees; or implement challenging advertising, sales promotions and marketing plans.

Hospitality jobs are not nine-to-five jobs: - Hours are highly flexible in many positions.
Many more opportunities are waiting in a queue. With these the role of HR is drastically
change. Its fields of operation in today’s worlds knew no boundary. Each day it is
confronted with new challenges in new division of hotels. Therefore before knowing the
role of HR it is essentials to know different department of the hotels as well their
functions.

30
Different Departments in Hotels

The departments are classified on accounts of it function. They are as follows:-

A. Core Functioning Departments

Food and Beverage (F&D) Department

F & B deals mainly with food and beverage service allied activities. Different
divisions are there in F & B like Restaurants, Specialty Restaurants, Coffee Shop (24
hrs.), Bar, Banquets, Room service etc. Apart from that they have Utility services
(Cleaning).

Front Office Department

The front office is the command post for processing reservations, registering
guests, settling guest accounts (cashiering), and checking out guests. Front desk agents
also handle the distribution of guestroom keys and mail, messages or other information
for guests. The most visible part of the front office area is of course the front desk. The
front desk can be a counter or, in some luxury hotels, an actual desk where a guest can sit
down and register.

Housekeeping Department
The housekeeping department is another important department in hospitality
world. Housekeeping is responsible for cleaning the hotel’s guestrooms and public areas.
This department has the largest staff, consisting of an assistant housekeeper, room
inspectors, room attendants, a house person crew, linen room attendants and personnel in
charge of employee uniforms. They may also have their own laundry and valet service.
Hotels with laundry and valet equipment may use it only for hotel linens and uniforms
and send guest clothing to an outside service where it can be handled with specialized
equipment.

31
Food Production Department
Food production deals with the preparations of food items. It basically engaged in
preparing those dishes, which are ordered by the guest and afterwards is catered by the
F&B department. Cuisine like Indian, Continental, Thai, Italian, Konkani (Coastal Sea
Food), South Indian, Chinese, Mexican, etc. Different Chefs are appointed for the
specialty cuisine.

B. Support Department (Cost Centres)

Marketing & Sales Department

Sales and marketing has become one of the most vital functions of the hotel
business and an integral part of modern hotel management. It includes packaging for
selling, sales promotion, advertising and public relations. The marketing division is
charged with the responsibility of keeping the rooms in the hotel occupied at the right
price and with the right mix of guests.

Engineering and Maintenance Department

The energy crisis throughout the world has given a great importance to the
engineering department of a hotel. This department provides on the day-to-day basis the
utility services, electricity, hot water, steams, air-conditioning and other services and is
responsible for repair and maintenance of the equipment, furniture and fixtures in the
hotel. The cleaning, up-keep, repair, replacement, installation and maintenance of
property and its furnishing, machinery and equipment are the joint responsibilities of
Engineering/Maintenance and the Housekeeping Department.

Finance, Accounting and Control Department

A hotel’s accounting department is responsible for keeping track of the many
business transactions that occur in the hotel. The accounting department does more than
simply keep the books-financial management is perhaps a more appropriate description
of what the accounting department does.

32
The control department is concerned with cost control guidelines by way of reducing in
investment, reduction in operating cost, control of food service costs, control of beverage
costs, labour cost control, etc.

Safety and Security Department

The security of guests, employees, personal property and the hotel itself is an
overriding concern for today’s hoteliers. In the past, most security precautions
concentrated on the prevention of theft from guests and the hotel. Unfortunately, crime
rates in most major’s cities are rising. Hence today security department also concentrate
on these additional criminal activities too.

Administration Department
Top organizational members usually supervise the Administration Department in
a hotel. This department is responsible for all the work connected with administration,
personnel, manpower, employee’s welfare, medical, health and security.

Human Resource Development

The human resources department is responsible for recruiting, screening and
hiring staff members. Employees in this department also administer compensation and
benefits programs, coordinate safety practices and implement labour law requirements,
just to name a few. The actions taken by human resources, especially during the hiring
process, have a direct impact on the reputation, quality and financial performance of the
hotel.

33
Company Overview

Introduction to Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL)

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries are collectively
known as Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and are recognised as one of Asia's largest and
finest hotel company. Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Mr. Jamsetji N.
Tata, the company opened its first property, The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Bombay in
1903. The Taj, a symbol of Indian hospitality, completed its centenary year in 2003.

Taj Hotels Resort and Palaces comprises more than 60 hotels in 45 locations
across India with an additional 15 international hotels in the Malaysia, United Kingdom,
United States of America, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa, the Middle East and Australia.

Spanning the length and breadth of the country, gracing important industrial
towns and cities, beaches, hill stations, historical and pilgrim centres and wildlife
destinations, each Taj hotel offers the luxury of service, the apogee of Indian hospitality,
vantage locations, modern amenities and business facilities.

IHCL operate in the luxury, premium, mid-market and value segments of the
market through the following:

Taj (luxury full-service hotels, resorts and palaces) is the flagship brand for the
world’s most discerning travellers seeking authentic experiences given that luxury is a
way of life to which they are accustomed. Spanning world-renowned landmarks, modern
business hotels, idyllic beach resorts, authentic Rajput palaces and rustic safari lodges,
each Taj hotel reinterprets the tradition of hospitality in a refreshingly modern way to
create unique experiences and lifelong memories.

Taj also encompasses a unique set of iconic properties rooted in history and

34
tradition that deliver truly unforgettable experiences. A collection of outstanding
properties with strong heritage as hotels or palaces which offer something more than
great physical product and exceptional service. This group is defined by the emotional
and unique equity of its iconic properties that are authentic, non- replicable with great
potential to create memories and stories.

Taj Exotica is the resort and spa brand found in the most exotic and relaxing
locales of the world. The properties are defined by the privacy and intimacy they provide.
The hotels are clearly differentiated by their product philosophy and service design. They
are centred around high end accommodation, intimacy and an environment that allows its
guest unrivalled comfort and privacy. They are defined by a sensibility of intimate design
and by their varied and eclectic culinary experiences, impeccable service and authentic
Indian Spa sanctuaries.

Taj Safaris are wildlife lodges that allow travellers to experience the unparalleled
beauty of the Indian jungle amidst luxurious surroundings. They offer India’s first and
only wildlife luxury lodge circuit. Taj Safaris provide guests with the ultimate,
interpretive, wild life experience based on a proven sustainable eco-tourism model.

Upper Upscale Hotels (full-service hotels and resorts) provide a new generation
of travellers a contemporary and creative hospitality experience that matches their work-
hard play-hard lifestyles. Stylish interiors, innovative cuisine, hip bars, and a focus on
technology set these properties apart.

The Gateway Hotel (upscale/mid-market full service hotels and resorts) is a pan-
India network of hotels and resorts that offers business and leisure travellers a hotel
designed, keeping the modern nomad in mind. At the Gateway Hotel, they believe in
keeping things simple.

Ginger (economy hotels) is IHCL’s revolutionary concept in hospitality for the

value segment. Intelligently designed facilities, consistency and affordability are

35
hallmarks of this brand targeted at travellers who value simplicity and self-service.

Taj Lands End, Mumbai Overview

Taj Land End hotel in Mumbai is an exclusive luxury hotel located at Bandra.
This hotel is situated in the elite suburb of Mumbai. It is about 12 kilometres from the
international and 8 kilometres from the domestic airport. The hotel is geographically
located at the centre of the city and is close to shopping and entertainment zones. Taj
Lands End Mumbai has been unanimously voted as the Best Business Hotel in Asia from
India for the year 2003. Developed and produced by Business Asia magazine, in
conjunction with CNBC Asia Pacific, the '2003 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards'

Taj Lands End, Mumbai Facilities

The Taj land end hotel in Mumbai has elegantly appointed 300 luxurious rooms
and suites which are among the largest in the city, each with a panoramic view of the
Arabian Sea. This luxury hotel in Mumbai has its all rooms centrally air-conditioned, a
five fixture bathroom with deep soaking tub, direct dial telephones with data port,
minibar, hairdryer, colour television with a choice of international entertainment and
news channels, large laptop size in room-safe's, high speed internet connectivity,
executive work-desk and 24-hour butler service on Deluxe Floors and Suites and more
Health Spa featuring 24-hour fitness centre, separate section for ladies and gents, outdoor
swimming pool and a beauty salon offering guests a complete spa service. Vices, Safe
deposit lockers, travel desk & ticketing services, book shop. Special non-smoking floor,
separate.

Taj Lands End hotel-Mumbai offers 300 elegantly appointed guestrooms and
suites with a panoramic view of the Arabian Sea. The wooden décor, combined with the
pastel colour scheme, gives each room an airy feel. Needless to add, the rooms come with
every possible convenience, including a five fixture marble bathroom. The Churchill’s

36
Bar is a cosy British styled bar where you can indulge in an after- dinner whisky and
cigar. The grand ballrooms of the Taj Lands End hotel can accommodate up to 2500
guests. The state-of-the-art fitness centre is there to add something more to your pleasure

37
Restaurants

Masala Bay
Drawing inspiration from the country of its origin, Masala Bay resides in a
contemporary space that has a distinctive effect beyond the usual curry and hot, heavy
fare. The emphasis is on light food cooked in minimum butter, cream and extra virgin
olive oil, blending traditional Indian recipes with international cooking styles.

The extensive cuisine spread features traditional Indian food with an accent on
seafood preparations from different coastal regions of India. Some of the speciality dishes
include Seafood Shorba, Tamater Kalimirch Rasam, Tandoori Salmon, Aloo Katliyan,
Kareli Gosht; seafood like Scallops, Soft Shell Crabs & Clams, and unique desserts
like Aam ka Meetha and a lot more.

Live cooking stations with separate and interactive vegetarian and non-vegetarian
counters; add another dimension to the experience of dining at Masala Bay. 'The Lounge
Bar' offers the choicest spirits from around the world including a variety of over 500
different wines, ranging from New World to traditional all time favorites like French
Bordeaux..

A far cry from the heavy ornate curry houses so associated with Indian food, this
avant-garde restaurant is a captivating reflection of the new identity of India.

Ming Yang
At Ming Yang, guests can choose from an assortment of popular signature dishes
including Shark Fin Soup, Singapore Style Crab, Prawns Pepper Salt, Ming Yang
Chicken, Lobster in Butter Garlic Sauce, Steamed Pomfret in Pickled Chilli Sauce,
Chicken in Black Pepper Sauce, Haricot Verts Dry Red Chilli, Prawns Butter Garlic,
Fried Ice Cream and Date Pancakes.

The split-level layout of the restaurant allows diners to enjoy an unimpeded view
of the Arabian Sea and the Portuguese Fort all across the restaurant. Adding to the

38
fascinating culinary experience is the aesthetic ambience of Ming Yang, designed on the
principles of Feng-Shui with pale jade green interiors complemented by paintings with
Chinese motifs and glass etchings.

Attracting the crème de la crème of Mumbai's glitterati and the who's who of the
corporate world, Ming Yang has always been a favourite among guests who seek culinary
bliss.

39
DATA ANALYSIS

Overall Analysis

Annexure F gives an overview of the additional working hours put in by staff

across all departments (operations). The hotel industry being a 24x7 environment it is no
surprise that all most all departments work over and above their normal working hours.
However it is observed that the number of extra hours put in by the Restaurant and
kitchen staff of Masala Bay and Ming Yang exceed those of the other Departments. Our
study was however restricted to that of the restaurant staff of these two restaurants.

Analysis of Restaurants implementing Break Shifts

This analysis has been compiled after speaking with the restaurant managers as
well as the employees working in the restaurant. The restaurant managers and staff were
asked to fill in a Questionnaire given in Annexure G & H. Even though the restaurants
have optimum staffing the break shifts are causing an inconvenience to the employees
working in the restaurants. Changing from break shifts to regular shifts will not only
increase productivity but will also reduce attrition in the long term.

The change of shifts will allow employees to spend quality time with their
families and this will reduce outside influences which affect employees work
performance. This will also be in line with TAJ hotels beliefs that the most important
resource is their workforce.

Annexure G clearly indicates that people are not happy about their work timings.
It is a known fact that an efficient worker is a happy worker and the diagram given below
clearly suggests that 60% of the current workforce is not happy with their break shift
timings. It would be good to note that out of the 40% workforce that was happy almost all
of them are unmarried.

40
 Annexure H clearly indicates that employees are not able to spend enough quality
time with their families. Families are the building blocks of life in society and a balance
family life is vital to employee productivity.

Annexure I clearly indicates that 85% of employees regard break shifts/long

working hours as a hindrance to work life balance. This percentage should be clear
indication to management that a change is in order and that straight shifts is answer to
increase productivity and lower attrition.

Annexure J supports our earlier claim that % employees would prefer to work in
straight shifts with a few opting for holidays/paid time off and flexible start/finishing
times. It is important to note that from an employer’s point of view, holidays/paid time
offs is cost intensive and hence not viable. Also flexible start/finishing times are not
feasible from a productivity point of view. Furthermore both these points can be negated
if straight shifts are implemented.

41
Conclusion

Constant struggle and effort to maintain a balance between the work and personal
life can have serious implications on the life of an individual. According to a survey, 81
per cent of the respondents have admitted that their jobs are affecting and creating stress
in their personal lives. The pressures of the work or personal life can lead to stress.
According to studies, it has been found to that such situation can take a toll on the
person's health both physiologically and psychologically. Heart ailments, cardiovascular
problems, sleep disorders, depression, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity, poor
concentration and even nervous breakdowns are becoming common among the victims of
such imbalance. Pressure, stress or tension in work life can lead to bad social life and vice
versa.

Juggling between the obligations towards the families and expectations of the
organization and constant struggle to maintain a balance can work can have serious
implications on the life of an individual. Therefore, it is important for employees to
maintain a healthy balance between work and their private lives. This will help them
achieve their personal and professional goals as well the organization they are working
for. 

42
Findings

 The employees working in Masala Bay and Ming Yang seem to have adapted to
the break shift timings and did not have any concerns at first. However, as we
discussed further they confessed that straight shifts would make their lives a lot
easier.
 Most employees were concerned with not being able to spend quality time with
their family and friends. The employees are between the age group of 22-25 years
and given a choice they would opt for straight shifts which would give them more
time for themselves and their families.
 The employees also mentioned that the beds provided were kept in the locker
rooms. The locker rooms always had other employees moving in and out making
it impossible to take a nap while on breaks.
 The Restaurant Managers of Masala Bay and Ming Yang were also of the opinion
that break shifts were unnecessary and with the support of management could be
gradually done away with.
 The Restaurant Managers also assured that they would not need additional
staffing in order to implement straight shifts, thus there was no question of
additional expense towards the same.

43
SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Best Practices for Achieving Work Life Balance

Work-life balance is an important part of providing a great place to work. There are a
multitude of best practices that illustrate the innovative, inspiring things companies are
doing.

More Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the most requested benefits to help employees balance their work and
personal lives. Flexible working hours:
 enables employees to manage their family and work commitments,
 enables employees to work their full hours without being rushed or pressured by
family responsibilities,
 can assist an employee to manage a one-off or ongoing situation, for example,
picking up a child from school,
 are cost neutral for an employer.

Career Break
Career Break Scheme has been introduced to retain and develop such employees while
enabling them to achieve their personal objectives. The Career Break Scheme is an
arrangement whereby employees can take time away from the work place, can maintain
their skills level whilst away and can later return to the Organisation. A career break may
be taken to:
 undertake voluntary work;
 undertake a period of training/further education /personal development;
 travel;
 cope with domestic responsibilities such as the care of dependants (please note
that these provisions are in addition to the separate provisions for maternity,
paternity, adoptive, foster and parental leave).

44
Family Assistance
In today's economy, helping employees during financial need or stress is a growing
necessity.

Many experts have given different solutions to this problem. 

 TIME MANAGEMENT is one of the best solutions which can help to reduce
the imbalance between the personal and the work life of the employees.
Prioritizing the tasks and planning the activities can help to take out some free
time which can be utilized for other purposes.
 Taking some time out for hobbies and leisure activities, spending time with loved
ones can help to beat the stress.
 Learn to say "no" if required.
 Sharing the responsibilities will help and don't commit for something which is
practically impossible.
 Utilizing the flexible working hours option of the organisations to get some free
time.

45
 ANNEXURE F - Additional Working Hrs

ANNEXURE G – Reactions to the Amount of Time Spent Working

46
ANNEXURE H – Ability to Spend Time with Family/Friends

ANNEXURE I – Reasons for Imbalance

47
ANNEXURE J – Preference

48
 ANNEXURE I : Questionnaire for Restaurant Managers

Name: _______________________ Restaurant: ______________________________

1) What is the current manpower of your restaurant?

2) What are the different shift timings of your restaurant?

3) How do you allocate them in your restaurant?

4) What should be the ideal manpower?

5) How do you decide on your ideal manpower?

6) In a day what are the busy hours in your restaurant?

7) In a day what are the lean hours?

8) What is your opinion on break shifts?

9) In case the break shifts are done away how will you reallocate the shift timings of
staff?

10) How will it help you and your team?

11) How will it help the organization?

49
 ANNEXURE II : Questionnaire for Restaurant Staff

Name: ________________________________________________________________
Age: _______ Department: _________________ Marital Status: ________________

1) How many days in a week do you work?

2) How many hours in a day do you work?

3) How many hours a day do you spend travelling to work?

4) How often do you think or worry about work (when you are not actually at work or
travelling to work)?
a) Never think about work
b) Rarely
c) Sometimes
d) Often
e) Always

5) Do you work in shifts?

a) General shift/day shift
b) Night shift
c) Break Shifts

6a) If married, is your partner employed?

a) Yes
b) No

6b) Do you have children?

a) Yes, no. of children____________.
b) No

7) Do you suffer from any stress-related ailments?

50
a) Hypertension
b) Obesity
c) Diabetes
d) Frequent headaches
e) None
f) Others, specify______

8) How do you feel about the amount of time you spend at work?
a) Very unhappy
b) Unhappy
c) Indifferent
d) Happy
e) Very happy

9) Do you spend quality time with your family/friends?

10) Do any of the following hinder you in balancing your work and family commitments?
a) Long working hours
b) Compulsory overtime
c) Shift Work
d) Meetings/Trainings after office hours
e) Others, Specify _______________

11) Do you personally feel any of the following will help you to balance your work life?
a) Flexible starting hours
b) Flexible finishing time
c) Straight Shifts
d) Flexible hours, in general
e) Holidays/Paid time offs
f) Job sharing
g) Career break/sabbaticals
h) time-off for family engagements/events
i) Others, specify_________

51