2.1.

Explain the importance of work life balance within the employment relationship and how it can be
influenced by legislation. Refer to at least three employment rights – refacut

2.1. The work life balance status is defined by the employee’s ability to find and maintain an equilibrium
between their work roles (that sometimes involve stress, pressure of deadlines, overtime) and their
personal responsibilities and family commitments (children or elderly care for example). There comes a
time where work life and private life can be in conflict; this leads to an increase in stress.

Stress is a factor that can lead to burnout that has serious consequences for both the employee (that
can experience poor relationship with his co-workers and a low job satisfaction) and the employer
(stress/burnout might generate lower productivity and higher absenteeism or turnover, with the
associated costs).

Helping employees to find a proper work-life balance has great benefits: increased job satisfaction,
increased career longevity, increased retention and staff productivity, reduction in costs associated with
high turnover.

We strongly recommend that HP encourages a work life balance for its employees. This can be done
both through company’s policies and by ensuring that managers understand these policies and actively
share them with their employees.

Legislation surrounding well-being has been included in the UK since the late 1990s. Specifically to the
Working Time Regulations, the Family Act 2006 and the Health Act 2006.

The Working Time Regulations mentions the length of work week, rest breaks and holiday entitlements,
focusing on the minimum standards with which all organizations must comply.

The UK legislation states certain employee’s rights that have direct impact in the work-life balance area.

Example of such rights:

Table 4. Legislation that impacts work-life balance (examples)

Criteria Description Employee Self Worker

employed
Breaks for rest For a work of minimum 6 hours/day: workers have Yes No Yes
the right to one 20 minutes pause (uninterrupted)
Workers have the right to 11 hours of rest between
working days
In a 7-day period, the worker should have a break of
minimum 24 hours, and in a 14-day period – a
minimum of 48 hours

Annual leave Full-time employees are entitled to minimum 28 days Yes No Yes
of paid annual holiday
Part-time employees receive the prorate of the 28
 days (the basis is the holiday entitlement of a full-time
employee)
Flexible working The standard working time is maximum 48 Yes – from No Yes – after
hours hours/week on an average of 17 weeks (for min 18 1st day of min 6
years old), but the employee can choose to work contract months of
more by opting out of the 48-hours week. continuous
The employee can choose when to start and end service
work, in a reasonable time interval, making sure s/he
is available in the interval needed by the business (for
example, in between 10 am and 7 pm, when most
customers visit HP).

Offering flexible working options helps employees

integrate their job role and the personal
commitments, reducing therefore the conflict
between the two areas. It is important to know that
all employees have the legal right to request flexible
working – not just parents and carers.

If the business operations allow it (there are not so

many tourists), HP may decide to give options for
flexible work for both employees and workers; this
helps with maintaining a positive psychological
contract.

Source: https://unicornhro.com/blog/importance-of-work-life-balance/

https://www.acas.org.uk/rest-breaks

CIPD manual pag 414 ,,Rights under the working time regulations 1998”