Instructions

Instructions: Read the following scenarios and answer the questions that follow.

Glenview Community Services

Glenview is an independent aged care provider, recognized locally and nationally for the high-
quality service provided. Glenview strives to provide a supportive, happy, and inclusive working
environment.

Glenview Community Services

At Glenview, our staff and volunteers are our greatest asset. Our motto is ‘recruiting for
kindness, training for excellence’. We accept only the best people to be part of the Glenview
family. We strive to provide a supportive, happy, and inclusive working environment; that’s why
people stay with us. We have several staff members with over 20 years of service experience,
while others are just starting their Glenview journey. As an organization, we celebrate our
wonderful staff and volunteers. Thanks to them, our community is enriched by their various
backgrounds and nationalities.

Journeying Together
At Glenview, Journeying Together underpins how the staff and residents undertake their daily
activities. It is less about the completion of task and more about developing deep rapport and
understanding. Balancing life becomes a much simpler prospect when underpinned by this sort
of ‘people culture’. Glenview finds itself at an exciting stage in its 100-year evolution-embarking
on a new approach towards supporting residents, staff, and the community into the future.

Strategies and Principles

Workforce Planning
 Genuine understanding of our people
 Enhancing role effectiveness
 Cultural development programs
 Introduction of new middle management roles
Learning & Development
 Professional development
 Focus on strengths and passion
 Time spent on ‘high leverage’ tasks – not just busywork

Choice, Identity, and Flexibility

 Succession planning
 Open rostering – allow people to live their lives on their terms
 Trusting our staff to make the right choice
 Quality of life indicators (residents and staff)
 Easy access to healthy snacks and drinks
 Flexible break times

Royal Bank of Scotland

RBS gives all employees the 'right to work flexibly'. This can be through a range of flexible
working practices covering job sharing, part-time working, home working, variable working
hours, compressed hours, and term-time working. These are adapted to suit the local needs of
each RBS center. The policies and procedures for applying are easily available on the RBS
website. RBS provides a free advice service called HelpDirect. Employees can call for advice on
making the most of their time at and away from work. It also offers counselling on a range of
life issues.

RBS and 'Your time'

RBS recognizes that in some circumstances, people may need time off from work for reasons
other than sickness. Some people have special family commitments or commitments in their
local community. In 2004, the RBS 'Your time' programs won the HR Excellence Award for 'The
Most Effective Use of Flexibility in the Workplace'.

The Benefits of Flexible Working Practices

The policies of RBS in relation to work-life balance help to create a working atmosphere that
relieves stress. They also help to create greater equality of opportunity for everyone. For
example, this flexibility enables employees to choose working patterns that fit with their
childcare arrangements or their personal lives.
Following these flexible practices allows RBS to attract more talented people. Theoretical work
on motivation by Elton Mayo in the 1920s showed that contented people, who are satisfied
with their working environment, were likely to be more productive. The distractions of home or
community pressures can be handled far more comfortably with the support of an employer
such as RBS. In return, RBS gains staff loyalty and commitment, which in turn drives higher
performance.

Questions to Ponder

1. What are the strategies of Glenview Community Services in promoting work-life balance

among their employees? How about the strategies of Royal Bank of Scotland?

2. What are the benefits of work-life balance in employees and the company itself?

3. Choose three (3) "perks" from the two (2) aforementioned companies that you want to

have in your future career. Justify your answer.