Gallardo, Jeremy N.

BSHM 701

Week 16: Work and Life Balance in Companies - ARG

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.