The Balanced Employee

Abstract
A balanced work-life in theory is the ultimate achievement goal for many workers. The definition of a balanced work-life can be subjective to the individual. Balanced work-life can represent and impact many areas of an individual whose ultimate goal is to achieve such a state. As the broad definition of a balanced work-life is being defined in the article, a need for individual responsibility to obtain his or her own balanced work-life will be a driving factor to determine the success in obtaining the adequate amount of balance for the individual. Many surveys and labor statistics suggest work-life balance is dissimilar per family count and income to debt ratio per household.

The Balanced Employee
Introduction
The term “work-life balance” is used quite frequently to tie productivity to a workers ability to manage their workload and life’s little surprises. To the worker it is a means to balance their life in conjunction with the necessity of work. When we think of the term “work-life balance” there tends to be this universal thought process perceived to be some equal balance to achieve for the general population and it is up to the company to place into action. The article “Work-Life Balance defined – What it really means” Bird (2003) provides a reasonable definition to work-life balance as, “there is no perfect, one-size fits all, balance you should be striving for. The best work-life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities and different lives” (p.1).
Individual work-life balance is dynamic and consistently changing in ones life. What was once a balanced work-life for one individual can completely be altered over a specific time period. Work-life balance could be considered a tactical approach of each day to ensure you are achieving the “in the moment fulfillment.” Bird (2003) explains that “life will deliver the value and balance we desire when we are achieving and enjoying something every single day in all the important areas that make up our lives” (p.1).
Creating the Individual Work-Life Balance
Reaching the individual work-life balance can be determined by the individual’s current situation and their long-term plan. The purpose of work is to provide the basic necessity of needs such as housing and food. However, there are other reasons people work and chose to work in specific fields such as to achieve self-gratification in what they do, to help others, gain assets, and etc. Many times work-life balance is not achieved because normal people place themselves in extraordinary situations. Let’s take for instance the credit dilemma. Many Americans own credit cards and some have better control than others over their spending habits. After reading the article “U.S. Consumer Debt Reaches Record Level” it is noticeable there is a crisis right now with credit spending. From October 2000 to October 2003 there has been a 22% increase in consumer debt which translates into $18,700 per US household representing both credit card and car loan debt. ( Laurier, 2004).
The creation of debt burden on the normal household begins to shape a particular work-life you must attain in order to keep up with the decisions being made. Laurier (2004) contends that “there are already indications that the debt burden has become unmanageable for many families and individuals” (p.1). This debt burden contributes to the stress leading into job insecurity, longer hours, and additional jobs to maintain with the spending habits created. In 2003 the average household card debt of individuals who carried a balance was estimated at $12,000. (Laurier, 2004).
Reducing the amount of debt verses income ratio per household could provide a clearer goal to creating the work-life balance for some individuals. Other individuals who do not mind credit card debt or working long hours to pay off the debt due to the products purchased on the credit cards are content with the work-life balance they created.
Work and family
Mark Lino from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (1994) estimates that “single-parent families are increasing proportion of all family groups with children.” Mark also details the dichotomy of single-family household income and married household income, and the economic status of the two separate classes of households. Increased household expenditure for a single parent is quite different from a household with two working parents, and very dissimilar from a single individual in the workforce. The balance work-life for each household segment is significantly different in nature.
Employer support to create a work-life balance
Although work-life balance varies per household and situation, employers are making great strides in creating work-life balance within their corporations. Although employers have the pick in the employee pool during this economical crisis, they do understand the importance of linking productivity to a worker who is content in their position. One company named Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Created several programs to help facilitate a work-life balance without impacting their customer base by offering the opportunity for “staff to work a few longer days so they can take every fifth or 10th day off, work at home one day a week, or start work anytime between 6 and 9 a.m. as long as the core customer hours of the workforce center is adequately covered” (US Fed News Service, 2008).
Another unique feature is that A/D Works! Allows 2 hours per week to be used to accommodate unexpected issues and can be made up during the week as necessary (U.S. Fed News, 2008). Many companies recognize the benefits of work-life balance and are very creative in implementing basic designs to satisfy the majority of workers in their efforts.
Integrating Work and Life
There have been many studies in regards to the integration of work and life and how one facet of the equation interacts with other facets. The journal article “Intersecting work and family: The influence of relational beliefs and behaviors on work family integration” uses a multiple regression to test the hypothesis presented in the article. The hypothesis is essentially stating how these two dichotomies have both positive and negative impacts to a household. Polk (2008) contends that “Strategies to integrate work and family have caught the attention of organizations, institutions, academics and families, and many people are motivated to find ways to blend these two domains.” This is something that is part of our culture and corporations in today’s environment. By achieving collaboration between these two domains there can be a universal benefit for all involved to not only gain productivity but a satisfaction of an employee’s ability to manage both work and life.
Conclusion
The work-life balance achievement and satisfaction is in the eyes of the beholder. What one perceives to be the perfect work-life balance may not be sufficient for the other. Household members, demographics, debt to income ratio, and other domains shape the work-life culture for each individual. Although some corporations integrate different initiatives to obtain some sort of flexibility with work-life balance for productivity gains or incentives, there is only so much a corporation can achieve to benefit the majority due to everybody’s work-life balance is diverse. It is up to the individual to determine what makes them satisfied daily in the goals they would like to achieve, and what they enjoy daily coupled by determining their household needs to determine what type of work-life balance they would like to achieve.


Reference

Denise M Polk, DMP. (2008). Intersecting work and family: The influence of rational beliefs and behaviors on work-family integration. Journal of Management and Organization, 14(4), 22. Retrieved March 9, 2009, from http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apus.edu/pqdweb?did=1608721221&sid=7&Fmt=3&clientId=62546&RQT=309&VName=PQD
Jim Bird, JB. (2003). Work-Life Balance Defined - What is really means. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www.worklifebalance.com/worklifebalancedefined.html
Joanne Laurier, JL. (2004). US consumer debt reaches record level. 3. Retrieved March 11, 2009, from http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jan2004/debt-j15.shtml
Mark Lino, ML. (1994). Income spending patterns and single-mother families. 117(5), 1. Retrieved March 13, 2009, from http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/1994/05/art5exc.htm
US Fed News Service, Including US State News. (2008). LOCAL WORKFORCE CENTER SUPPORTS EMPLOYEES' WORK/LIFE BALANCE. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.apus.edu/pqdweb?did=1620197761&sid=4&Fmt=3&clientId=62546&RQT=309&VName=PQD