Balance between

Seminar Paper presented to

MPSTME, NMIMS
in partial fulfilment of the requirement for

the degree of Submitted by

MBA Tech
Shruti. P. Bihani

Roll No: 201

MBA Tech Chemical

Batch of 2012
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ACKNOWKLEDGEMENT
On successful completion of my seminar paper, I take this opportunity to thank Dr.
Rupashree Baral for giving me a chance to work on a subject of my choice.

I am grateful to her, for giving me an opportunity to get associated with her that enabled me
to learn the methodology of writing a seminar paper that will enhance my capabilities and
skills for future studies and career.

I would also like to thank all the entire staff of MPSTME and my parents, for their endless
support and valuable inputs without which my paper would not have been the same that it has
been.

The motivation, guidance and cooperation of all these people has gone a long way in making
this a great working and learning experience that it turned out to be.

Date: 4th December 2010

Place: MPSTME

SHRUTI. P. BIHANI

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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to bring forward the current working scenario in the Indian
industry where people are in the race to achieve success, but unable to strike a balance
between the various multiple roles they play in their lives. A comparison between the
traditional and the current scenario is made which helps to understand that the problem to
effectively maintain harmony is becoming complex. Stress is a factor which has hit the work
force. In this atmosphere people are unable to divide effectively the time they utilize in the
paid and the non-paid jobs, be committed to their work and most importantly be satisfied by
the work they are performing. This paper addresses the various ways in which we can achieve
agreement between our multiple roles and feel a sense of contentment in work thereby
contributing to the better health of ourselves and the organization.

Majorly the procedure used to carry out this was through a review of literature, secondary
research and this made it clear that due to blurring of the line separating personal and
organizational life, personal conflicts and stress are on a rise.

The various forces leading to this misbalance can be stated as creation of a global
organization, development in the communication technology, extension in the working hours,
and reduced number of families having a single bread winner.

The various initiatives which increasing number of companies are now taking to overcome
these problems include time based strategies like flexitime, job sharing, telecommuting, job
sharing etc. Information based strategies like intranet web sites, relocation assistance etc.
Money based strategies like vouchers for child care, leave with pay; Direct Services like on-
site facilities like child care, health/beauty care, concierge services etc.

Some of the benefits that are achieved to the employers and employees in providing &
supporting employee work life balance are reduced turnover, broader talent pool available,
better physical & mental health, earlier return to work after maternal leave, reduced
absenteeism, improved job satisfaction, positive employer branding, improved employee
retention and so on.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWKLEDGEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 2
ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................ 3
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 5
Defining the concept of Work Life Balance ....................................................................................... 5
Statement of Problem.......................................................................................................................... 6
Purpose of Study ................................................................................................................................. 6
Relevance of Study ............................................................................................................................. 6
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .............................................................................................. 7
Hindrances to Work Life Balance....................................................................................................... 7
Globalization ................................................................................................................................... 7
Increasing use of technology for communication ........................................................................... 7
Working for longer hours................................................................................................................ 7
Working Couple .............................................................................................................................. 8
Difference in Preference ................................................................................................................. 8
Some General Practices adopted by various companies ..................................................................... 9
Flexible work Options..................................................................................................................... 9
Specialised Leave Policies .............................................................................................................. 9
Dependent Care Benefits ................................................................................................................ 9
IT Sector in India .............................................................................................................................. 11
INFOSYS ...................................................................................................................................... 11
METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................... 12
ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY.............................................................................................................. 13
Scope of Work Life Balance Initiatives ............................................................................................ 13
Telecommuting makes good Business Sense: Agree & Disagree .................................................... 13
Problems due to over working .......................................................................................................... 14
CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................... 15
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY........................................................................................................ 16
FUTURE STUDY OF THE SUBJECT ................................................................................................ 16
REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................... 17

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 INTRODUCTION

Success is taking its toll. We all know that every individual is in the mad race to achieve
everything and anything. The problem is that people are successful in making a lot of money
but they lose their mental peace and happiness in the long run. Every person has to face a
major problem in this world of competition. People are waiting to throw you out of your
shoes if you make the tiniest of mistakes. The problem is how to stay in our shoes as well as
achieve a social success and not just professional.

Brian Tracy has very correctly quoted, “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires
less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform
better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals and values are in balance.”

For future commercial stability, organizations need to ensure that they not only encourage but
also mandate a workable & practical work life balance policy, benefitting both the
organization and the employee. By not providing real opportunity for real work life balance,
the organization is disturbing the employee work stability conditions thus increasing the
number of not satisfied and unproductive employees and effectively the attrition rates.

Defining the concept of Work Life Balance

In its broadest sense, work life balance is defined as the satisfactory level of involvement of a
person in the multiple roles he performs. It is about understanding how well he fits into all
these roles. It is not just about maintaining an overall harmony in life but it is about handling
effectively and balancing the multi-faceted demands of life as they come.

Currently a more inclusive picture of work life balance with time, involvement and
satisfaction components is emerging. Maintaining all 3 components in equilibrium is the key.
For example a person working for just 2 days and spending the remaining part of the week
with his family may not be balanced in terms of time but may be equally committed to the
work and non-work roles (balanced involvement) and it is quite possible that he is highly
satisfied with the level of involvement he maintains in both work and family (balanced
satisfaction). On the other hand a person working for 60 hours a week may be perceived as
having an unbalanced life in terms of time but he may enjoy his work completely and thus be
involved in it and satisfied with the same just like the previous person. On the other hand a

5
person who works 36 hours a week may be balanced in terms of time but he may not enjoy
his work and may be that was the reason he spent time outside. Thus he will have a balanced
time approach but his satisfaction and involvement in work will not be balanced.

Statement of Problem
The problem is very clear. There is a stress which working individuals are not able to handle.
The reasons to this stress are many but the solution is one; ‘Striking the right Balance.’ The
various hindrances because of which people are unable to achieve a balance could be that
somewhere down the line, consciously or unconsciously people, all people do not choose to
achieve this balance. Every person has a different perspective about life, likes and interests.

Purpose of Study
The purpose of this paper is to bring forward the current working scenario in the Indian
industry where people are in the race to achieve success, but unable to strike a balance
between the various multiple roles they play in their lives. Traditionally work life balance
was just about maintaining a balance between the paid and non-paid jobs a person addresses.
However as competition is increasing in developing Indian business structure, the problem to
effectively maintain harmony is becoming complex. Stress is a factor which has hit the work
force. In this atmosphere people are unable to divide effectively the time they utilize in the
paid and the non-paid jobs, be committed to their work and most importantly be satisfied by
the work they are performing. This paper addresses the various ways in which we can achieve
agreement between our multiple roles and feel a sense of contentment in work thereby
contributing to the better health of ourselves and the organization.

Relevance of Study
Some of the benefits that are achieved to the employers and employees in providing &
supporting employee work life balance are reduced turnover, broader talent pool available,
better physical & mental health, earlier return to work after maternal leave, reduced
absenteeism, improved job satisfaction, positive employer branding, improved employee
retention and so on.

6
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The typical employee in 1960s and 1970s showed up at workplace Monday to Friday and did
his job for 8-9 hours. Everything was clearly specified at that time however this is no longer
true. A major portion of today’s workforce is complaining that the line between work and
non-work time is blurring rapidly. This is creating personal conflict and stress in individuals.

Hindrances to Work Life Balance

The question I want to address here is that are the business houses actually growing
sustainably through the various measures they are taking? Is it possible that organizations can
grow in isolation without the development of the employees? Let us see a few parameters
where you can see a company on the road of prosperity but the employees on a stake.

Globalization
The number of companies going global is increasing rapidly. The need that an employee 8-10
time zone away from you wants to be connected with you 24 x 7 is becoming more and more
prominent and unavoidable. Thus employees have to be connected to the world always and
they find it very difficult to manage this with their personal and social lives.

Increasing use of technology for communication

Communication technology allows employees to do their work at home, in their cars, or for
that matter when an individual is on a vacation on a beach lying under the sun. Use of
increasing technology is allowing people to work from anywhere, anytime. Bosses expect
their employees to work in this fashion where they are always connected.

Working for longer hours

Organizations want their employees to work for longer number of hours. For instance over a
recent 10 year period, the average American work hours increased from 43 to 47 hours per
week and the number of people working who work for more than 50 hours a week raised to
37% from 24%. In India, reporting time is defined in the private sector however they often
extend beyond this specified time.

This does not necessarily mean that every employee has a problem to work for long hours.
Some prefer it that way. It is the psychological spread of work into the family domain and
vice versa. Some people like to work at their own tern and leisure whereas some want to
work in the office completely. This varies from person to person.

For example Mr.X would be home for dinner physically but his mind might still be at work.

Also taking an example of the BPO industry, the work hours are so abrupt that employees are
finding it difficult to cope up. Although BPOs have the potential for excessive recruitment,
but the level of stress developed and the complete reversal of cycle seen due these working
hours in an employee’s life makes it impossible for him to sustain.

Same would be the case with an IT company where people are expected to work 24 x 7 and
the work structure they have is also absolutely tedious. Out of the 24 hours, they have to

7
spend around 14 hours in front of the computer which is a stress physically as well as
mentally.

Working Couple
Now only few families have single breadwinners. In today’s world both husband and wife
work and both are career oriented. Thus they find it extremely difficult to find time for their
spouse, children, family, parents, socializing and friends.

Here I can just comment by saying that although India is in trying to be in pace with the
world in of this development. Employees are increasing realizing that their work is infringing
on their personal lives and they are not happy about it. Without a balance in work life,
employees eventually burnout negatively which affects their performance at work.

Difference in Preference
Different people have different preferences about scheduling options and benefits. Some people prefer
organizational initiatives to be such that work can be separated from personal life where as some
prefer integration.

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Some General Practices adopted by various companies
The need to introduce work life balancing measures in the company was felt during the late
1980s when the woman employees with dependent children entered the workforce. Child
Care facilities, summer day camps, job sharing were some of the measures taken then. But
soon it was realized that not just woman with children but also men and women without
children responsibility faced work load stress due to more and more stringent deadlines,
increased travel demands etc. Various studies have been conducted and it shows that around
82% of men in the age group of 20 to 39 prefer family friendly job structure than any other
criteria. To facilitate the work life nexus, companies are developing formal policies. These
strategies are aimed to integrate the work and personal life of every individual.

Flexible work Options

Compressed work week

Part-Time Work

Flexitime

Home Telecommuting

Job Sharing

Shorter work days for Parents

Work at home Programs

Specialised Leave Policies

Paid Maternity Leave

Paid Leave for care of sick Family members

Sabbatical leave

Paternity Leaves

Dependent Care Benefits

On-site or Near site Child Care
Programs during school vacation

Referral system for childcare
Fitness centres

Programs for emergency care of ill dependents

Several other practices which are not observed in the Indian business structure include a full
array of on-site practices like dry cleaning, GYM, ATM, spa, pick up and drop services,
weight watchers, financial seminars etc.

All these practices are adopted generally to facilitate employee flexibility, supporting them
with child care and also elder care in some cases, and to alleviate the negative impact of
interference between work and non-work activities.

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 Time Based Strategies IBM gives parents 3 years of job
guaranteed leave following child birth

98% of employees at Mentor Graphics

use flexitime

J.M. Smuckers shuts down plants in

deer country for 1st day of hunting
season

Information Based Ernst & Young provides intranet

Strategies work/life web-sites that have info on
how to finding a job-share partner,
flexible work arrangements etc

Money Based At Lucent Technologies, woman

employees with 6 months and more
of service in the company receive 52
weeks of childbirth leave at half the
pay

Direct Services S.C.Johnson offers its employees

subsidized car maintenance services,
shopping services etc

AFLAC has 2 child care centres on-

site

Genentech has an on-site hair salon

Every major centre of Johnson &

Johnson has a fitness centre

Culture Change Marriot, Merck, Pfizer, Prudential &

Strategies Xerox tie manager pay to employee
satisfaction

Charles Schwab, DuPont, 3com, Nike have started giving extended voluntary leaves to their
employees. The reason for this is simple; to allow them to overcome the stress. Employees
utilize this vacation in travelling, relaxing. Also undertaking personal project research which
is much more time consuming is carried out in this period.

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IT Sector in India
IT sector is performing extremely well in India and there are more job opportunities created
due to the IT boom. The pay they get and also the perks received are encouraging. But the
drawback is that the work life is highly complicated and also extremely demanding. The pulls
and pressure are huge during the work life. Commitments are many and deadlines are short.
System is unpredictable. The entire job structure is about sitting in front the computer and
this is causing problems like stiff neck, lack of interest towards sexual activities, dryness of
eyes, back pains etc. The scenario is stressed. They employees have everything but they are
still losing on health and recreation. Yet, there is a thin silver line. These companies have
realized the jeopardies of long working hours.

It looks like employees are donating their best but effectively, the results are poor. What is
ultimately essential is the qualitative not quantitative productivity.

Time to do
meditation

Organizing Measures Providing

cultural by IT intermittent
programs breaks
companies

Conducting
weekend
parties

INFOSYS
INFOSYS along with its numerous other rewards was ranked as the top company to work
with ‘India’s best company to work for 2010’ as per the survey done by Great place to work
in collaboration with Economic times. So what makes this company stand out despite of the
work stress these type of company employees face?

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Firstly its policy to bring employees together through various inclusion programs has been
very successful. This includes

1. Infosys Women Inclusivity Network (IWIN): launched in 2003 to create gender

sensitive work culture. It addresses work life balance and the various developmental
needs for its women employees.
2. Family Matters Network: launched in 2008 to help employees various parent related
as well as work life balance problems. Online counselling is the method used. Child
day care facilities, schools, carnivals, contests are some of the activities undertaken.
3. Headquarters of Infosys in India at Mysore: training programs are undertaken for
fresher’s at this place. Various facilities included here to make it a point that this new
workforce does not back out and is committed and satisfied with what the learn, every
measure is taken to maintain a happy and healthy mind and body.
Various facilities here include a hi-tech bowling alley, a hair salon, infity pool
studded with palm trees, 1 of the largest gym in the country, geodesic dome
that has 3 movie theatres

METHODOLOGY
Through a review of literature it has become evident that the line between work life and
personal life is blurring. By interactions with various people in the service industry,
secondary research and data available from literature; it was clear that due to this blurring,
personal conflicts and stress are on a rise.

Also a study of various reference papers was done to get an idea about the subject. Studying
the forces that have contributed to this stress and what are the measures that are and that can
be taken to improve this scenario has been the general methodology of this study.

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ANALYSIS OF THE STUDY
After getting a basic idea about work life balance like the various problems that are leading to
this situation including many of which are a must for business development like
globalization, increasing use of technology for communications, long working hours, both
husband wife working and out of these most are the ones which cannot be avoided; I can
understand that the kind of stress developed because of these situations is very high. People
are more and more career oriented and want for success is on a rise.

My first analysis was due to globalization people are forced to stay connected day in and day
out. Employees have to co-ordinate with employees working in different time zones and
hence their time distribution between work and social life is at a toss.

Scope of Work Life Balance Initiatives

The various initiatives taken by various organizations to strike a balance between the
professional and personal life an employee include flexitime, job sharing, special leave
facilities, on-site programs for children and elder family members, maternal leave etc.
However I think that just this balance is not enough. The scope for this field is much more
wide spread and organizations need to take this as a very important issue. This is still a
developing field and as the country progresses, complications will increase. Thus we have to
keep introducing solutions at a faster rate so as to gradually reduce the effects.

Telecommuting makes good Business Sense: Agree & Disagree

Telecommunication and Flexible work schedules are a policy which more and more
companies are adopting for good reasons. Organizations have realized that where people
work is less important as compared to the quality of work performed by them.

I am in favour of this point and I believe that it must be at the discretion of the employee to
decide where he wants to work. However care should be taken that while giving them this
privilege they are honest and don not use this time for personal affairs. This is one of the
main reasons I feel flexible working place or telecommunication working has not taken up in
India as compared to the west.

Allowing telecommuting and other flexible schedules are allowing organizations to attract
and retain the best talent. To appeal to the new generation of workforce and to retain the most
knowledgeable employees, starting up work life balance initiatives is the road ahead.

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The fact that managers do not view telecommuters closely cannot be denied. Just to ease the
burden of employees, organizations cannot play with the career of employees. Without proper
guidance of the manager future development is negative.

To conclude this part of the analysis, I would say that it is true that employees want flexible
schedules and they believe they can produce more then. However managers know better that
some part of working at home involves work but a major part also includes performing non-
profit activities. I believe we should not forget that effective HRM sometimes means not
giving the employees everything they want. A right proportion of the 2 is important.

Problems due to over working

People believe that more the no. of hours employees work; more will be the productivity.
This however is not true. This is just a myth. It is clear that productivity depends on job
satisfaction and interest of the employee in the task he is performing. This will be solved only
through a stable work culture and a balanced mind.

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CONCLUSION
Some of the benefits which I see that are achieved to the employers and employees in
providing & supporting employee work life balance are reduced turnover, broader talent pool
available, better physical & mental health, earlier return to work after maternal leave, reduced
absenteeism, improved job satisfaction, positive employer branding, improved employee
retention and so on.

The study has put forth the various upcoming issues because of which there is a misbalance
between an employee’s professional and personal life. They include globalization,
development in the communication technology, and extension in the working hours, both
men and women working etc.

The various initiatives which increasing number of companies are now taking to overcome
these problems include time based strategies like flexitime, job sharing, telecommuting, job
sharing etc. information based strategies like intranet web sites, relocation assistance etc.
money based strategies like vouchers for child care, leave with pay; & direct services like on-
site facilities like child care, health/beauty care, concierge services etc.

15
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study has been performed by taking into consideration a few references from the internet.
Considering all articles on the subject was not feasible. Certain papers written about the
subject were read to understand the subject. However no primary research was performed in
detail. The scope of the paper is thus restricted due to various constraints. A genuine attempt
is though made to cover all the aspects of the topic and understand and explain the subject.

FUTURE STUDY OF THE SUBJECT

The topic is wide open and developments are coming up increasingly on the subject.
Researchers should carry out further exploration on this and try and evaluate some more
effective measures of how to maintain work life balance. Primary research shuld be carried
out by actually understanding the various issues due to which these problems arise and then
recommendations should be given.

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 REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY

Organizational Behaviour by Stephen P Robins, Timothy A Judge & Seema Sanghi

Case Study on Hudson Work Life

Work Life Balance: Paper written by Aca Demon

Journal of Management & Organization

Paper written by Jim Bird

Ezine Articles

Article by Prof. M.S.Rao

Great place to work Institute Journals

www.infosys.com

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