final report - by susil
TRANSCRIPT
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A REPORT
ON
THE STUDY OF WORK LIFE BALANCE AMONG YCH EMPLOYESS
The report is submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirement of PGDM
programme of ITM Business School, Siruseri, Chennai.
BY
Vinutha.C
Institute for Technology and Management Business School
Siruseri, Chennai
July 2012
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DECLARATION BY STUDENT
I, C. Vinutha hereby declare that this project report titled THE STUDY OFWORK LIFE BALANCE AMONG YCH EMPLOYEES is prepared by me under
the clear guidance and supervision of Asst. Prof Mrs. Felen Christy, ITM Business
School, Chennai. I have submitted this report for the reward of the degree of post
graduate diploma in management
Date: Signature
Place: Vinutha.C
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I am grateful to Prof. Lakshmi Mohan, Deputy Director, ITM Chennai, who gave
me this opportunity to learn, understand and gain the industrial knowledge through
this Summer Internship Project program.
I am thankful to Mr. H.S Priyadharshan, GM-HR, YCH and Paul Robert, Asst.
Manager-HR, YCH for given me the wonderful opportunity to work in such a
dedicated organisation.
I am very much thankful to Prof. Susil Kumar for his clear guidance towards the
project and project related activities.
I am much obliged to express my deep sense of gratitude and thanks to my faculty
guide Asst. Prof Mrs. Feleen Christy, ITM business school, for her valuable
guidance in making this project a success.
I also thank all my family members for their constant support and help during the
course of my Summer Internship Program.
Last but not the least, I honestly extend my thanks to all staff members in YCH for
their excellent co-operation during my project.
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CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL
The foregoing report entitled, THE STUDY OF WORK LIFE BALANCE
AMONG YCH EMPLOYEES is hereby approved as a creditable study of project
topic has been presented in a satisfactory manner to warrant its acceptance as
prerequisite to the degree for which it was submitted.
It is understood that by this approval, the undersigned do not necessarily endorse
any conclusion drawn or opinion expressed therein, but approve the report for the
purpose for which it is submitted.
Panel of Examiners
1.
2.
3.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page No1. SYNOPSIS 1
1.1 Importance of good Work-Life Balance 1
1.2 Aim of the project and main objective of the project 2
1.3 Scope of the Project 2
1.4 Limitations of the project 3
2. ABSTRACTION OF THE PROJECT 4
3. INTRODUCTION
3.1 Company Profile 6
3.2 Milestones of YCH 7
3.3 Philosophy, Mission and Vision 9
3.4 Quality Programs 11
4 PROJECT DETAILS
4.1 Introduction 14
4.2 Stress and Work Life Balance 15
4.3 Formation of the ideal worker and gender differences 17
4.4 Work-Life balance issues and their influence on
children 23
4.5 Classification of Employees 25
4.6 Workaholic Employees 26
4.7 Difference between workaholics and hard workers 27
4.8 Workaholic Employees and various effects due to work
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holism 28
4.9 Work-Life balance arrangements 31
4.10 Work-Life Balance to YCH Employees 35
5 OVERALL FINDINGS
5.1 Research Methodology and Data Interpretation 38
5.2 Statistical Tools Description 395.3 List of Tables 40
5.4 Weighted Average Method 45
6 CONCLUSION
6.1 Suggestions and Recommendations 49
7 ATTACHMENTS 50
8 BIBILIOGRAPHY 62
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
List of Tables:
Table Name Page No
5.3.1 The gender of the respondents 40
5.3.2 The marital status of employees 40
5.3.3 The age of the respondents 40
5.3.4 The type of employees in YCH 41
5.3.5 The no.of employees with stress 41
5.3.6 The way of handling stress among men employees 42
5.3.7 The way of handling stress among women 42
5.3.8 Employees feeling towards the work 43
5.3.9 How often Employees think about work 43
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5.3.10 Physical problem due to Stress 44
5.3.11 Employees dedication towards their children 44
5.4 WEIGHTED AVERAGE METHOD
5.4.1 How often employees think about their work 45
5.4.2 How do employees feel about the time spend at work 465.4.3 How often employees have to cope up with too many
organizational changes or job task changes 47
5.4.4 How often Employees get to home on time 48
List of Charts:
Table Name Page No
7.1 Total no.of men and women 50
7.2 Various Age groups in YCH 50
7.3 The age of the respondents 51
7.4 The type of employees in YCH 51
7.5 The no.of employees with stress 52
7.6 The way of handling stress among men employees 52
7.7 The way of handling stress among women 53
7.8 Employees feeling towards the work 53
7.9 How often Employees think about work 54
7.10 Physical problem due to Stress 54
7.11 Employees dedication towards their children 55
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1. SYNOPSIS
The demand for work-life-balance solutions by employees and managers isexpanding at an unprecedented rate. As a result, work-life balance is an
increasingly hot topic in boardrooms and government halls today. Over the coming
decade it will be one of the most important issues that executives and human
resource professionals will be expected to manage.
1.1 Importance of a good Work-Life Balance:
Get to the root of the problem
There could be many reasons why we find ourselves with no leisure time. Usually,
its because we are taking on too much in a bid to prove ourselves, but it might also
be that we are out of our depth, we arent organising our work enough or simply
that our journey to work is too long.
One of the biggest indicators that we have a work-life-balance problem is our
health. If we are increasingly taking days off and suffering tiredness, stress and
sleepless nights we need to address the problem sooner rather than later.
There are several ways to deal with these issues:
Dont take work home
Stop checking work emails from home
Be less receptive to the boss calling you out-of-hours
Dont skip lunch, or breaks during the working day.
Plan some time for you the week.
Basically, stress forces us to deviate from normal functioning.
A small amount of stress can be a useful tool, which helps us become motivated
and efficient. But severe occupational stress impacts negatively both personally and
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professionallygood balance prevents burnout, which is when we feel emotionally
exhausted and our sense of personal accomplishment is diminished
1.2 Aim of the project and main objective of the project:
The aim of this project is to provide a context for work-life balance issues and to
undertake a preliminary exploration of work-life balance culture in YCH logistics.
It further aims to make recommendations based on findings and undertake some
initial development activity.
In line with the aims of the project, the objectives are fourfold as follows:-
To develop a contextual framework for work-life balance issues
To explore and evaluate the nature of work-life balance culture in YCH
logistics
To make suggestions for improvements
To undertake some preliminary development activity.
1.3 Scope of the project:
It highlights the key need & reason for introducing work life balance
policies,
Helps to retain the existing employees as well as to attracts new employees,
Is to reduce sickness and absenteeism,
To enhances working relationships between colleagues,
To increase level of production and satisfaction, and
Decrease the stress and burnout in work/life.
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1.5 Limitations in the Project:
The project report was designed on the belief that information provided by
the respondents is correct.
The study cant be generalized for a long time as employees interest will be
changing rapidly over a period of time.
The survey conducted was limited to Chennai office July 2012. Hence the
results attained by the study may not be applicable to other regional offices
Many employees are reluctant in disclosing the true information, so the
researcher had to proceed with incomplete information
They might feel the personal information will not maintain as confidential.
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2. ABSTRACTION OF THE PROJECT
In this paper I have tried to address the reasons contributing to proper and improper
balance of work-life in YCH and the various strategies that have been designed by
them to keep their employees happy. As the younger generation of Indian
employees are offered great pay with it comes more work pressure which also takes
a toll on their relationships and life itself. Indian women and senior employees
suffer the most. The employees need to realize that they need to balance work and
life for both success at the workplace and a fulfilled life. Organizations can only
facilitate, but the initiative should be taken by the employee. There are many
measures that companies can take to ensure work-life balance, such as employeebenefits like child carefacilities, video conferencing to reduce travel, not scheduling
work events during school holidaysand so on.
Worklife balance is a cleared concept including proper prioritizing between
(careerand ambition) on the one hand and "lifestyle" (Health, pleasure, leisure,
family and spiritual development/meditation) on the other. Related, though broader,
terms include "lifestyle calm balance" and "life style choices". Also in common
terms it is known as workaholic stress.
Much confusion and ambiguity surrounds the understanding and definition of the
termwork-life balance. As a term in its own right work-life balanceis rarely defined
forreasons that will become clearer as the discussion progresses. Many of the
attempts atdefinition relate to work-life balance policy or work-life balance
arrangements.Nevertheless, it is possible to discern a number of distinct strands in
the literature inrelation to definitional and conceptual issues.The first of these
themes concerns the contentious area of family-friendly vs. work-
lifebalancearrangements. Work-life balanceemerged as a term to replace family-
friendlyand work-familyin order to reflect a broader and more inclusive way of
conceptualizingthe issues, and to enable men and those without children, for
example, to identify withthem. However, the perception that work-life balance
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policies are a family matter andaimed solely at women with children is still held by
many employees and employers.
The work life balance has divided into 3 broad categories (a).Workaholic
employees (b). Work life balance (Ideal workers) employees (c). Life oriented
employees
Then those employees can be divided, according to their departments. The above
three categories aregoing to deal with employees productivity, efficiency in their
work, stress level, physical fitness and their health.
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3. INTRODUCTION
3.1 Company profile:
ABOUT YCH GROUP:
Founded in 1955, YCH Group is the leading integrated end-to-end supply chainmanagement and logistics partner to some of the world's largest companies,
including Dell, Motorola, Samsung, LG, ExxonMobil, Unilever, LVMH and Royal
FrieslandCampina. YCH Group's suite of innovative award-winning end-to-end
supply chain management solutions - Intribution, Intrabution, Retrogistics
etc. - employ cutting edge web-technologies that are best-in-class across industry
clusters from electronics and consumer, to chemical and healthcare, to deliver
powerful competitive advantages for customers.
A strong proponent of innovation, YCH is recognized for its 7PLapproach in
seamlessly integrating supply chain strategy with execution to attain success in the
SCM industry. YCH attained the highly-regarded Singapore Innovation Class in
October 2005 and has since attained various recognitions, including Top Honours
as Winner of the IDC Enterprise Innovation Awards 2010. As a forerunner in
worldwide supply chain security, YCH is the first recipient of the ISO 28000: 2007
certification for excellent security management in the global SCM industry. YCHalso won the prestigious National Infocomm Award 2008 for its RFID-enabled
'High Performance Supply Chain Nerve Centre' and was conferred the 'Asian 3PL
of the Year' award by Supply Chain Asia for four times consecutively from 2007 to
2010.YCH was named 'Most AdmiredLarge Enterprise (Innovation)' in the high-
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level ASEAN Business Awards in 2010, and was crowned "Enterprise of the Year"
in the Singapore Business Awards in 2011.
Asia Pacific Presence:
They have expanded their overseas operations significantly over the last decade and
presently have operations spanning throughout Asia Pacific, including Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Australia, India,
Vietnam and Korea.
3.2 MILESTONES OF YCH
Humble Beginnings: 1955 to 1980s
The YCH Story started way back in the 1950s when the company was only doing
passenger transportation. Known as Yap Chwee Hock Transport and General
Contractors, they ferried workers from the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and British
soldiers to-and-fro their workplaces.Then in the 1970s, the company faced its first
crisis when it lost its main business contract of ferrying the PUB workers. Coupled
with the set-up of Singapores Bus Service (SBS), YCH was left with 103 empty
trucks and hardly any passengers.
Partner in Total Logistic: Early 1980s to 1990s
Refusing to give up and leave his workers jobless, the late Mr. Yap Chwee Hock
roped in his oldest son and current CEO of YCH Group, Dr. Robert Yap, to join the
company and help salvage the business. Freshly graduated from university, Robert
saw new opportunities to turn the company around by leveraging on the growing
trade activities of the Singapore Ports. This marked the start of the companys
venture into the cargo transportation business, which from then on grew rapidly to
include extended logistics services such as freight and warehousing management.
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Together with the companys change in direction, was a change in the name to Yap
Chwee Hock Transport Pvt Ltd, which marked the companys new suite of
services.
Regional Expansion: 1995 to 2005 Building on this strong foundation, Yap
Chwee Hock Transport Pvt Ltd began its forays into the region and also started
exploiting IT by developing proprietary applications to integrate the various
logistics services. This pioneering effort paved the way for the company to develop
a solid logistics network with state-of-the-art DistriParks. The 90s marked the
organisations transformation into a Supply Chain Management Company, as the
company embarked on providing award-winning solutions for its MNC clientele.
Accompanied by another rebranding effort, the company was from then knownsimply as YCH, with the mantra of growing and going with their customers where
they wanted to be.
Asia Pacs Leading Supply Chain Company: 2006 till date
Throughout YCHs history, the organisation has never backed down in the face of
challenges, but continued evolving to forge new breakthroughs in the supply chain
industry. With a strong RISE Corporate Philosophy to support its ambitiousmission of becoming Asia Pacifics number 1 Supply Chain Management
Company, YCH has over the years garnered international recognition and praise
from the industry, governments and its MNC clientele. Having grown to become
Singapores largest home-grown Supply Chain Solutions Company today, YCH
prides itself in seamlessly connecting complex supply chain systems for its world-
class customers, enabled by cutting-edge, award-winning SCM solutions and
comprehensive Asia Pacific presence. As a leading player in the industry, YCHs
keys to success have always rested on being right at the heart of supply chain. By
combining advanced hardware capabilities, agile customer software skills, and over
five decades of passion for supply chain excellence, YCH is committed to
continuously innovate and stay at the forefront of the industry; because YCH is -
where supply chainconnects.
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3.3 PHILOSOPHY, MISSION AND VISION
Philosophy
YCH is founded on a philosophy that thrives on overcoming challenges. This is
embodied in the corporate philosophy using the Chinese Character (Sheng)
meaning to RISE. The acronym of the word RISE was adopted as the companys
corporate values, focusing on the level of service and confidence they provide to
their clients.
R- Reliability
I- Integrity
S- Sincerity
E- Enterprise
Mission:
Mission to Be the No. 1 Supply Chain Solutions Company in Asia Pacific.
Vision:
The Logistics Superhighway: Vision to Build the Logistics Superhighway in a
Borderless World, represents the passion in creating the ultimate superhighway of
optimal efficiency & speed. The Logistics Superhighway will enable the Physical,
Informational, and Financial flows of the supply chain to flow seamlessly
throughout a borderless world.
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YCH BRAND STORY
History
Since 1955, YCH has evolved from its humble beginnings as a passenger transport
company, to a partner in total logistics, and today an award-winning end-to-end
supply chain management solutions partner to world-class companies throughout
Asia Pacific.
The true constant amid the progressive and changing landscape has been the
companys devotion to its corporate philosophy of RISE, to serve as a beacon in
Going and Growing with their customers and partners to where they want to be.
With RISE is focus on developing the core strategic pillars of people, technology,
and quality, will empower us to create value and innovations to shift the paradigms
in the supply chain industry.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Robert Yap- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Lun Kai Shen- Chief Financial Officer and Head, North Asia & Australia
Jason Stevens- Chief Commercial Officer
Catherine Yap- VP, Corporate Services
Margaret Toh- VP, Human Capital & Brand Equity
Roger Yap- VP, China &Operations
Philip Tan- VP, ASEAN
Alec Ang- Chief Information Officer
Simon Moon- VP, North Asia Sales & Global Freight
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3.4QUALITY PROGRAMS
YCHGroup Policy Statement:
We are committed to quality leadership through operations and service excellence
by making continuous improvements that exceed the expectations of our customers
and the standards of our competitors.
Quality Objective
We aim to provide an Awesome Customer Experienceand encompass Total
QualityManagementinto our Systems Oriented Environment.In our Learning
Organisation, we strive to haveContinuous Process Improvementin our bid tobecome the No.1 SCM Company in Asia Pacific
Management of Quality
Being a world-class service provider, YCH's Quality deployment continuously goes
the extra mile to enhance customer satisfaction levels by re-engineering the existing
processes to create additional value, target for Zero Defects in Service Delivery and
uphold our World-class Quality Image worldwide. Recognizing that Quality is along journey towards business and operational excellence, YCH believes in sharing
lessons learned among various operational units for benchmarking good practices.
Hence, our Quality approach towards work is defined by a determination to
continuously stay ahead of the pack. Quality Management Reviews are carried out
regularly with the YCH Management Team to evaluate the effectiveness of the
Quality System in achieving the Groups Quality Policy and Objectives. The results
are then shared and clearly communicated to all involved.
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Quality System Auditors
Every customer account is subjected to at least one internal quality audit. To align
the customer quality expectations from various industries, our team of qualitysystem auditors are trained and certified in multiple International Standards to
support their business initiatives and innovations.
Proof of Promise
ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001
The ISO 14001 certification is the international quality
standard for environmental management systems (EMS).This accreditation indicates YCHs proven ability to adopt
proactive measures to manage the impact of our business vis-
a-vis the environment on a continuous basis.
YCH establish and maintain a system that assesses and documents environmental
impacts; establish responsibilities; provide resources, training and communication
for our employees to better understand the importance of environmental awareness;
ensure monitoring and review by management and develop objectives for
continuous improvement.YCH is also OHSAS 18001 certified (the safety
management system to the internationally recognized Occupational Health and
Safety Assessment Series), meaning that they treat the health and safety protection
of the employees as an utmost priority as they go about performing their day-to-day
business activities.
ISO 9001:2008The YCH Quality Management System ISO 9001:2008 certification is accredited
by the prestigious Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Our certified scope covers the
following areas - Total Integrated Logistics Services and Management
(Transportation, Warehousing, Distribution, Intribution TM, Intrabution TM,
Retrogistics TM and International Freight Forwarding).
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Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
Started by the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore (HSA), the GDP standard
means that YCH is more than equipped in managing the quality and integrity of
products, especially pharmaceutical, throughout the entire distribution chain. YCH
has received the certification for GDPMDS (Good Distribution Practice for Medical
Devices in Singapore) as well, which covers the import and supply of wholesale
medical device products in Singapore. Organizations that are involved in
distribution or importing Medical Devices in Singapore are required to obtain the
GDPMDS certificate prior to applying for an Importer or Wholesalers License.
With this, YCH demonstrates its ability to maintain the quality and integrity of
medical device products throughout the entire supply chain process.
Responsible Care
As a member of the Singapore Chemical Industry Councils
(SCIC) Responsible Care programme, YCH is committed to
caring for the environment and maintaining high standards of
operations for our clients particularly in the chemicals, healthcare
and pharmaceutical sectors, where stringent requirements arecritical. With our continued achievements in Employee Health &
Safety Code and Emergency Response Code, YCH aims to
provide stakeholders with assurance in terms of effective safety
and health measures.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
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As an environmentally proactive company, YCH has put in a
tremendous amount of resources into ensuring our facilities are eco-
friendly. The LEED Green Building Rating SystemTM is an
internationally accepted benchmark for design, construction and
operation of high performance green buildings. Developed by the US
Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED standard certifies that
buildings have improved performance across energy savings, water
efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved
indoor.Environmentalquality and stewardship of resources and
sensitivity to their impacts certified the gold status under LEED.
YCH DistriPark - Chennai is the first green warehouse in India, saving 30% ofenergy and has a reduced Carbon Dioxide usage of 440tonnes a year. Most
recently, ourYCH DistriPark Yangshan Free Port in the Shanghai Lingang
area was also given this prestigious nod of approval by the USGBC authority. A
demonstration of our companys pledge to contribute to sustainability by
transforming the way our facilities are designed built and operated. YCH is
committed to ensuring its facilities are built with world-class, environmentally-
friendly standards, and will continue to develop more cost-efficient and energy-
saving green buildings.
Double A Class Enterprise Certification
The highest echelon of Green Lane approval in China, the AA Class Status has
been conferred onto us both in Xiamen and Tianjin by the local customs authorities.
This certification is an acknowledgement of our outstanding track record in
management of customs declaration and documentation-related processes for the
past few years. Being an AA Enterprise means that the customers can enjoy more
expedited and efficient service when their goods pass through these particular hubs.
To date, only a handful of companies have been awarded this accolade and it
signifies the trust the Chinese government has in the management of goods and
cargo.
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PROJECT DETAILS
4.1 Introduction:
Worklife balance is a cleared concept including proper prioritizing between
(careerand ambition) on the one hand and "lifestyle" (Health, pleasure, leisure,
family and spiritual development/meditation) on the other. Related, though broader,
terms include "lifestyle calm balance" and "life style choices". Also in common
terms it is known as workaholic stress.
Much confusion and ambiguity surrounds the understanding and definition of the
term work-life balance. As a term in its own right work-life balanceis rarely defined
for reasons that will become clearer as the discussion progresses. Many of the
attempts at definition relate to work-life balance policy or work-life balance
arrangements. Nevertheless, it is possible to discern a number of distinct strands in
the literature in relation to definitional and conceptual issues. The first of these
themes concerns the contentious area of family-friendly vs. work-life balance
arrangements. Work-life balance emerged as a term to replace family-friendly and
work-family in order to reflect a broader and more inclusive way of conceptualizing
the issues, and to enable men and those without children, for example, to identify
with them. However, the perception that work-life balance policies are a family
matter and aimed solely at women with children is still held by many employees
and employers.
4.2 Stress and Work Life Balance:
The number of stress-related disability claims by American employees has
doubled according to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association in
Arlington, Virginia. Seventy-five to ninety percent of physician visits are related to
stress and, according to the American Institute of Stress, the cost to industry has
been estimated at $200 billion-$300 billion a year. Steven L. Sauter, chief of the
Applied Psychology and Ergonomics Branch of the National Institute for
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Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati,Ohio, states that recent studies show
that "the workplace has become the single greatest source of stress".
Michael Feuerstein, professor of clinical psychology at the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences at Bethesda Naval Hospital states, "We're seeinga greater increase in work-related neuro skeletal disorders from a combination of
stress and ergonomic stressors".
It is clear that problems caused by stress have become a major concern to both
employers and employees. Symptoms of stress are manifested both physiologically
and psychologically. Persistent stress can result in cardiovascular disease, sexual
health problems, a weaker immune system and frequent headaches, stiff muscles, or
backache. It can also result in poor coping skills, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity,
exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating. Stress may also perpetuate or lead
to binge eating, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
According to James Campbell Quick, a professor of organizational behavior at the
University of Texas-Arlington, "The average tenure of presidents at land-grant
universities in the past ten years has dropped from approximately seven to three-
and-a-half years"
The feeling that simply working hard is not enough anymore is acknowledged bymany other American workers. "To get ahead, a seventy-hour work week is the new
standard. What little time is left is often divvied up among relationships, kids, and
sleep." This increase in work hours over the past two decades means that less time
will be spent with family, friends, and community as well as pursuing activities that
one enjoys and taking the time to grow personally and spiritually.
Texas Quick, an expert witness at trials of companies who were accused of
overworking their employees, states that "when people get worked beyond theircapacity, companies pay the price."
Although some employers believe that workers should reduce their own stress
by simplifying their lives and making a better effort to care for their health, most
experts feel that the chief responsibility for reducing stress should be management.
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According to Esther M. Orioli, president of Essi Systems, a stress management
consulting firm, "Traditional stress-management programs placed the responsibility
of reducing stress on the individual rather than on the organization-where it
belongs. No matter how healthy individual employees are when they start out, if
they work in a dysfunctional system, theyll burn out."
4.3 Formation of the "ideal worker" and gender differences:
Work-life conflict is not gender-specific. According to the Center for American
Progress, 90 percent of working mothers and 95 percent of working fathers report
work-family conflict. However, because of the social norms surrounding each
gender role, and how the organization views its ideal worker, men and women
handle the work-life balance differently. Organizations play a large part in how
their employees deal with work-life balance. Some companies have taken proactive
measures in providing programs and initiatives to help their employees cope with
work-life balance (see: Responsibility of the employer).
Yet, the root of the work-life conflict may come from the organizational norms and
ideologies. As a macro structure, the organization maintains the locus of power.
Organizations, through its structure, practices, symbols and discourse, create and
reproduce a dominant ideology. The dominant ideology is what drives
organizational power and creates organizational norms.
At the top of the organizational hierarchy, the majority of individuals are males,
and assumptions can be made regarding their lack of personal experience with the
direct and indirect effects of work-family conflict.
For one, they may be unmarried and have no thought as to what "normal" family
responsibilities entail. On the other hand, the high-level manager may be married,
but his wife, due to the demands of the husbands position, has remained at home,tending solely to the house and children.Ironically, these are the individuals
creating and reforming workplace policies.
Workplace policies, especially regarding the balance between family/life and work,
create an organizational norm in which employees must fall into. This type of
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organizational behavior, according to Dennis Mumby, "contributes in some ways to
the structuring of organizational reality, and hence organizational power."
In other words, the reality of what employees experience, specifically in regards to
work-life balance, is a direct result of power operating covertly through ideologicalcontrols. This is seen in the ideological norm of the "ideal worker." Many
organizations view the ideal worker as one who is "committed to their work above
all else". "Ideal workers" are those that demonstrate extra-role behaviors, which are
seen as positive attributes.
Alternatively, those who are perceived as having to divide their time (and their
commitments) are seen not as dedicated to the organization. As research has shown,
a managers perception of a subordinates commitment to the organization is
positively associated with the individuals promotabilty. Hoobler et al.s (2009)
findings mirrored the perceived commitment-to-promotabilty likelihood.
Often, these perceptions are placed on the female worker. Managers who perceived
their female employees of maintaining high work-family conflict were presumed as
not as committed to the organization, therefore not worthy of advancement. This
negatively impacts working mothers as they may be "inaccurately perceived to have
less commitment to their organizations than their counterparts, their advancement
in organizations may be unfairly obstructed".
Working mothers often have to challenge perceptions and stereotypes that evolve as
a working woman becomes a working mother. Working mothers are perceived as
less competent and less worthy of training than childless women. Another study,
focusing on professional jobs, found that mothers were 79 percent less likely to be
hired and is typically held to a higher standard of punctuality and performance than
childless women.
The moment when she becomes a mother, a working woman is held at a completely
different norm than her childless colleagues. In the same Cuddy et al. (2004) study,
men who became fathers were not perceived as any less competent, and in fact,
their perceived warmth increased.
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The ways in which corporations have modeled the "ideal worker" does not
compliment the family lifestyle, nor does it accommodate it. Long hours and near
complete devotion to the profession makes it difficult for working mothers to
participate in getting ahead in the workplace. A Fortune article found that among
the most powerful women in business (female CEOs, presidents and managing
directors of major corporations), 29 percent were childless compared to 90 percent
of men should a woman seek a position of power within an organization, she must
consider the toll on other facets of her life, including hobbies, personal relationships
and families. As Jeffrey Pfeffer states: "Time spent on the quest for power and
status is time you cannot spend on other things, such as family. The price seems to
be particularly severe for women". Many executive jobs require a substantial
amount of overtime, which as a mother, many cannot devote because of family
obligations. Consequently, it is nearly impossible for a working mother in a top
management position to be the primary caretaker of her child.
Perceptions of work-life balance and gender differences:
This circumstance only increases the work-life balance stress experienced by many
women employees.
Research conducted by the Kenexa Research Institute (KRI), a division of Kenexa,
evaluated how male and female workers perceive work-life balance and found that
women are more positive than men in how they perceive their companys efforts to
help them balance work and life responsibilities. The report is based on the analysis
of data drawn from a representative sample of 10,000 U.S. workers who were
surveyed through Work Trends, KRIs annual survey of worker opinions.
The results indicated a shift in womens perceptions about work-life balance. In the
past, women often found it more difficult to maintain balance due to the competing
pressures at work and demands at home.
The past two decades have witnessed a sharp decline in mens provider role,
caused in part by growing female labor participation and in part by the weakening
of mens absolute power due to increased rates of unemployment and
underemployment states sociologist Jiping Zuo. She continues on to state that
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Womens growing earning power and commitment to the paid workforce together
with the stagnation of mens social mobility make some families more financially
dependent on women. As a result, the foundations of the male dominance structure
have been eroded.
Work-life balance concerns of men and women alike
Similar discrimination is experienced by men who take time off or reduce working
hours for taking care of the family.For many employees todayboth male and
femaletheir lives are becoming more consumed with a host of family and other
personal responsibilities and interests. Therefore, in an effort to retain employees, it
is increasingly important for organizations to recognize this balance.
Young generation views on work-life balance
According to Kathleen Gerson, Sociologist, young people "are searching for new
ways to define care that do not force them to choose between spending time with
their children and earning an income" and " are looking for definition of personal
identity that do not pit their own development against creating committed ties to
others". Young adults believe that parents should get involved and support the
children both economically and emotionally, as well as share labor equally. Young
people do not believe work-life balance is possible and think it is dangerous tobuild a life dependent on another when relationships are unpredictable. They are
looking for partners to share the house work and family work together. Men and
women believe that women should have jobs before considering marriage, for
better life and to be happy in marriage.
Young people do not think their mothers generations were unhappy. They also do
not think they were powerless because they were economically dependent.
Identity through work
By working in an organization, employees identify, to some extent, with the
organization, as part of a collective group. Organizational values, norms
and interests become incorporated in the self-concept as employees increase
their identification with the organization. However, employees also identify
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with their outside roles, or their "true self". Examples of these might be
parental/caretaker roles, identifications with certain groups, religious
affiliations, align with certain values and morals, mass media etc.
Employee interactions with the organization, through other employees,
management, customers, or others, reinforces (or resists) the employee
identification with the organization. Simultaneously, the employee must manage
their "true self" identification.
In other words, identity is "fragmented and constructed" through a number of
interactions within and out of the organization; employees dont have just one self.
Most employees identify with not only the organization, but also other facets of
their life (family, children, religion, etc.). Sometimes these identities align andsometimes they do not. When identities are in conflict, the sense of a healthy work-
life balance may be affected. Organization members must perform identity work so
that they align themselves with the area in which they are performing to avoid
conflict and any stress as a result.
Women
Today there are many young women who do not want to just stay at home and do
house work, but want to have their careers.About 64% of mothers whose youngest
child was under age six, and 77% of mothers with a youngest child age 6-17 were
employed in 2010, indicating that the majority of women with dependent care
responsibilities cannot or do not wish to give up careers.
While women are increasingly represented in the work force they still face
challenges balancing work and home life. Both domestic and market labor compete
for time and energy. For women, the results show that that only time spent in
female housework chores has a significant negative effect on wages (Noonan
1140). Noonan attributes reduced earnings to the time intensive and repetitive
chores that are stereotyped as feminine, including cooking, washing dishes, and
cleaning laundry. This leaves women with less time to dedicate to paid labor.
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Men
Men know that work alone may not provide their lives with meaning. Young men
can lose their meaning of life; they want a balance between paid work and
personal attachments without being victimized at work.More men are
realizing that work is not their only primary source of fulfillment from
life. Though working less means a smaller paycheck and higher stress
levels, men are looking for flexibility just as much as women. However,
with an ever-changing society, flexibility is becoming much more
apparent. It seems that some traditional stereotypes are starting to lessen
just a bit in terms of whos responsible for care of the children says
human resource specialist Steve Moore. Traditionalism is becoming less
frequent due to whats actually practical for each individual family.
Men often face unequal opportunity to family life as they are often expected to be
the financial supporter of the family unit, The masculine ideal of a worker
unencumbered by care giving obligations is built into workplace structures and
patterns of reward (Thorne 2011).
Facts
Regarding home life, men and women have similarities with work and home life.
Today, home is not a heavenly place which men and women could rest and feel
comfort as before, but home is an additional place of work.Most of us adhere to the
cultural belief that there's no better guarantee of a happy, healthy, and emotionally
rich and rewarding life than having children.
Sociologists find that as a group, parents in the United States experience depression
and emotional distress more often than their childless adult counterparts.
4.4 Work-life balance issues and their influence on children
An increasing number of young children are being raised by a childcare provider or
another person other than a parent; older children are more likely today to come
home to an empty house and spend time with video games, television and
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the internet with less guidance to offset or control the messages coming from these
sources.
No one knows how many kids are home after school without an adult, but they
know the number is in the millions. Also, according to a study by the NationalInstitute of Child Health and Human Development, the "more time that children
spent in child care, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report
behavior problems..."One possible reason why relations between center care and
problem behavior may endure is that primary school teachers lack the training as
well as the time to address behavior problems, given their primary focus on
academics," the researchers said. The authors emphasized that the children's
behavior was within a normal range and that it would be impossible to go into a
classroom, and with no additional information, pick out those who had been in
child care." The findings are the results of the largest study of child care and
development conducted in the United States; the analysis tracked 1,364 children
from birth.
With the economy in America making single parent and dual earner families stuck
in the workplace the part-time and full-time work has raised. With more women
needing to go into the workforce this leaves children at home with relatives,
babysitters, alone or at a daycare. Having to spend more time under the supervision
of someone else often times leaves the parents of the child with little to no respect
for them. If the child is left home by his or her self then the chances of getting into
trouble is a higher chance.
Not only will the chances of trouble be higher but how important an education is
and how much it is valued is not communicated to the child/children.
However, the reason we need to be putting more hours into work is because of the
consumption of goods. Kids today are often "babysat" by a television, computer, or
video games. But it is very important to people today to "Keep up with the Jones's".
By having the thoughts of this more and more people are buying things they may
never use after one time just to say they have something. Often times kids can be
found scoping out a toy they really want and once they receive it they are no longer
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interested in the object. Because of this happening this is leading to parents needing
to be in the workplace so that they are able to support their families lifestyle.
Crittenden, Anne. 2001. Consumption as Care and Belonging.
In the article The Work-Home Crunch, the authors discusses how although theaverage working hours have remained constant, in reality, those that are more
educated are working more hours while those that are less educated are working
less hours. The article states that the people under the most pressure are not just
overburdened at work. Increasingly, these single parents and two-income couples
find themselves in a time squeeze between home and work.
The relationship between work-life and life outside work:
As previously suggested, attempting to conceptualize work-life balance
necessitates an understanding of the relationship(s) between work life and non-
work life. Work analysts note that there are typically five main descriptive models
that can be drawn on in this respect (Zedeck and Mosier, 1990; ODriscoll, 1996;
Guest, 2001). A brief overview of these models follows. The first is the
segmentation modelwhich holds that work and non-work are two distinct spheres
of life that are lived separately with neither one having influence on the other. In
contrast, the spill over model hypothesizes that either world can influence the other
in positive/negative ways. The third model, a compensation model, 8 suggests that
what may be lacking in one domain in terms of demands and satisfactions can be
made up for in the other.
For example, work may be repetitive and routine but this is compensated for by a
major role in local community activity outside work. In the fourth model activities
in one sphere facilitate activities in the other. This is the instrumental model. An
example here is of an instrumental worker who will work long hours to maximize
earnings, even if it means working in routine jobs, to allow him/her to purchasehouse/car for a young family. The final model is the conflict model. This proposes
that when there are high levels of demand in all spheres of life, difficult choices
will have to be made which will often result in conflicts.
4.5 Classification of Employees:
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Employees in YCH have divided according their departments and then classified
into 3 different parameters
Various departments:
Finance
Human resources
Marketing
Operations
Information technology
4.6 Workaholic Employees:
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work. The term generally implies that
the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to
do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition,
although some forms of stress, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
and obsessive compulsive disorder can be work-related. Work holism is not the
same as working hard. Despite logging in an extraordinary amount of hours and
sacrificing their health and loved ones for their jobs, workaholics are frequently
ineffective employees. Workaholics feel the urge of being busy all the time, to the
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point that they often perform tasks that aren't required or necessary for project
completion. As a result, they tend to be inefficient workers, since they focus on
being busy, instead of focusing on being productive. In addition, workaholics tend
to be less effective than other workers because it's difficult for them to be team
players, they have trouble delegating orentrusting co-workers, or they take on so
much that they aren't as organized as others.
4.7 Difference between workaholics and hard workers:
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Workaholic Employees Hard Workers
1. Hard workers experience their
work as a necessary and at time
fulfilling obligation.
2. Hard workers know when to set
limits on their work in order to
be fully available and present
for their family, friends and to
be able to participate in play.
3. Hard workers can turn off theirwork appetite.
4. A 'workaholic', on the other
hand, is one whose
subconscious forcibly immerses
him/her in work - even though
their work may not even be
satisfying! They become so,
only, or mainly, to avoid having
to interact with one's family and
acquaintances
5. A workaholic hardly works
1. Workaholics see their work as a
place of safety from the
unpredictable of life and a
distance from unwanted feelings
and/or commitments.
2. Workaholics allow their work to
take top billing over all other
areas of their life. Commitments
to family, friends and theirchildren are often made and then
broken to meet work demands
3. Workaholics cannot work. They
remain preoccupied with work no
matter where they are playing
golf with friends, attending their
childrens sporting events, etc.
4. A 'hardworking professional' is
one who put in a lot of hard
work, to ensure that his output
proves to be among the best in
the market - and then goes home
to spend quality time with his or
her loved ones, completely
blocking-off all thoughts about
his/her work
5. A hard worker, really does work
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4.8 Workaholic Employees and various effects due to work holism:
Psychological effects on
workaholics:
The negative effects of
Workaholism can be felt on
mental and social life too.
"Stress, Frustration,
Depression, Loneliness,
Anger, Memory blank outs
and Unable to enjoy
anything. Workaholics are
so used to working that they
do not enjoy anything other than work.
Stress and Frustration:
Stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a
poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the
worker. A variety of factors contribute to workplace stress such as negative
workload, isolation, extensive hours worked, toxic work environments, lack of
autonomy, difficult relationships among coworkers and management, management
bullying, harassment and lack of opportunities or motivation to advancement in
ones skill level.
Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions,
including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety,post-traumatic stress
disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension,
etc.), maladaptive behaviors (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive
impairment (e.g., concentration and memory problems).
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Frustration:
Frustration is acommon emotional response to opposition. Related
to disappointmentit arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of
individual will. The greater the obstruction, and the greater the will, the more thefrustration is likely to be. Causes of frustration may be internal or external. In
people, internal frustration may arise from challenges in fulfilling personal
goals and desires, instinctual drives and needs, or dealing with
perceived deficiencies, such as a lack ofconfidence or fear of social
situations. Conflict can also be an internal source of frustration; when one has
competing goals that interfere with one another, it can create cognitive dissonance.
External causes of frustration involve conditions outside an individual, such as a
blocked road or a difficult task. While coping with frustration, some individuals
may engage in passiveaggressive behavior, making it difficult to identify the
original cause(s) of their frustration, as the responses are indirect. A more direct,
and common response, is a propensity towards aggression.
Depression:
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's
thoughts, behavior, feelings and physical well-being.Depressed people may
feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or
restless. They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable; experience
loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details,
or making decisions; and may contemplate or attempt suicide. Insomnia, excessive
sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains or digestive problems that are
resistant to treatment may be present.Depressed mood is not necessarily a
psychiatric disorder. It is a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of
some medical conditions, and a side effect of some medical treatments. Depressed
mood is also a primary or associated feature of certain psychiatric syndromes such
as clinical depression.
Loneliness:
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Loneliness isanunpleasant feeling in which a person feels a strong sense
ofemptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships.
Loneliness is not a subjective experience, since humans are social creatures by
nature. Loneliness has also been described as social pain a psychological
mechanism meant to alert an individual of isolation and motivate her/him to seek
social connections
Anger:
Anger as a normal emotion that involves a strong uncomfortable and emotional
response to a perceived provocation. R. Novaco recognized three modalities of
anger: cognitive (appraisals), somatic-affective (tension and agitations) and
behavioral (withdrawal and antagonism). DeFoore 2004describes anger as a
pressure cooker; we can only apply pressure against our anger for a certain amount
of time until it explodes. Anger may have physical correlates such as increased
heart rate, blood pressure, and levels ofadrenaline and noradrenalin. Some view
anger as part of the fight or flight brain response to the perceived threat of
harm.Anger becomes the predominant feeling behaviorally, cognitively, and
physiologically
Memory Black Outs (alcohol related amnesia):
A blackout is a phenomenon caused by the intake ofalcohol or other substance in
which long term memory creation is impaired or there is a complete inability to
recall the past. Blackouts are frequently described as having effects similar to that
ofanterograde amnesia, in which the subject cannot create memories after the event
that caused amnesia. 'Blacking out' is not to be confused with the mutually
exclusive act of 'passing out', which means loss of consciousness. Research on
alcohol blackouts was begun by E. M. Jellinek in the 1940s.
Using data from a survey ofAlcoholics Anonymous (AA) members, he came to
believe that blackouts would be a good predictor of alcoholism. However, there are
conflicting views as to whether this is true.
The negative psychological effects of an alcohol related blackout are often
worsened by those who suffer from anxiety disorders
Physiological effects on workaholics:
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Regarding effects on physical health, an increased risk of high blood pressure, Type
2 diabetes, chronic pain and a weak immune system.
Productivity and efficiency from workaholic employees:
Working more doesn`t mean you care more or that you get more done, it just means
you spend more time at work. Workaholics spend more time on the job, creating
more problems than they actually solve, and losing more sales than they actually
win. People show up early and stay late just to appease a false representation of
productivity but they aren`t really being productive. They are tired, hungry and
have not clear direction.
Absenteeism:
Absenteeism is another big problem in an organisation; workaholics take more
leaves, like sick leave due to stress at work and pressure, In a recent survey
researchers found normal man can do 9 hours of work daily, if exists 9 hours (like
workaholics), it may end up with stress and pressure and it ends up with health
problems and it results in absenteeism.
4.9 Work-life balance arrangements:
Flexible leave arrangements:
Flexible leave allows employees to take leave at times that fit with their personal
and family commitments and which are also convenient to the employer. This may
involve using leave in small amounts such as 1 day for a special event or
extending leave entitlements to enable longer absences from work.
Benefits of flexible leave
Flexibility in taking leave allows employees to better manage work and life
commitments. It also makes good business sense by:
providing greater flexibility in workforce management;
reducing unplanned absences and employment related costs;
responding to workload peaks and troughs;
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minimizing the need for relief to cover long absences;
attracting and retaining key employees; and
To increasing employee satisfaction and commitment.
Flexible working time arrangements:
It is important to balance the various interests. Working time policy, which places
emphasis on the importance of labour market flexibility, may be a vital element in
businesses competitive strategies. Working time flexibility may also complement
the growing diversity in lifestyles and the rise of dual earner families. Increasingly
more employees seem interested in tailor-made hours matching their personal needs
for flexibility. The importance to create a win-win situation
Part-time working
Job sharing
Job splitting
Flexi time
Personalized/flexible hours system
Compressed working week
Part time working:
A part-time work is a form ofemployment that carries fewer hours per week than
a full-time job. Workers are considered to be part time if they commonly work
fewer than 30 or 35 hours per week. According to the International Labour
Organization, the number of part-time workers has increased from one-fourth to a
half in the past 20 years in most developed countries, excluding the US. There are
many reasons for working part time, including the desire to do so, having one's
hours cut back by an employer and being unable to find a fulltime job.
Job sharing:
Alternative work schedules in which two employees are voluntarily share theresponsibilities of one full time job and receive the benefits of salary and pro-data.
Job sharing creates regular part time (half days, alternative days, and alternative
weeks etc) where there was one full time position, and thus avoids a total loss of
employment in a layoff.
Job splitting:
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In job-splitting, two people simply divide one job between them so that both parts
are covered. The work routines are fairly well established and the need for co-
ordination between them will be minimal. The main rationale for job-splitting tends
to be achieving flexibility of cover, labour cost reduction or job creation. Job-
splitting can be an effective way of achieving continuity of cover for longer than a
standard working week without the addition of a second half-time job. For example,
a full-time job can be split into two 60 per cent jobs.
Flexi time:
Flexi time is a variable work schedule, in contrast to traditionalwork arrangements
requiring employees to work a standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. day. Its invention is usually
credited to William Henning. Under flextime, there is typically a core period (of
approximately 50% of total working time / working day) of the day, when
employees are expected to be at work (for example, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.),
while the rest of the working day is "flexi time", in which employees can choose
when they work, subject to achieving total daily, weekly or monthly hours in the
region of what the employer expects, and subject to the necessary work being done.
A flextime policy allows staff to determine when they will work, while a flex
place policy allows staff to determine where they will work.
Its practical realization can mainly be attributed to the entrepreneur Wilhelm
Haller who founded Hengstler Gleitzeit, and later "Interflex Datensysteme GmbH"
in Southern Germany, where today a number of companies offer Flexi time
(Gleitzeit) solutions which have grown out of his initiative.
Flexible working hours System:
A system of flexible working hours gives employees some choice over the actual
times they work their contracted hours. Such a system can be a good way of
recruiting and retaining staff - since it provides an opportunity for employees to
work hours consistent with their other commitments (e.g. child care). Most flexible
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working hours schemes have a period during the day when employees must be
present. This is known as "core time". A typical core time would be 10.00 a.m. to
4.00 p.m. Other than the core time, employees may choose when they start and
finish work within flexible bands at the beginning and end of each day. These
bands are typically 08:0010:00 and 16:0018:000. However, there is wide scope
for variation depending on the core time, the hours the work place is open and the
nature of the business.
Compressed working week:
A compressed working week gives you the benefit of an extra day off by allowing
you to work your usual no. of hours in fewer days per pay period. Work for 10
hour-days each week and then enjoy a three day weekend, or work 80 hours in nine
days with an extra day off every other week.
Work-Life Balanced Employees and its positive effects on profession and
personal:
Benefits of Work-Life Balance:
Businesses earn 20% more from their staff if they have a healthy work-life balance,
according to new research from talent development firm Morgan Redwood.
The research revealed that nine out of 10 firms believe there is a direct connection
between the wellbeing of staff and company performance, and that ensuring staff
have a good home/work balance reduces absenteeism, improves wellbeing and
increases productivity
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Work- Life Balance Benefits to YCH:
Decrease staff absenteeism and sick leave
Gain focused and engaged employees and teams
Staff achieve more productivity everyday Rise and sustain staff satisfaction levels
Increase employee morale and workplace performance
Enrich staff quality of work/life balance
4.10 Work-Life Balance to YCH Employees:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Improve concentration and sustain task focus longer Increase energy and vitality
Decrease unproductive time leakage
Improve staff health levels
Psychological Effects:
There are no negative
psychological effects like
frustration, depression and
loneliness. As far as YCH
is concerned, work life
balanced employees are
least suffering from the
psychological effects. In
YCH work life balanced
employees are good in
productivity and efficiency.
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Physiological Effects:
In YCH even work life balanced employees are suffering from physiological
problem because of long travel hours.
Productivity and Efficiency:
During the project, survey was taken in work-life balanced employees productivity
Absenteeism:
They dont have any psychological and physiological problem so absenteeism is
very low.
Stress Levels:
Stress levels in work life balanced employees are very low.
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5. OVERALL FINDINGS
5.1 Research Methodology and Data Interpretation:
Research Design:
The adoption of a proper methodology is an essential and important step in
conducting survey (or) any research .In this study the researcher has adopted a
descriptive research method. Descriptive research studies are those studies which
are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular individual or of a
group.
Research Tool:
A questionnaire was used as the research tool for this study. The questionnaire was
chosen as it provides a more comprehensive view than any other research tool.
Data Collection Method
Primary Data:Primary data are those data, which are collected as fresh and for the first time, and
thus happens to be original in character. Primary data can be collected in five ways
through Survey. In this project work interview schedule method has been adopted.
Secondary Data:
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The secondary data have been compiled from the internal and external sources. The
internal source includes the information from the company reports. Besides this, a
number of discussions were held with the officers in human resources department.
5.2 STATISTICAL TOOLS DESCRIPTION
Percentage analysis
Weighted Average Method
Percentage analysis:
Percentage analysis is often used in data presentation for they simplify numbers,
reducing all of them to a 0 to 100 range. Through the use of percentages, the data
are reduced in the standard form with base equal to 100 to which fact facilities
relative comparisons
Percentage =No. of response/ Total no. of respondents*100
Weighted Average Method:
The weighted average is obtained on dividing the weighted totals by the sum of
weights, let X1, X2Xn occur with weights W1, W2.Wn then
Weighted Average = WiXi / Wi
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5.3 TABLES
5.3.1 TABLE SHOWING THE GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS:
5.3.2 TABLE SHOWING THE MARITAL STATUS OF EMPLOYEES:
Option No. of Respondents Percentage
Married 28 56.0
Unmarried 22 44.0
Total 50 100.0
5.3.3 TABLE SHOWING THE AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS:
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Option No. of Respondents Percentage
Male 28 56.0
Female 22 44.0
Total 50 100.0
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5.3.4 TABLE SHOWING THE TYPE OF EMPLOYEES IN YCH:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Workaholic 28 56.0
Work Life
balancedEmployees 20 40.0
Life Style
Oriented 2 4.0
Total 50 100.0
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Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Below 25 12 24.0
25-30 12 24.0
31-35 18 36.036-40 04 8.0
Above 40 04 8.0
Total 50 100.0
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5.3.5 TABLE SHOWING NO.OF EMPLOYEES WITH STRESS:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Peak Stress 8 16.0
Moderate Stress 30 60.0
No Stress 12 24.0
Total 50 100.0
5.3.6 TABLE SHOWING THE HANDLING OF STRESS AMONG MEN
EMPLOYEES:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Meditation 0 0.0
Physical Fitness 0 0.0
Soft/Hot drinks 14 28.0
Tobacco Intake 18 36.0
Not Interested 18 36.0
Total 50 100.05.3.7 TABLE SHOWING THE HANDLING OF STRESS AMONG WOMEN
EMPLOYEES:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
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Meditation 0 0.0
Physical Fitness 0 0.0
Soft/Hot drinks 24 48.0
Tobacco Intake 1 2.0
Not Interested 25 50.0Total 50 100.0
5.3.8 TABLE SHOWING HOW EMPLOYEES FEEL WHEN THEY ARE IN
WORK:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Very Unhappy 0 0.0
Unhappy 0 0.0
Indifferently 4 8.0
Happy 24 48.0
Very Happy 22 44.0
Total 50 100.0
5.3.9 TABLE SHOWING HOW OFTEN EMPLOYEES THINK ABOUT
WORK:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Never 2 4.0
Rarely 0 0.0
Sometimes 14 28.0
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Often 10 20.0
Always 24 48.0
Total 50 100.0
5.3.10 TABLE SHOWING WHENEVER THEY FEEL STRESS THEY FEEL
PAIN IN THE AREA:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Neck 7 14.0
Head 9 18.0
Lower-Back 9 18.0
Shoulders 5 10.0
All the above 20 40.0
Total 50 100.0
5.3.11 TABLE SHOWING HOW OFTEN EMPLOYEES SPEND THEIR
TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN FOR ACADEMIC WORK:
Option
No. of
Respondents Percentage
Daily 3 6.0
Weekends 18 36.0
Complex Project 10 20.0Ensuring only 3 6.0
Rarely 16 32.0
Total 50 100.0
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5.4 WEGIHTED AVERAGE METHOD:
5.4.1 Weighted Average Method for How often employees think about their
work:
Options No.of respondents Weight assigned Weighted average
Never 2 5 10
Rarely 0 4 0
Sometimes 14 3 42
Often 10 2 20
Always 24 1 24
Total = 96
Weighted Moving Average = Total no.of Weighted average/Total no.of
respondents
= 96/50
= 1.92or 2
Inference:
From above table, we infer that the respondent often think about their job, when
actually they are not in the job.
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5.4.2 Weighted Average Method for how do employees feel about the time
spend at the work:
Options No.of respondents Weight assigned Weighted average
Very Unhappy 0 5 0
Unhappy 0 4 0
Indifferent 4 3 12
Happy 24 2 48
Very happy 22 1 22
Total= 82
Weighted Moving Average = Total no.of Weighted average/Total no.of
respondents
= 82/50
= 1.64 approximately (2)
Inference:
From above table, we infer that the respondent always feel Happy when they are at
work.
5.4.3 Weighted Average Method for how often employees have to cope up with
too many organizational changes or job task changes:
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Options No.of respondents Weight assigned Weighted average
Always 10 5 50
Often 8 4 32
Sometimes 6 3 18
Rarely 12 2 24
Never 14 1 14
Total= 138
Weighted Moving Average = Total no.of Weighted average/Total no.of
respondents
= 138/50
= 2.76 approximately (3)
Inference:
From above table, we infer that the respondent sometimes cope up with too many
organizational changes and job task changes.
5.4.4 Weighted Average Method for how often they get to home on time:
Options No.of respondents Weight assigned Weighted average
Always 2 5 10
Often 4 4 8
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Sometimes 12 3 36
Rarely 18 2 36
Never 14 1 14
Total= 104
Weighted Moving Average = Total no.of Weighted average/Total no.of
respondents
= 104/50
= 2.08 approximately (2)
Inference:
From above table, we infer that the respondent rarely get to their home on time
1. CONCLUSION:
A study on work life balance among the employees in YCH is focus on analyzing
the importance of work life balance. To conclude with the study, it is found that the
work life balance among the employees at YCH is Moderate. The organization
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allows utilizing the WLB benefits but some innovations has to be done for further
improvement. The company has to pay more attention towards WLB benefits.
From the research it is well identified that quality of work life can be balanced
effectively among the employees in YCH. Hence, the management should take
necessary steps to improve the work life balance among the employees.
6.1 Suggestions:
The company can come up with new and innovative ideas to improve the
WLB programs and practices.
Flexible arrangements of the company should reach each and every
individual
Nearly 60% of employees think about their job always it may results in
stress, so employees can try to reduce it
Women employees should utilize the sports arrangements made by YCH
properly
Employees should improve their health because consumption of tobacco
and drugs are high.
Handling of stress due to work should change in a better way without
tobacco and drugs consumption, company can give awareness program.
The company while implementing work/ life balance initiatives an
evaluation and feedback system should be a part of that process
Nearly 90% of the employees have Health related problems in a chronic
way like neck pain, lower back ache and shoulder pain due to stress, so
health related programs and campaigns can conduct in the office in monthly
basis with the help of dr.
2. ATTACHMENTS
7.1 Total no.of Men and Women:
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7.2Marital Status of YCH employees:
7.3Various Age groups in YCH:
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7.4 Types of Employees in YCH:
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7.5 Total no.of Employees with Stress:
7.6 Handling of Stress among Employees:
7.7 Feelings towards work:
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7.10 Employees get home on time:
7.11Employees spending their time with their children for academic purpose:
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I. WORK LIFE B ALANCE QUESTIONNAIRE
Work Life Balance is understood as managing the career and personal life. In the
current situation employees like you and me have got daily goals and challenges to
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achieve in an organisation which may create pressure on us and resulting in stress.
It is vital for us to understand whether we are in stress, hence this study. Kindly
spend few minutes with me to answer this questionnaire which will take 10-15
minutes.
This project is exclusively for YCH and also for my academic purpose. Hence itwill keep as a Confidential
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
1. Name: -----------------------------------------------------
2. Designation: ---------------------------------------------
3. Gender:
4. Marital status:
5. Department:
6. Age group:
Questionnaires
1. How often do you spend your time for extra activities like
sports/dance/others
a. Rarely
b. Often
c. Regularly
d. Not interested
2. How many hours do you spend your time in office : exclude travelling time
a.
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d. 12 hours & Above
3. Have you missed out any important function / appointments in last 1 year
because of your official meetings if yes how many functions?
a. One or two function
b. 3 to 4 functions
c. I am busy on travelling and office work
d. Never
4. How many hours do you spend for travelling daily? :
a.
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b. No
If yes how do you handle it?
a. Meditation
b. Physical fitness
c. Hot/soft drinks
d. Tobacco intake
e. Others, specify
8. How is your participation in your childs/childrens academic part?
a. Sit with them for their daily academic work
b. Spend valuable time during weekend
c. Support for their complex project
d. I ensure that their studies are going good
e. Rarely Spend time with them
9. Do you agree that your colleagues are able to balance work and personal
life?
a. Yes
b. No
10. Does your company support in any of the below?
a. Flexible start time
b. Flexi end time
c. Holidays
d. Leave schemes
e. Job sharing
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f. Sabbatical leave
g. Flexible hours in general
h. Condensed work( instead of 8 hours in 6 days , 9 hours I 5 days
is called condensed work)
11. What are the facilities available in ych? How far it is useful for you to
balance your work and personal life?
12. Are your parents with you?
a. Yes b. No
13. How often do you think about work (when you are not actually at work or
traveling to work)?
a. Never think about work
b. Rarely
c. Sometimes
d. Often
e. Always
14. How do you feel about the amount of time you spend at work?
a. Very unhappy
b. Unhappy
c. In differently
d. Happy
e. Very happy
15. I have to cope with too many organizational or job task changes.
a. Always
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b. Often
c. Sometimes
d. Rarely
e. Never
16. I get home on time
a. Always
b. Often
c. Sometimes
d. Rarely
e. Never
Health based questions on stress
17. I frequently have guilty feelings if I relax and do nothing
a. Yes b. No
18. I find myself thinking about organizational challenges when am at home
or in a holiday
a. Yes b. No
19. My appetite has changed, over consumption of food/loss of appetite / may
skip meals
a. Yes b. No
20. I seem to be listening even though I am preoccupied with my own thoughts
a. Yes b. No
21. What do you do silently when you are at stress?
a. Removing nails
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b. Shaking legs
c. Grinding my teeth
d. Keep a hand on head and do something
22. Whenever I feel stress I feel pain in the
a. Neck
b. Head
c. Lower-back
d. Shoulders
23. If I find stress at work I will go for
a. Alcohol
b. Caffeine
c. Nicotine or drugs
d. not interested/not consuming
24. Do you have the habit of taking rest after sleep?
a. Yes
b. No
II. Workaholic Questionnaire
1. Do you get more excited about your work than about family or anything
else?
a. Yes
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b. No
2. Do you work more than 40 hours a week?
a. Yes
b. No
3. Is the future a constant worry for you even when things are going very well?
a. Yes
b. No
4. Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep or when others
are talking?
a. Yes
b. No
5.Do you work or read during meals?
a. Yes
b. No
6.Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?
a. Yes
b. No
7.Do you do things energetically and competitively including play?
a. Yes
b. No
8. Are you afraid that if you don't work hard you will lose your job or be a
failure?
a. Yes
b. No
9. Is work the activity you like to do best and talk about most?
a. Yes
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b. No
10. Is your family or friends given up expecting you on time?
a. Yes
b. No
8. BIBILIOGRAPHY
Web Site Links:
http://www.worklifebalancecentre.org/nickhalpinl.php
htpp://www.workfamily.com/Work-
lifeClearinghouse/TipoftheMonth/tip0020.htm
htpp://www.worklifebalancecentre.org/articleflex.php
http://www.bussinessweek.com/managing/content/mar2009/ca2009
037-73419.htm?c ...
www.google.com
http://www.bussinessweek.com/managing/content/mar2009/ca2009037-73419.htm?chttp://www.bussinessweek.com/managing/content/mar2009/ca2009037-73419.htm?chttp://www.bussinessweek.com/managing/content/mar2009/ca2009037-73419.htm?chttp://www.bussinessweek.com/managing/content/mar2009/ca2009037-73419.htm?c