managing 24/7 operations: balancing employees’ work and ... · managing 24/7 operations:...

Managing 24/7 Operations: Balancing employees’ workand life to get the best of both worlds2nd West Africa HR ConferenceJuly 2008

Agenda

BackgroundCauses and impact of work life issuesExercise [wheel of life exercise]Case studyPractical tips for implementationClosure

Background

nd West Africa HR ConferencePricewaterhouseCoopers

2008

Changing business realities – dynamism, competition, & war for talent ….

Emerging markets• The Economic Intelligence Unit 2008 projected that developing countries will grow by more than

7% and Sub Saharan Africa by 6.3%.• The Nigerian economy is growing rapidly and is a constituent member of the global emerging

markets• Very importantly, Goldman Sachs has projected that by 2050, the elite of the emerging markets

(i.e. the BRIC nations) would surpass the G8 Nations.

Efficiency and leverage• Mergers and acquisitions across industries, countries, regions, and continents are throwing up

additional people management challenges Diversity, multiculturalism, working hours etc Provision of online services that require 24/7 service support Cross continental outsourcing of some support functions with time zone challenges Talent pull-push factor with resultant virtual knowledge worker concept.

Findings from PwC 2007 Global CEO survey• Globally, talent management remains a big issue on the CEO agenda and people management

challenges the leading factors preventing successful execution of business strategies.• Indeed, for the first time, the survey showed the extent to which CEOs recognize the true value of

people in achieving business success.• New thinking on talent management appears to be training and development, customized

remuneration and very importantly flexible working.

Background


2008

Defining 24/7 Operations and Work Life Balance ….

24/7 OperationsMost business organisations (e.g. hospitals, airlines, banks, telecommunication companies, securityagencies,) are increasingly operating on a 24/7 basis i.e. 24 hour, seven days a week. Besides, certainaspects of nearly all organizations, especially within the administrative or corporate services function arealso required to provide 24/7 support to business operations.

24/7 practices exist in different forms:• Global perspective for a global company by regions and time zones• Domestic perspective for an organization by shifts• Technology perspective for a virtual company by time zones and shifts.

Work Life BalanceWork-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. It isachieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respectedas the norm, to the combined benefit of the individual, business and society.

Work-Life Balance according to David Clutterbuck’s book “managing work-life balance”, is:• Being aware of different demands on time and energy• Having the ability to make choices in the allocation of time and energy• Knowing what values to apply to choices• Making choices.

Background


2008

Both men and women will benefit from Work-Life Balance…..

• Work-life balance is not just for women• Many men stand to benefit in their roles as fathers, partners or dependants• Society also benefits since stronger and more stable families provide good adult role models, fewer

broken relationships and a reduction in crime and other anti-social behaviour• Everybody stands to benefit from policies aimed at improving employees' work-life balance.

Balancing the needs of business and employees in the new global economy becomes imperative. Thefocus of this paper is to examine the causes and impact of work life balance for 24/7 operations, share thePwC experience and suggest practical tips to aid implementation.

As the world of work increasingly changes towards a 24/7 paradigm, employee lifestyles have had to beadjusted, sometimes with negative implications….

• More people are having to juggle responsibilities at home and in the workplace• Employees perspectives on work focus, primarily, on concerns about long hours or work intensity• Work demands tend to get in the way of other non-work commitments [the other sections of the wheel

of life] and could have a negative effect on personal relationships• Employers are recognising the need to implement working arrangements that promote work-life

balance and enable a family-friendly or personal support service environment. Such programmes makeemployees to feel more in control of their working life which can lead to increased productivity, lowerabsenteeism and a happier, less stressed workforce.

Imperatives of Work Life Issues….

Background

Causes & impact of work lifeissues


2008

Causes of work life issues

Causes of work life issues and implications [e.g consulting environment]…..

Causes of work life issues

• Movements to new job functions or roles on projects• Working on multiple projects at the same time• Resultant long working hours during the week and sometimes at weekends• Traveling while handling multi projects and tasks• Work under tight deadlines and relatively dynamic schedules• Taking full briefcases home for the weekend, thereby eating into our "recuperation time“• Having travel schedules that make our flying hours compete with those of airline pilots and crew members

or make us spend up to a third of the year literarily "on the road".

Broad implications

• Stress - According to Pihulyk & Audrey (2001), stress can be defined as the body’s non specific responseto any demand made upon a person. By definition then, stress is not always a negative force. It can bepositive, negative, chronic or acute. (Pihulyk, Audrey, 2001)

• Cost - According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, the effects of stress in the work place aredevastating, both physically and financially. According to the US National Institute of Health, 80-90% of allillnesses are caused by stress, either directly or indirectly. (Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1989)

• Risks – Employee (all issues earlier listed), Client (not realising value from investment), Firm (Reputation).


2008

Work life issues affect employees, organizations and society in different ways….

Impact of Work Life Issues

• Employees- Physical signs: headaches, backaches, muscle fatigue, insomnia, eye strain, pounding heart- Physical disorders: coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers- Emotional disorders: alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, family problems, compulsive behavior- Others: preoccupation with ideas/people, mood swings, nightmares, withdrawal, impulsive behavior.

• Organizations- High cost of medical benefits as a result of declining state of health amongst employees- Absenteeism and sub-optimal turnover rates- Higher rate of accidents, damaged products, inefficient/ineffective customer service- Declining empathy and persistence of an abrasive work culture- Declining productivity and innovation- Corporate brand erosion over time.

• Societies- Alcoholism and drug abuse- Dysfunctional families- Unexplainable incidences of road accidents linkable to driver fatigue- Prevalence of life style diseases such as heart failure, stroke, etc- Increased social violence and conflict.

Exercise[wheel of life]


2008

An employee’s life has many components; to strike a balance, all must be inperspective, even in the workplace ……

Directions:• The 8 sections of the wheel of life indicate areas of life

that need balance

• Review the life areas presented and label the centre of thewheel as “0” and the outer edge “10”

• Rank your level of satisfaction with each life area bydrawing a straight line or curved line to create a new outeredge

• The new perimeter of the circle represent your wheel oflife. How bumpy will be the ride if there were a real wheel?

• Identify one or two life areas that you feel needsimmediately improvement

• Make a plan stating what action you will take to make thishappen, when, and what form of support you will require tomake it happen

• Share this with your significant other, family, friends andcolleagues so that they could keep you in track

• Periodically/as you progress on your plan, re-draw yourwheel of life to assess progress, and reward yourself forsuccesses made.

The Wheel of life exercise

Case study


2008

Firm ProfilePricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is a leading professional service organization that has been operating inNigeria since 1953, through its predecessor firms of Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse. The firmhas offices located in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. 337 professional staff and 14 partners.

A multidisciplinary approach to project teams serving a client base that comprises of leading businesses,public institutions and organizations in Nigeria. Has client issues dimensioned into advisory andassurance support needs, and consequently aligned client facing structures into two componentsnamely; (a) Assurance services which supports reporting accountant needs, systems and processassurances, and audit by industry, (b) Advisory services which support organizational performanceimprovement imperatives, crises management, tax advisory, and transactions management.

Firm’s Values• Excellence – innovation, learning and agility• Teamwork – Relationships, respect, sharing• Leadership – Courage, vision, integrity, empathy

The values are driven by a legacy of focusing on serving our clients and developing our people. Thesevalues define and guide our behaviours and are the framework of decisions and policies. The serviceethic is quality and integrity.

Work Life Issue• 20 - 70% total travel time in a year depending on role and scope of responsibility• Working at clients cites, having tight deadlines and various work environments• Risk management and quality control in accordance with global network expectations• Dealing with diversity

Case study


2008

A multi-platform approach to work life balance……[remember the wheel of life ?]

• Physical environment - Sufficient deployment of IT tofacilitate interfaces from remote locations and effectivedecision making. Flexibility based on trust and discipline

• Career – Coaching, support with appropriateprofessional bodies, a robust and participatory appraisalfeedback system, policy that allows career breaks toaccommodate career life cycle issues, annual globalpeople survey

• Finances – Periodically benchmarked compensation,with a structure that enables optimal contribution toemployee PFA. Negotiation with relevant financialinstitution for various forms of financial planning

• Health – adequate health insurance for all employees[+dependents} and employee life cover. Vacation andovertime policies

• Family & friends/romance – annual year end parties,paternity leave, extended maternity, career breaks

• Personal growth – coaching as a responsibility ofmanagement staff, and embedded into the appraisalprocess as “Annual Development Plans” and“Performance Summaries”

• Fun & recreation – monthly BU socials, annual generalmeeting, year end parties, away days

Case study


2008

Sample work life balance scenarios – The network

• PwC Nigeria1. Global Technology Solutions (PwC): flexible Working arrangements, shifts on rotation to service

employee needs for Dynamic Virtual Private Network (DVPN) that enables access to mails andother office databases without being present in the office from anywhere globally.

2. Human Capital Unit (PwC): polices and incentives to take paid exam leave [about 5 weeks] to writeprofessional exams that the firm pays for. Example:• Paternity leave, maternity leave (which can be extended), marriage leave, career breaks,

bereavement allowance (for parents,spouse,child) are also part of work life balance practicesthat the firm offers.

• Mentoring & coaching as a way of helping new joiners and others integrate into the firm,enhance performance, and gain career focus.

• Annual global employee opinion surveys to test situation, draw up action plans around PeopleEngagement Index, Commitment to PwC, Commitment to Quality, Connected Thinking, Doingthe Right Thing, Management of Complexity, People Development, Positive WorkEnvironment, Responsible Leadership, Team Effectiveness, and Working at PwC

• Upward feedback by subordinates for the management and feedback is reviewed by person[manager] for his/her coaching and development planning

• Staff social events (Monthly Business Unit socials, Annual Christmas parties, Annual GeneralMeetings, Birthdays, Promotions, etc)

3. Office Services (PwC): Security, Cleaners, Maintenance and Assistants are outsourced while OfficeAssistants and Drivers are not.• Operates in shifts• Staff charge for overtime on extra hours spent and day off• Work life issues are discussed as part of the service level agreement with the service provider

Case study


2008

• PwC UK: Participates in National work life balance week which includes opportunities for staff to discussissues with senior managers. Launched an intranet work life site called PwC Lifestyle, developed withspecialists in the fields of work life balance. The site provides practical advice, support and tools to helpstaff juggle commitments in and out of work. It includes information on pregnancy, childbirth, parenting,eldercare, relationship management, stress, time management, nutrition and health.

• PwC China: Implemented a programme called ‘We Care’, which provides PwC people with a review oftheir compensation, additional days off, reimbursement of physical well-being and medical costs, more-flexible working hours, higher travel allowances, retention bonuses, and recognition awards such asoutings and sponsored evenings for staff and their families.

• PwC Spain: PricewaterhouseCoopers Spain’s Life! programme, launched a year ago, includesmeasures to improve physical well-being, social interaction, reward and recognition and overall work / lifebalance. The programme was expanded in support of telecommuting and leave of absences from thefirm.

• PwC Australia: Mentoring circles for women, which:- Bring groups of peers together with an external facilitator to support them to find pathways to

success, promotion and satisfaction in their leadership careers at PwC- Provides tools and information relating to different types of flexible working arrangements, a 24-hour

a day free helpline and online service for the latest information on the availability of the differenttypes of child, elder and dependant care services.

- Fun family events and quarterly ‘Connections Lunches’ for new parents and intending parents- Special care rooms in offices around the country where parents can tend to the needs of their

children while visiting the office.

Case study

Sample work life balance scenarios – The network


2008

• Connected Thinking: Utilizing all available sources of combined brain power in the PwC worldwidenetwork when providing services to our clients. This transfers the knowledge and experience of oneindustry or service to another. Thus, encouraging people to share their expertise with others, leverageknowledge and enriching teams while providing quality service. It's about working together and drawingon collective knowledge and experience to bring world-class thinking to clients with minimal stress.

• Gender Advisory Council: Created in 2006, as an action and results-oriented advisory group thatprovides advice and assistance to PwC Global CEO on the issue of women at PwC. The council'smembers were drawn from ten PwC firms around the world and its objectives are aimed at:- Educating and raising awareness of the business case for better focus on female retention and

development across all territories;- Researching, identifying and recommending specific actions and initiatives to support leadership

development for women and improved succession; and- Defining accountability – working to improve the “status quo” and recommending measures to

sustain progress and success.

• PwC Experience: A robust work culture tool that offers the sum total of a unique experience for clients,employees and society, leveraging on:- Investing in teams and relationships- Putting ourselves in each other’s shoes- Sharing and collaborating- Focusing on enhancing the value of PwC people, clients, the firm, and society.

Case study

Implementation of work life balance principles [how policies set the tone]


2008

• Values: Firm’s values such as empathy,relationships and sharing with a focus on clients,the firm and its people influences appraisal, careerdevelopment, leadership style, and workenvironment.

• Commitment to Quality: Quality as a way ofbeing in terms of the firm’s brand, quality of therecruitment process, quality to people’s lives,premium on employee safety, relationships withclients and amongst employees, even after theyleave the firm.

• Feedback Culture: To the system and individualswithin the system. E.g. Annual global peoplesurveys, individual performance criteria in terms ofhow (1) We invest in relationships, (2) We share &collaborate, (3) We put ourselves in each other’sshoes, and (d) We enhance value through quality.

• General theme across the network: Quality ofpeople, proprietary methodology, robusttechnology platform, time accountability,relationships and diversity management.

Case study

The context of work life balance across the network

Practical tips


2008

There is no “one size fits all” of work-life practices, as it depends on thesituation, industry, culture, workforce demographics…..

The following practices may be considered for adoption as part of a flexible 'menu' of benefits:• Offering more flexible work patterns• Offering extended leave and other time off arrangements• Increasing levels of support• Encouraging ‘wellness’ to improve health• Offering Child and elderly dependent care programs• Providing lifestyle management support & Training.

There are benefits of having policies that underpin work-life balance….

• Increased flexibility and customer service• Raised morale, motivation, commitment, engagement and reduced absenteeism• Improved recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce• Positioning to become an ‘employer of choice’ in a period with increasing war for talent• Meeting and possibly exceeding basic legal requirements for conditions of labour• Many workplaces that offer flexible working practices and leave arrangements have also reported a

better financial performance than that of similar workplaces in the same industry.• Reduced recruitment and training costs through improved staff retention.

Practical tips


2008

• Flexible work patterns: Part-time working was the most common option of flexible working offered byorganisations. But there is often a gap between the offering and take-up of flexible working practices soconsideration should be given to career development and compensation issues that concern employees.

• Extended leave & time off arrangements: Extended leave, whether paid or unpaid, are not usuallysought by a large numbers of employees, but can be beneficial in some instances. Employees may begive opportunities for flexible working, maternity and paternity leave, parental leave, and leave fordomestic emergencies, such as (a) Career breaks, (b) Sabbaticals, (c) Study leave and (d)Secondments, typically within a career development programme but also as a community supportactivity.

• Increasing levels of support: In addition to flexible working practices and additional leave, employerscan offer extra support through (a) Employee assistance programmes, (b) Financial services egsubsidised insurance or loans, (c) Loans or allowances to help pay for childcare, (d) Workplace facilitiessuch as crèches or medical centres.

• Offering wellness to improve health: Employees being encouraged to protect their health, by offering:- Individual development plans and regular appraisals to provide an opportunity to review work-life

balance on a regular basis- Information and guidance on health issues- Periodic health screening- Subsidised private healthcare- On-site exercise facilities or subsidised access to gyms, etc.

Practical tips


2008

• Offering child & dependent care programs: In our society, nine out of ten workers live in householdswith family members, and nearly half of all employees have care -giving responsibilities. Recognizingthese challenges, employers could create work environments that make it possible for employees to beboth good workers and good caregivers by :- Providing or subsidizing day care for employees- Providing assistance for child care for older children before and after school.

- Supporting community programs that provide care for the elderly.

• Life style management support & training: With longer working hours becoming part of the workingculture, companies are looking to alternative solutions to enable employees juggle their workcommitments with everyday tasks and personal issues.- Employees spend at least 10% of their working day on personal tasks.- How much is 10% of your business time worth per employee?- Lifestyle Management is seen as an effective way to improve retention and reward employees.- It gives employees a channel through which to delegate their personal lifestyle requirements.- This gives employee's improved focus at work with the knowledge that their personal life is in

order- Gives the employer financial savings from more productive staff.

Practical tips


2008

Achieving a work-life balance is not just a one-off exercise, but a sensitivebalancing act involving policies, work environment, work tools, job design,culture, and a long term commitment to operating your business in a way thatrespects your employees' responsibilities outside work. To get started, you mayneed to………….

• Determine your core business requirements first• Conduct a stakeholder preference survey to find out

what managers and other workers really want incontext of your environment and industry

• Consult with trade unions/staff associations• Consult all employees affected and agree upon

selected policies, e.g. flexitime• Decide which of your employees will be affected by

the scheme and ensure the scheme does notunfairly discriminate

• Draw up written procedures for implementation andevaluation, including regular reassessment

• Ensure support from management• Take the lead in demonstrating a commitment to

work-life balance, by the way you work• Explain any changes to employees and keep them

abreast of regulatory changes, e.g. the right forparents to request flexible working

Practical tips

Closure


2008

Closure

Summary….

• We reviewed practical tips to make work lifebalance happen in a 24/7 work environment,leveraging on policies that underpin applicablework culture

• We looked at a case study, with examples ofpolicies that facilitate work life balance in anotherwise difficult work environment

• We reviewed samples of work life relatedinitiatives from other firms within the globalnetwork of professional service firms

• We reviewed the wheel of life and did the practiceexercise. Hopefully, we will revisit this when weget back home!

• We defined 24/7 operations and work life balancewithin the context of impact on the employees,the organization, the society

• We established the background to increasingincidences of 24/operations and work life balanceissues within a macro economic spectrum

• We can conclude that attaining work life balanceis possible in a 24/7 operation.

References


2008

References

Sources used….

• Antai-Otong, Deborah. (February, 2001). Creative Stress Management Techniques for Self-Renewal.Retrieved May 23, 2003 from University of Phoenix Electronic Library database.

• David Clutterbuck (June 1, 2004). Managing work life balance: A guide for HR in achievingorganisational and individual change. Published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development[UK].

• The Economic Intelligence Unit (November 2007). Global economic projections for 2008.• Goldman Sachs (November 30, 2001). Global Economics Paper: Building Better Global Economic

BRICs• Journal of Psychology. (July 2001). Managing Time: The effects of personal goal setting on resource

allocation strategy and task performance. 135, (4), 357.para 11. Retrieved May 23, 2003 fromUniversity of Phoenix Electronic Library database.

• Wheel of life. Retrieved July 7, 2008 from http://startupprincess.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/wheel-of-life.jpg

• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Various programmes retrieved from the global web pagehttp://www.pwc.com

© <2008> PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved. “PricewaterhouseCoopers” refers to the networkof member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which a separate and independent legalentity. *connectedthinking is a trademark of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Balanced life + Clarity of purpose = Performance ???

Thank You………..

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