Work / Life Crossroads: Collision Course or Complement to Business Strategy?

Presented by

Wendy Lundgaard, Director

HR Management Conference, Monash University. June 2007

Traditional Work/ Life and Flexibility

EmployeeEngagement?

EmployeeEngagement?

Employer Of ChoiceEmployer Of Choice

OH&S & WellbeingOH&S &

Wellbeing

EmployeeAttraction EmployeeAttraction Work/ Life

programsWork/ Lifeprograms

Now: Work/ Life and Workforce Planning

Workforce Planning?

Workforce Planning?

Employer Of ChoiceEmployer Of Choice

Employee EngagementEmployee

EngagementEmployeeAttractionEmployeeAttraction

OH&S &

Wellbeing

OH&S &

WellbeingWork Life

& Flexibility

Work Life &

Flexibility

Survival Essentials: Workforce Planning

Align STRATEGY With business plan, strategy & goals

Assess skills DEMAND Current & future demand for

resources/ capabilities/locations

Assess current SUPPLY

Identify GAPS

Establish performance indicators, metrics (S.Melbourne,HR Monthly Oct 06)

INT: Turnover, age profile, talent EXT: labour market trends

Close Gaps, IMPLEMENTHR & Workforce Planning Strategy

(Attract, Develop & Perform, Retain,

REVIEW

Prioritise Shortfalls

Flexibility & Work/ Life Programs: key element HR & Workforce Planning Strategy

FlexibilityFlexibility

PerformanceProductivity

PerformanceProductivity

Talent & Succession

Mgt

Talent & Succession

Mgt

Knowledge ManagementKnowledge

ManagementAttraction &Retention

Attraction &Retention

Capability Capability

Age Management(Retirement)

Age Management(Retirement)

HR & Workforce Planning Strategy

HR & Workforce Planning Strategy

Labour Supply Issues & Workforce Planning

Fertility Rates within Australia - 1921 to 2051

1.5

1.8

2.1

2.4

2.7

3

3.3

3.6

Years1921-25

Years1932-34

Years1946-48

Years1953-55

Years1960-62

Years1970-72

Years1980-82

Years1990-92

Year1998

Year2005

Year2006-51

Years (from 2006 - 51 are projections only)ABS: Births - 3301.0 - 1998

Fert

ilit

y R

ate

s

Issues: Increasing workforce participation through creative & flexible forms of working.

Complement or Collision with Bus. Strat.

Work/Life at the Crossroads:

• Has a business case been made for flexibility in workplace (ROI)

• Is flexibility at work supporting productivity or undermining it?

• What is your W/L Balance Sheet© NET position? RED or BLACK?

Business Drivers & Work/ Life Balance Sheet ©

Assets?• Deliverables

• Clients• Employee engagement

•Skills• Culture, Values and Workplace Practices

Investment?• Responsiveness

• Retention• Competitive advantage

• Managers ability • Knowledge, capability &

committment• Relationships at Work

Overhead?• Program costs

•Overtime• Absenteeism

•Turnover • Recruitment $s

Liability?• Risks

• OH&S – phys & psych• Discrimination• Presenteeism

• Conflict at work• IR/ER Reputation

Today Future

+

-

Work/ Life Balance Sheet© Audit

Strategy – Evidence of:• Clear Drivers & objectives • Senior Mgt support• Performance focus aligned• Business Strategy linkage• Integrated approach

Policy – Evidence of:• Policy Statement• Communication

channels• Options diversity• Clear business case• Risk Management

Culture – Evidence of:• Mgt training & support• Employee input

avenues• Trust levels• Case Studies

Measurement of Impact Employee Validation

Work/ Life & Business Strategy Collisions!

• Lack of metrics, no re-assessment of impact on business drivers (ie productivity, retention, customer satisfaction etc)

• Inadequate support by CEO, Senior Mgt, supervisors (inflexible and job centred baby boomers)

• Workplace tensions (perceptions of flexibility inequity) not managed

• “Me” centric dominate the workplace with flexibility seen as a ‘right’.

Top 10 tips to Compliment Business Strategy

At System & Policy Level:1. W/L program part of integrated workforce

planning strategy of the business (organisational ownership)

2. Performance regime measures outcomes not inputs

3. Program goals link to business imperatives & objectives

4. W/L initiatives must be relevant to workforce (demographics, lifecycle)

5. Develop strong metrics base (benchmark pre, post implementation, and on-going reviews)

Top 10 Tips (continued)

6. Policies/ systems (eg HR,IT) support objectives whilst balance risks (WFH Policy)

At Workplace Culture Level

7. Managers supported by specific training in “managing flexibly”

8. Market benefits in tandem with obligations (win-win)

9. Culture of Partnership (reference group to bounce ideas and two-way communications with workforce)

10. Report on outcomes, critically review, celebrate business success.

Contemporary Dialogue on Flexibility

• Moving from the ‘nice to do’ to ‘mission critical’

• How will you source and retain a long term supply of talent when the pool is shrinking?

Its ‘Game on’: Do you have a plan?

www.win-winws.com.au

Presenter: Wendy Lundgaard, Director

June 2007