Work Life Balance in Recessionary Times?

The current economic recession heightened many workplace pressures and gave rise to a sense of long-term job insecurity and loss of general well-being. During good economic times, issues of work-life balance roll off the lips of HR practitioners and it is a must-have for the contest of talents, brains and brawns. In this climate, it may seem frivolous to talk about work-life balance since it is on the backburner and in fact may be a “kiss-of-death” if asked

Given the difficult economic times, many people are feeling the pressure to work harder than ever. Yet, whatever the climates, I think many companies still demonstrate fairness and equity when it comes to discretionary work-life arrangements. However, I am not surprise if we hear more and more people saying they are under pressure from employers and their families to keep up, often at the cost of life balance. In really depressed time, when companies are restructuring and examining every expense item, it is unavoidable if the cuts at the welfare and staff benefits are ferociously deep. If the company is going to the extent of layoffs and reorganization, which puts even more pressure on employees, how can they in the same breath talk of work-life balance?

The pains in any recessionary contraction are felt everywhere but companies can adopt flexible working practices largely to try and retain those within the organization who escape the blades of cuts and retrenchment. Their morale, motivations and productivity are at the abyss. Family friendly practices may not be firm policies but discretionary practices. Like giving unpaid day-offs or sabbatical leave for parents to spend more time with family with the assurance of keeping their job when they return or allowing the employees to pursue SPUR courses to improve their skills and competencies. They are ad hoc arrangements to accommodate individual circumstances. Small firms’ preference is for informality and they are means of developing employee commitment and retaining valued staff although they rarely formed part of an explicit employee commitment strategy or precedents.

As of now, there was a conspiracy of silence when it comes to family-friendly work life balance -for obvious reasons.



Welcome, life's toil! In this hard, harsh times;
who dare ask of work-life balance;
that work to be done still multiplies all the time.
With retrenchments taking tolls, bonuses in furnace!

I pity those who sit down belaboring and repining,
Bound in idleness, belabored the world has done him wrong;

That such plight should not befall him, always opining;
what life should have been __for empty days are long.

For those whose mental frames are right, their lives on a mission;
Whose work is never hard and it is always “Can!”
Accepting tasks that spring from any conditions__
Doing, as best they can, the work at hand.

Welcome, life's toil! In this hard, harsh times;
Never ask for more than is given;
Economic rhythm will return to its peak time
O’ bonuses will no more be shaven!