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Human
Resources Matters
Balancing
Work and Family
Is there such a thing
as ‘Balancing Work and Family’?
There have been many articles and books written on the subject,
but does the possibility really exist? The answer is yes.
Most of the time we
have to work hard to ensure we balance our professional
and personal lives. We make it a point to plan,
organize, prioritize, manage our time, set limits, delegate,
manage stress, etc. But, what about those times when all
of a sudden something unforeseen happens? At work we are
under deadlines, working on an important
project, meetings are scheduled, home is under control going
as scheduled; we’re walking that tightrope of balance
and boom…our child gets sick. Whether
you are a single parent or a dual income family, it is difficult.
Something in our schedule has to give and usually it is
work. Someone has to stay home with the child. How
do we balance that?
We all know that life
has many surprises. There isn’t a way to balance work
and family when something like sickness hits
and it is up to the parent(s) to nurse the child back to
health with deadlines, projects, and meetings waiting for
your undivided attention. There is no question (I hope)
as to what becomes your top priority. Yet work must go on.
Our first instinct is to become irritated
and stressed at the inconvenience as to
how you can do it all, be everywhere you need to be. So
what do you do? How do you handle it all?
For the employer:
Allow flexibility AND understanding for your employees.
It is OK to be upset at the inconvenience,
but parents would much rather have their children well and
in school or daycare so they can meet the responsibilities
of their positions. Show genuine willingness
to work with employees by allowing them to reschedule meetings
and deadlines, or take projects home. Initially you may
experience minor setbacks (short-term effect),
but by doing so, you will build loyalty, dedication, and
retention of your employees (long-term effect). If employees
know that their employer is understanding in these situations,
the chances are great that they will do whatever it takes
to remain on schedule and productive.
For
the employee: Lower your expectations. That
is the expectation that you can do it all! Allow
yourself some flexibility. These days we have to be as flexible
as a rubber band at work and home. OK, so we have an interruption
in our schedule…what is Plan B? Plan C?
In order to minimize the stress and impact of these interruptions
we must plan, organize, and prioritize. What can
you bring home? What can you delegate? Is your
office and/or desk organized so that you could direct something
through your office over the phone?
I reported to a President
who taught me to train staff reporting to me
to basically do the job without me so that if I were out,
business would continue to run smoothly. I know, your first
thought is that if I train those reporting to me or that
work around me to do my job, then the company could do without
me. Surprisingly enough, it makes for an efficient,
effective, and productive atmosphere. If you have
this environment, your stress level will be reduced when
you have to take care of life’s emergencies. And your
employer will be understanding and supportive. During times
like these, patience, flexibility, and understanding
must come from the employer and employee.
The time to implement
Plan B and Plan C is now, when everyone is healthy. Make
the time to get organized, to train the staff around you,
to become trained to be backup for someone else. Have a
meeting with everyone to plan for the unexpected so that
when something occurs the team is ready and you can focus
on the immediate priority with less stress. Try it, but
only if you want more balance in your life. |
Bevery
Weber, MBA, SPHR, has more
than 20 years work experience in public, private, and nonprofit organizations.
She has held various senior level management positions and currently serves
as President of Spectrum Consulting Services, Inc. a consulting firm that
offer services in the areas of Career Assessment, Coaching, Training and
Development, Recruiting and Human Resources. 