Will offering work-life balance programs result in positive outcomes Essay

Will offering work-life balance programs result in positive outcomes for organisations and for employees - Essay Example Work-life balance programs vary widely depending on organisational policy and include such programs as flextime, telecommuting, paternity leave and even job sharing. These programs are implemented so that the organisation can demonstrate a solid commitment to improving employee relations and to allow employees to balance their personal demands with job role obligations. Work-life policies, in most instances, provide exceptionally positive outcomes for the organisation and employees who make use of the availability of these programs, including employee motivation, increased employee commitment, cohesive organisational cultures and reduced employee turnover that satisfies cost control issues at the organisation. The outcomes of work-life balance programs Positive outcomes associated with work-life balance programs can be attributed to social exchange theory, a psychological supposition that human relationships are founded on reciprocal actions and mutual negotiations between two or mor e parties (Emerson 1976). Social exchange theory posits that employees will repeat an action if they find they are rewarded for the behaviour (Robbins, Chatterjee and Canda 2011). Work-life programs are established by organisational leaders in an effort to provide incentives for employees to provide superior effort and motivation. As a result of this reward, employees respond by exerting maximum effort even when the job role involves an intensification of work responsibilities (Kelliher and Anderson 2010). Hence, there is a quantifiable set of positive psychological outcomes under social exchange theory that provides superior return on investment, in terms of increased productivity and motivation, to the employer. Also at the psychological level, work-life balance programs provide greater employee satisfaction which provides the incentive for employees to be more productive. Having some level of personal control over an employee’s working conditions is considered very valuabl e to workers that engage with these programs (Kelliher and Anderson 2010). It is recognised in research studies that when an employer provides workers with workplace autonomy, it is positively linked to job satisfaction (Emery and Barker 2007). This satisfaction leads to happier workers and job productivity increases (Nauert 2011). The research evidence indicating a positive link between satisfaction and higher productive outputs in the job role illustrate that work-life balance programs maintain considerable positive benefits to both the employee and the employer. Employee commitment is enhanced and there is overall better job performance when an employee is able to work in autonomous work environments (Nauert 2011). From the business perspective, the ability of work-life balance programs to provide perceptions of autonomy even leads to lower employee turnover, thus saving the organisation costs associated with recruitment and training of new employees. Work-life programs also prov ide the organisation with much less overhead costs that is sustained through employees working from home (Beauregard and Henry 2009). In a business where employees are not offered work-life programs, such as telecommuting, businesses must absorb a variety of costs, including office supplies, utilisation of electric services, telephony, and many other administrative costs. By having employees work from home, businesses can reduce their daily operational expenses, thereby satisfying budget concerns. This is a positive outcome from an organisation perspective, especially