Work-Life Balance. Workplace Productivity. Written by Paul Lanthois | 08 October 2010 Sustainability seems to be a real buzz word at the moment. Businesses are seeing the benefits of wiser, more energy-efficient use of our resources combined with recycling and other greener initiatives. But business is yet to really apply this sustainability concept to its most valuable resource...its workforce... To me, workforce sustainability is about teaching people to juggle. We all need to juggle work, family commitments and keeping ourselves healthy.
I am often confronted by business owners and managers who roll their eyes at the expectation of businesses having to teach their employees how to be healthy and have a healthy work life balance. I absolutely agree with the bosses. But how much does poor health and a poor work life balance cost business? I have reviewed the most recent Australian and overseas studies that examined the impact that poor health and lifestyle has on business productivity. This accounts for only half the story. Changing Work Patterns. Introduction Australian work communities are experiencing change. The labour force and industrial relations system is changing. The nature of work and the patterns of Australians' working lives are changing. Many say globalisation is the reason. Structural changes to our work 'Structural change' is an economic explanation for our changing work patterns.
The workforce participation of women has increased from 37 to 55 per cent and the number of employed people with a bachelor's degree or higher has increased from 3 to 19 per cent. Structural change also refers to industrial change, corporate deregulation/downsizing and changing occupational structures. According to ABS figures to 1998, the manufacturing sector declined from 28 to 13.4 per cent and agriculture and mining declined from 10.6 to 5.8 per cent. Our changing working lives Structural change is in some cases leading to long-term unemployment. Technology and work There is an increasing role for technology in our working lives. Breaking the Glass Ceiling. Reaching for the Top With Everyday Tools You can break through. © iStockphoto Do you feel that you've gone as far as you can with your current employer? Despite knowing that you have much more potential, is there a limit for "people like you" in your organization?
If so, you've hit what's known as the "glass ceiling. " This is the point at which you can clearly see the next level of promotion – yet, despite your best effort, an invisible barrier seems to stop you from proceeding. Traditionally, the glass ceiling was a concept applied to women and some minorities. Today, there are many more women and minorities in powerful positions. Have you been pushed up against a glass ceiling? Whatever the reason, you have a choice. If you do, indeed, want to break through that glass, here are some steps to take. Identify the Key Competencies within Your Organization Key competencies are the common skills and attributes of the people in your company's upper levels.
Ask yourself these questions: Find a Mentor. Managing Change. Photo by: Stephen VanHorn One of the concepts discussed, written about, and analyzed most frequently in recent years has been organizational change and the related concepts of resistance to change and management of change. Change has been variously defined as making a material difference in something compared to an earlier state, transforming or converting something, or simply becoming different. All of these definitions can be applied to change as it occurs within organizations and businesses. Organizational change may mean changing technological infrastructures (e.g., moving from a mainframe environment to distributed computing), marketing strategies (targeting a new customer base), or management and decision-making practices. Organizational change is not new to the American business landscape.
Since the nineteenth century and the Industrial Revolution, corporations have had to deal with change on an increasingly rapid scale. Wendy H. Revised by Marcia J. DuBrin, Andrew J.