Work Life balance

P

Purple

Registered User
Messages
14,061
I have a pain in my backside listening to people who think the world owes them a living talking about work life balance.
Work life balance for my sector is all about how hard the competition is willing to work, so if the guy in China works flexitime and job shares then it's on the cards for me. I'm not holding my breath.
As long as those in the internationally exposed sectors of the economy think like this there will be opportunities for those people who work in the less efficient sectors who don't like their work life balance to talk as if their employer is responsible for their lack of quality time with their families. They should stop moaning and get a different job.
No one should make excuses or blame other people when they don't see their families from one end of the week to the next. I'm sick of people complain about having to work long hours but also want the big house and the 4X4 and the two holidays a year. The secret to a good work life balance is to adjust your spending to a level that can be sustained by how hard you are willing to work. If you want to see more of your family then buy a smaller house or a smaller car (or no car).


Edit: This has no connection to the post elsewhere about work life balance, it's on the back of a discussion I had last weekend.
 
100% correct. this time last year I was travelling approx 20 miles each way to/from work. not the busiest road in the country but still over 1 hour daily. I started work around 8.45 and finished just after 6pm on average. In effect I left for work just after 8am and was home just after 7pm.I was earning approx €50,000 but with no mortgage and 'kids' grown up it was ok. I am now on a pension of approx €25,000 and work part time for approx €20,000. In theory I am €5,000 worse off. in reality I am far better of. work is 1 mile away. its part time. 4 days a week. I leave the house 5 mins before start time and I am home 5 mins after I leave work. during the summer I will probably walk. Before I got the part time job I cut out all the floss and needless spending. ie tidied up my life insurance, no union fees, reduced vhi to plan B etc etc. Basically I sat down and worked out exactly where and what I had money for and was quite happy about it. now as a result of this and getting the part time job I find that I have approx €300 per week 'surplus' to what I was managing on. So its all about managing. I appreciate that everyones situation is different and I know people who could not live on €45,000 pa and I also know people who have no problem living on €30,000. I would never begrudge anyone earning €100,000 pa because basically, with a few exceptions, they are working hard for it. my work balance at the moment is good. I am enjoying life. I am 56. and I am healthy. And I thank God for it. cheers
for balance I should add mrs cu also works part time and jacked in a stressful job a few years ago ,and she tells me she is happy enough 'for the moment' where she is.
my world isn't all roses though - I support Leeds.
 
Purple said:
Work life balance for my sector is all about how hard the competition is willing to work, so if the guy in China works flexitime and job shares then it's on the cards for me. I'm not holding my breath.
Click to expand...
But for plenty of people that are not constrainted by competition from china or wherever so whats the harm in them having flexitime or a job share if they get the work done? I think companies flat out just dont allow it for no other reason than they want their staff at their desks 5 days a week. But imo as a manager, when i allow my staff the flexibility of working from home they are much hapier and its give and take. i have no problem asking them to stay late in a crisis or work a bank holiday because i will accomodate them when they have an emergency at home, no questions asked.

Purple said:
As long as those in the internationally exposed sectors of the economy think like this there will be opportunities for those people who work in the less efficient sectors who don't like their work life balance to talk as if their employer is responsible for their lack of quality time with their families. They should stop moaning and get a different job.
Click to expand...
Agreed its not the employers direct responsibility, but i think it would be more prudent of employers to allow some flexibility with working from home if the job lends itsself to that. It makes staff happier and more willing to go the extra mile.
 
homeowner said:
But for plenty of people that are not constrainted by competition from china or wherever so whats the harm in them having flexitime or a job share if they get the work done? I think companies flat out just dont allow it for no other reason than they want their staff at their desks 5 days a week. But imo as a manager, when i allow my staff the flexibility of working from home they are much hapier and its give and take. i have no problem asking them to stay late in a crisis or work a bank holiday because i will accomodate them when they have an emergency at home, no questions asked.
Click to expand...
If it suits the business that's fine but it should not be regarded as a right. Give and take is essential in any business if you want your staff to be motivated and empowered.


homeowner said:
Agreed its not the employers direct responsibility, but i think it would be more prudent of employers to allow some flexibility with working from home if the job lends itsself to that. It makes staff happier and more willing to go the extra mile.
Click to expand...
Again, I agree but some people choose to work in areas where it is not possible and then moan about it. Basically my point is that it's no ones responsibility but your own what your work life balance is.
 
I agree that work life balance is ultimately up to the individual. However how many of us think that far ahead when making career choices?

I was 17 when I decided to do law. 21 when I took up an apprenticeship to become a solicitor. I wasnt thinking ahead then to when I would have children. I'd say most people don't. And I do think that the issue comes to the fore when you have children or some other big change in your life or circumstances.

In an ideal world I might like to work part time while my children are young, and from say 9 to 4 when they are in school. Life isn't ideal though and I know of very few people who can work those hours. And you can't change that by downsizing your mortgage because even if you didn't need the money those jobs just aren't out there.

If there are people out there that think they have a right to flexi time/ job sharing etc in the private sector then they are in for a reality check! On the other hand people do have some rights for eg parental leave and a good share of the private sector is doing everything they can to prevent employees from taking this up.

I've seen it from both sides - employer and employee. All I can say is that I wish there were more opportunities for people to work flexi time/ job share/ work part time but I know that the reality is that the opportunities are not out there and that it is too difficult for employers to put such opportunities in place and still remain profitable.

If I could I'd think up a way that the government would incentivise the creation of such opportunities in the private sector without harming profit because it would be a win- win situation. Although no doubt people happy and willing to work full time would then give out about their tax being used to fund such schemes...:rolleyes:
 
Purple said:
I'm sick of people complain about having to work long hours but also want the big house and the 4X4 and the two holidays a year.
The secret to a good work life balance is to adjust your spending to a level that can be sustained by how hard you are willing to work. If you want to see more of your family then buy a smaller house or a smaller car (or no car).
Click to expand...

This is such a blinkered view - it assumes that the longer hours you do in work, the more you get paid, and hence have available to spent on your house and car.
What about people who dont get paid overtime? No matter how many extra hours they have to work, it wont affect the type of house and car they have. And how is your simple (glib?) solution, of buying a smaller house or car in order to see more of your family, going to work when you get paid the same irrespective of the extra hours you do? What happens to your 'solution' if you dont have car, or dont have a mortgage yet?



Purple said:
The secret to a good work life balance is to adjust your spending to a level that can be sustained by how hard you are willing to work.
Click to expand...

Rubbish! The secret of a good work life balance, is to live near work (if you can afford it), or work near where you live (if there are job opportunities), and have a flexible boss who promotes things like flexi-time. Salaries are not directly related to the time you spend in work.

I'm lucky in my situation that there is give and take with my employer. I'll work late (unpaid) when times are busy, and in return I have flexi-time to come in and leave when suits my circumstances.
 
Purple - I agree with you. Work life balance is about priorities. The more stuff you buy, the more money you have to earn, the more you owe...I managed to balance my life and work better by figuring out what my priorities were and then downsizing everything else. If living in a big house in the country makes you happy then the crazy commute is worth it I reckon. But for people like me who want to spend as much time with loved ones as possible, I live in a small apartment near work. It's very very small...not for everyone...but it makes me happy.
 
Someone recently said it not Work Life Balance its Work Life Choices - so there is an element of choice.

That said I think young families are put in a bit of a dilemma - a terrace in Ballymun or equivalent, or a 3 bed semi in commuter belt - if I was in that situation I know what I'd want for my kids.

So I think its a bit unfair to paint commuters as "want it all" types who are reaping what they sowed/getting their comeuppance - and consequently I think its far to glib to just say "get over it". Not everyone can afford decent Dublin housing or not feasible for all to move to another city.

If I was in commuter hell I think I'd be thinking Limerick/Cork/Galway or Western Australia !!
 
I see your point Betsy Og, but I would see having children as a lifestyle choice too - in other words, one of your priorities is having children so you buy a bigger house in the suburbs and the commute is then worth it. I don't want kids so my priorities are different. But it comes down to the same thing - work life balance is based on deciding your priorities and downsizing everything else IMO. I'm sure most parents out there have had to make material sacrifices but they'd say it was worth it. It's when people want it all - the kids, the expensive cars, the three holidays a year, the big house but want to spend less hours at work or a less stressful job - that's when something's got to give.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top