Although UK organisations have accepted that work-life balance policies do provide business benefits, a third cite ‘management resistance to change’ as the number one difficulty they face in implementing work-life balance measures.
According to The Work Foundation’s survey of 303 HR specialists launched today, the majority of employers (68%) accept an organisational responsibility to help staff achieve a healthy work-life balance – particularly in the public and voluntary sectors and among utility firms, where work-life balance policies are generally extended to all staff.
However, almost a third of organisations still take a narrow statutory approach, limiting work-life balance to obligations towards working parents.
Worryingly, the survey also found that only 3% formally measure the take-up and the impact of work-life balance measures – although almost a quarter of respondents plan to introduce some form of measurement in the next 12 months.
Key findings:
