Are Small-Medium-Sized (SMEs) Reaping the Benefits of Work-Life Balance (WLB)?

“A 'good job' can be both practically attractive while still not good enough to devote your entire life to.” 
― Alain de Botton

Work-life balance (WLB) enables employees to better manage their (un)paid work and non-work activities. Organizations promote WLB culture with flexible work hours WLB along with family friendly policies. WLB is a trend that HR practitioners suggest SME businesses does not integrate a comprehensive approach.  Challenges in firm size and implementation strategies confront SME managers, thus causing apprehension in implementing WLB policies.

Large organizations adopt WLB policies and procedures in greater numbers. The reason larger organizations are more apt to adopt WLB policies is they have greater resources and manpower. Inadequate resources, staffing and retaining concerns and sickness and absenteeism costs make it difficult for SMEs to balance daily management of workforces with complex economically driving business pressures. Despite the difficulties, literature findings suggest greater workplace flexibility powers accountabilities to employers with increased awareness in terms of their social, moral and ethical obligations towards the employees. Promoting a holistic work environment increases employee morale and organization’s well-being as a whole.

Implementing effective WLB policies in SMES will progress employment relations, customer services, business performance and organizational culture. Developing and communicating WLB policies ensures a healthy WLB culture. While there is apprehension in SMEs caused by uncertainty in firm size and applied flexibility, it is important to note SMEs should not adopt a one-size fits all model.  It is essential to adopt WLB policies to address the individual firm’s organizational cultural needs. Many SMEs adopt WLB policies and utilize discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Affirming a healthy WLB culture is encouraged by communicating WLB policies in employee handbooks, employment contracts, notice boards, intranet, staff induction and training sessions along with informal discussions with management. Once WLB policies are implemented, it is important to monitor and update these policies, as with all HR policies. Adopting WLB policies in SMEs is a sure way to improve employee and organizational.

Has your SME adopted WLB policies in your organization? Why or why not?

For more information on implementing WLB practices in your SME, contact all4hrbiz@gmail.com.

April D. Halliburton, MBA

All-4-HR & Business Solutions

Capella University Organization and Management PhD Candidate

www.all4hrbiz.net

all4hrbiz@gmail.com