Creating Tomorrow

 

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow Lillian Ogbogoh (Waking Passion) and I will be conducting the final session of a telecourse that is part of her “Releasing Your Inner Diva” teleseminar series. In this telecourse, “Putting Down Your ‘S’: Don’t Turn ‘Help’ Into A 4-Letter Word“, we have been discussing a phenomenon that has contributed greatly to the imbalance in life that many women (and also some men) suffer from. Somewhere on the road to equality we got the idea that we not only had to “have it all”, but also to “do it all” along the way.

This drive to carry the proverbial weight of the world on our shoulders has been stoked not only by public opinion, but also by the “powers that be” in the work place. We are taught that to succeed we must exhibit super-human dedication, ambition and drive. In times of economic crisis, we are told that we have to invest 200 % effort just to keep our heads above water. If that.

Instead of leading to increased productivity, innovation and creativity - the real antidote to the slump that we are currently in - is it any wonder that this constant overload is leading to a higher level of disengaged staff, nurturing familial dysfunction, and producing more and more individuals suffering from chronic burn-out?

That’s why - in the final session of this telecourse - Lillian and I will be talking to the group about how to better mobilize the resources in their lives that will allow them to share their various burdens more fairly. By understanding our true priorities better, deleting unnecessary “duties” from our to do lists, and overcoming our reluctance to ask for (and accept) support from those around us, we free up more time and energy to dedicate to those things that are really important in our personal and professional lives.

Because no satisfactory solution can be one-sided, it’s not only important for individuals to learn valuable techniques to fight burn-out. It’s also essential that employers remember that their most valuable asset is their employees. And that asset is only truly valuable if they can contribute to the full extent of their abilities. No only today or sporadically, but consistently and long-term. Helping their employees re-establish and/or maintain better balance in their lives would be one way to ensure they remain productive and engaged on the job.

That’s why the article, Corporate America vs. Work/Life Balance, by my Twitter friend and owner of Ace Concierge LLC, Susan Poirier (@AceConcierge), caught my attention as an insightful addition to my self-help info-pack for the course. Thanks, Susan!

You’ll find Susan’s article after the jump.

Trina

Corporate America vs. Work/Life Balance 

Many businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to motivate, encourage, retain and recruit their staff, while optimizing productivity. One of the keys to satisfied and efficient employees is work/life balance.

Due to societal changes, business culture, and employer expectations, personal time has decreased, and work time has seeped into personal time. Lunch time, which once was a relaxing diversion from work, has become a “Rush’N’Chow” experience, often in a cubicle.

According to Joe Santana, the message sent to employees is:

•Life and business have gotten tougher

•You’ve got to work longer hours at a tougher pace

•Skip meals and breaks

•Skip vacations

•Spend less time with family and friends

•Pass over the invitation to play tennis or golf with your friends

•Be manic and make the workplace, your place of worship, your home, your hobby

All of these factors lead to emotional and physical stress for the employer, the employee, and their families. There are higher rates of absenteeism, difficulties in retaining or recruiting quality staff, increased family stress, depression, loss of productivity, and a general feeling of lack of balance and joyfulness.

-Nearly 50% of all US workers feel overwhelmed by a growing number of job tasks and longer work hours. Family and Work Institute 2001

The structure of the modern family has dramatically changed and diversified. The traditional family had two jobs, one paid (father) and one not (mother). Today, there are three jobs held by two parents – two paid wage earners, and one unpaid for the care giving and household responsibilities. Monster’s 2004 Work/Life Balance Survey concluded that:

- 81% of the respondents said they were unhappy with their work/life balance.

- Mothers in dual earner income homes spend at least 25 hours per week devoted to childcare,housework, and shopping. This is on top of a 40 hour work week.

NFI Research found that:

- 78% of senior executives and managers say they have 90 minutes or less of personal time on a typical work day.

- 95% of executives and managers keep a To Do list, yet less than 1% are able to complete it.

Per Family and Work Institute

- 85% of workers have daily responsibilities to go home too.
National Statistics – Snapshots of Work and Family in America study states:

- The typical middle income married couple works 3,885 hours per year, an increase of 247 hours or nearly one week more than their counterparts ten years ago.

Finding ways to cope and manage personal tasks has sometimes forced the employee to use business hours for personal endeavors. Whether it is a few phone calls, Internet research, or running errands, they are compelled to squeeze in personal items in their business day, because there just aren’t enough hours to take care of their To Do lists. Susan Poirier, President of Ace Concierge, LLC, states, “Errand and concierge services are a great adjunct to corporate benefit packages. They help to support the staff and assist with work/life balance, enabling the worker to focus on what is important, rather than on what needs to be done”.

- The average worker admits to “frittering away” more than 2.09 hours a day, not counting lunch, on personal business. This costs companies an estimated $759 billion. Salary.com and AOL Survey 2005
Extending errand and concierge services to your staff can help bridge the gap between personal and professional commitments, thereby reducing the stress and time constraints placed upon today’s harried worker.

They will be able to dedicate their time and energy on the job, vs. worrying about what is on their long To Do list and what little time they have to complete it. Their list is not the only concern, your employees want and need some personal time to decompress, and otherwise escape from the daily “rat race”. They need time!

Katherine Giovanni, President of Triangle Concierge states, “If employees are distracted due to problems and stress at home, their job performance will suffer. Long hours at work may also cause employees difficulty in running their homes, or finding time to plan and or have a personal life. Stress can result in illness and increased sick and personal days, and a loss of productivity.”
Supporting your employee’s work/life balance is a win-win opportunity. You secure and retain a contented, strong, dedicated staff, and they gain a little more time in their day to manage their personal lives and feel a more harmonious balance with their careers and homelife.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Poirier

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Ace Concierge, located in New Hampshire provides an extensive array of errand and concierge services, for both the residential and corporate community. Sample services from Ace Concierge include, but are not limited to: personal shopper, personal assistant, gift purchases, virtual administrative tasks, video rentals, elder check-ins, and reminder services.
Ace Concierge will manage your tasks, while you manage your life. Find them on the web at http://www.aceconcierge.net

Susan Poirier, Owner/Consultant - Ace Concierge, your lifestyle management specialist. http://www.aceconcierge.net Enhancing YOUR life, one task at a time.