Employees are more than just workers

A case of death of a 26-year-old CA has come to light in Pune, Maharashtra. It is being said that work pressure took the girl’s life. The girl’s mother has written a letter to the India head of the company Ernst & Young (EY), which is becoming increasingly viral on social media. Meanwhile, following the death of Ernst & Young employee Anna Sebastien Perrayil, the Centre on Thursday launched a probe into allegations of “unsafe and exploitative work environment” at the audit and tax firm. The girl’s mother told how her daughter was being pressurised to work.

The concept of work-life balance (WLB) has emerged as a significant concern since the advent of remote work due to COVID 19. The importance of personal responsibility in achieving work-life balance must be discussed. Nowadays, remote virtual meetings have become a prevalent and widely adopted practice. In the age of hybrid work, the boundaries between professional and personal life are becoming blurred. The latest survey by online counselling company ‘YourDost’ has revealed that Indian women are significantly more stressed than their male counterparts, with the primary reason cited being ‘lack of work-life balance’. Nearly three-quarters of female respondents reported high stress levels. In contrast, about 53% of men answered the question in the same manner.

Recently, IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) published a report evaluating the level of women’s empowerment in India. The sample of 705 districts illustrates Despite the rise in women’s literacy rates, merely 46.1% of districts indicated educational empowerment, and only 32.25% of women respondents in those districts perceived themselves as capable of achieving work-life balance, underscoring persistent issues related to unpaid domestic labour.

In our evolving world, the image of the modern woman is multifaceted. Diverse in every aspect, women today play different roles, one of the most significant challenges a woman faces, especially when she faces motherhood and has to choose between family and work. A recent report titled ‘Women in Modern Workplaces in India’ found that for 70% of women, the main challenge in career progression was achieving a satisfactory work-life balance.

Apart from personal obligations, attaining work-life balance has become more crucial to boost output and propel organisational success. ‘Remote’s most recent study, the Global Life-Work Balance Index, shows nations where effective implementation of healthy work-life balance policies has resulted. With minimum pay, sick leave, maternity leave, availability of health care, public satisfaction, and average working hours, it evaluates the quality of life-work balance in the top 60 GDP countries worldwide. In terms of life-work balance, the survey claims Europe leads first. Six of the ten best countries in remote learning are European ones. Lack of statutory yearly leave or sick pay causes India to score 43rd on the index.

According to a Deloitte study, 94% of executives and 88% of employees agree that organisational culture plays a critical role in determining the success of a company; hence, developing a good work-life balance in organisational culture is absolutely vital for the well-being and success of both employees and the company as a whole. The entry of the newest generation into the workforce is transforming company goals. A recent study from the recruiting platform Unstop has revealed that, contrary to prevalent perceptions, Generation Z employees prioritise job happiness and work-life balance over merely securing a higher wage. The research, which included over 5,350 Gen Z employees and 500 HR professionals, revealed that 72% of Gen Z workers prioritised job satisfaction over salary.

A true work-life balance culture recognises that employees are more than just workers; They are individuals with diverse needs and aspirations outside their jobs. Companies and organisations can increase employee well-being, productivity, and loyalty by fostering a supportive environment.

The concept of maximising productivity within a short time frame in order to maximise leisure time is not a new concept. In September 1926, Ford Motor Company transitioned from a six-day workweek to a five-day workweek. In recent years, numerous countries have implemented a four-day work week schedule and subsequently observed a discernible augmentation in productivity.

Several countries around the world, including Spain, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Belgium and the United Arab Emirates, have implemented a transition to a four-day work week. Several nations discovered that they could maintain equivalent levels of productivity in a four-day workweek compared to a traditional five-day workweek. In fact, a handful of countries even observed a significant increase in employee productivity.

The advantages of implementing a three-day workweek include improved work-life balance, increased availability for personal and familial responsibilities, and enhanced capacity for professional and personal growth. One evident benefit is that the closure of the office for an additional day each week would result in a substantial reduction in operational expenses.

According to a report published in the United Kingdom, adopting this particular work pattern has the potential to yield a significant reduction of 21 percent in the nation’s annual carbon footprint.

By respecting both work and personal commitments we can foster a healthier and more productive work environment. Employees should communicate their needs and preferences to their employers, while employers should establish transparent policies and guidelines. Without clear communication, misunderstandings can arise which can lead to increased stress. Employees should be provided with flexible work options such as remote work, flexible hours and long weekends.

During the 1970s, the term “karoshi” was coined by Japan to refer to deaths caused by work-related stress and pressure. It is the responsibility of the company to create work-life balance in the lives of its employees. But now the competition has increased to such an extent that people have started working beyond limits.

Words like retrenchment, which were rarely heard in the earlier years, have now become an everyday thing. Employees have also started working harder to keep themselves safe from others because “life requires employment, employment does not require life”. Today, human rights values ​​in corporate culture are far from reality.

Flexibility enables employees to establish a schedule that optimally suits their needs, leading to enhanced satisfaction and productivity. Research indicates that content employees exhibit an 13% increase in productivity compared to their discontented peers. Organisations with robust cultures exhibit greater performance and enhanced productivity levels.

Dr. Brajesh Kumar Tiwari, Associate Professor, Atal School of Management, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi.

(views expressed are personal.)