(free stock photo thanks to http://www.dreamstime.com)
Today I began reading a study published in the Public Relations Journal called, "Is It Still Just a Women's Issue? A Study of Work-Life Balance Among Men and Women in Public Relations".
As the study highlights, there are traditional expectations imposed on working individuals, stemming from the previously male dominated workplace. Women comprise a larger and larger portion of the workforce. Thus we are now experiencing the transitional phase following female workforce meets male workplace. There is a kind of metaphorical marriage happening between the two.
It suggests that if companies offer ways for employees to balance work and personal life, then the company will experience increased loyalty from its employees. This makes sense when considering the fact that generally PR practitioners studied, (male and female) described their life as "holistic, with work efforts entering and exiting their everyday practices and realities." If work and personal life intertwine, then a workplace that is conscious of this will logically mesh well with the individual employees.
How can an employer foster this loyalty and interchanging lifestyle?
Provide a Blackberry or other Internet savvy device
Encourage personal time and work from home options
Provide a forum for discussing work-life balance
Flexible schedules, and online options would be helpful, however social media may also play a role. As social media integrates more closely with formal communication, flexibility will no doubt follow. The holistic approach requires work and personal time to weave together, so media and communication tools like the Blackberry fit nicely.
While both men and women perceive work-life balance as a mainly female struggle, both genders agreed that PR was uniquely demanding of a professional's priorities. As around half of the PR practitioners are female, the marriage of workplace and workforce will need to continue to work through struggles. Ultimately a solid relationship with a productive and satisfying outcome will result.
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