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Cost-benefit review of work-life balance practices - 2009

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Author: 
Lero, Donna S.; Richardson, Julie & Korabik, Karen
Format: 
Report
Publication Date: 
1 Jan 2009
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Description: Over the last 25 years, the challenges and complexity of combining paid employment and personal/family responsibilities has taken center stage as an area of interdisciplinary research. The prominence of this topic reflects its significance as a critical business issue, a public policy concern, and a matter of vital importance to employers, individuals and families. Current thinking about work-life balance practices in organizations demonstrates a paradigm shift that recognizes and respects the challenges of combining paid work and family care, but also recognizes the value many Canadians place on a variety of non-work roles, including involvements in educational, cultural, recreational and volunteer activities that provide personal meaning and help build social cohesion. On their part, businesses and HR professionals have also shifted with many aligning work-family/work-life balance practices with a broader, more strategic focus on fostering employee engagement, i.e., motivating, recruiting and retaining employees in a highly competitive environment. Flexible work arrangements, telecommuting, and a variety of leave, family support and wellness programs are more often integrated and aligned with business objectives. Consequently, there is strong interest in evaluating the impacts of these practices and assessing their relative return on investment (ROI). The purpose of this report is to provide a structured and accessible review of academic, policy and business research and literature to guide employers, managers and policy makers responsible for making decisions about how best to support employees facing diverse caregiving and personal responsibilities. We review the reasons why many organizations do not systematically assess costs and benefits and consider what measures and resources might be used for this purpose.