Work Life Balance Mental Health Summit Chris MacDonald Virginie Gosselin November 12, 2015
Agenda Why be concerned about this issue? Who needs to find balance? Define the concept of work/life balance What to do - on the job? - individually? Keys to success 2
Why be concerned about this issue? According to the results of the SALVEO Study: Work/family conflict is a major contributing factor to psychological distress, depression and burnout. Companies that implemented work/life balance practices are 70% more likely to receive fewer mental health-related claims from their employees. National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace One of the 13 PsychoSocial Risk Factors 3
Why be concerned about this issue? Factors impacting work/life imbalance: Technological advances Aging population Social changes Competitiveness Social influences 4
Why be concerned about this issue? Advantages for employers Attract workers Decrease cases of disability for mental health problems, tardiness, presenteeism and occasional absences Increase motivation, job satisfaction and productivity and for employees Less stress, fatigue Improved quality of life 5
Who needs to find balance? In Canada, 74% of Canadians believe that employees are overworked 30% of Canadians between 35-54 say they have high levels of day-to-day stress 29% of Canadians 45 years old acknowledge providing care to at least one family member/friend dealing with a long-term health problem 6
Define the concept of work/life balance Search for balance between the demands and responsibilities related to work and family. Factors: Lack of time and scheduling conflicts Feeling of being overwhelmed, overloaded and stressed due to multiple duties or roles Work-to-family interference / Family-to-work interference 7
8 What to do to achieve Work Life Balance?
What can employers do? Increase the degree of perceived flexibility Flexible work schedules Teleworking Paid vacation Performance focused on objectives and results Increase the number of supportive managers Provide training Present/talk about the tools and resources available to employees Create a culture/philosophy focused on performance and productivity Réduire le conflit entre le travail et la vie personnelle : Quoi faire? Quoi éviter?, Santé Canada, 2008 9
What can employers do? Provide and promote employee assistance program services Onsite daycare Seasonal program for child care (e.g. Christmas break) Periodically review workload Promote and provide employees with training Time management and energy Increase autonomy Réduire le conflit entre le travail et la vie personnelle : Quoi faire? Quoi éviter?, Santé Canada, 2008 10
What can employees do? Do not try to deal with the work/life conflict by working twice as hard or reducing quality or trying to ignore it Set priorities and delegate Take advantage of flexible work arrangements offered by the organization Communicate Raise questions about work/life balance with manager Learn to say no if demands are unreasonable If the employee works from home, separate the time dedicated to work and to family Réduire le conflit entre le travail et la vie personnelle : Quoi faire? Quoi éviter?, Santé Canada, 2008 11
What can employees do? Get enough sleep Maintain an active social life Leave job-related problems at work Share household chores and responsibilities Simplify commuting Manage personal time make an appointment with yourself! Réduire le conflit entre le travail et la vie personnelle : Quoi faire? Quoi éviter?, Santé Canada, 2008 12
Keys to success Leadership support make sure they walk to talk! Target both men and women Adapted to the needs of employees and the organization s culture a single program does not fit everyone! Communicate! Educate employees about the advantages they can enjoy under the program Evaluate progress 13
Sources Reducing Work-Life Conflict: What Works? What Doesn t?, Environmental and Workplace Health, Health Canada, 2008 Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Government of Canada, 2008 Ministère de la Famille Government of Québec, The Work-Family Balance Standard: an initiative that is unique in the world!, 2014 Conference Board of Canada, Work and Life: The Balancing Act, Report November 2011 Balancing Paid Work and Caregiving Responsibilities: A Closer Look at Family Caregivers in Canada, 2009 14
Questions?