Global Work/Life Balance:
Experience in an International Organization
Juliana Oyegun, Chief Diversity Officer
World Bank Group
Global Summit Of Women
Istanbul, Turkey: May 7, 2011
What Is “Work/Life Balance”?
It is, according to IQPC Human Resources:
•
Having a measure of control over when, where and how individuals work,
leading to their being able to enjoy an optimal quality of life.
•
Mutually beneficial to the individual, business, and society, balance is
achieved when an individual's right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid
work is accepted and respected as the norm.
To paraphrase: “balance” is defined by each individual -and adapts based on work/social needs and norms.
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What Is the Business Case?
Providing flexible working options is a win/win.
Employers benefit from:
• Increased productivity: Less time spent on commute and face-to-face meetings.
• Enhanced recruiting and retention: Attracting younger workers (Gen Y) who are
less motivated by money and more motivated by having free time. Retain staff
whose circumstances change
• Reduced overhead costs: Fewer work spaces are needed in offices
• Lower turnover: Engaged staff stay longer.
• Reduced absenteeism: Staff can work when needed from anywhere.
• Business continuity: Through access to remote systems and global connectivity
systems
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What Is the Business Case? (cont’d.)
Providing flexible working options is a win/win.
Employees benefit from:
• Improved work/life balance: Able to work at staggered start/stop times.
• Higher work engagement: Management values your personal needs
• Increased productivity: Shorter commute time, fewer meetings
• Reduced transportation costs: Drive fewer miles (and reduce carbon footprint)
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What Does Research Tell Us?
Flexible work culture = lower turnover
Organizations with an established
culture of workplace flexibility:
• Provide training to employees and
management on how to be
successful with flexible work
schedules
• Have a formal written flexibility
policy
• Market or feature the organization’s
flexibility program as a key benefit
to attract new talent
Source: WorldatWork Survey on Workplace Flexibility 2011
Employer flexibility correlates to employee
turnover.
• The higher an organization rates itself
on the flexibility scale, the lower the
organization’s voluntary turnover rate.
• No correlation found between the
number of flexibility options offered and
employee turnover.
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What Else Do We Know?
Flexible work culture = more motivated workers
• Workplace flexibility has an
overwhelmingly positive effect on
engagement, motivation and
satisfaction.
• MIT’s Daniel Pink’s research on
companies around the world also
Source: WorldatWork Survey on Workplace Flexibility 2011
denotes that the most important
incentive to staff is feeling motivated
• Most respondents believe their
and engaged.
flexibility programs have a positive
effect on:
• Employee engagement (72%),
• Employee motivation (71%) and
• Employee satisfaction (82%).
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What is the World Bank Group?
Our mission: “To fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results”
Our motto: “Our dream is a world free of poverty”
Our shareholders: 187 member countries
Our work: We are not a traditional Bank: we provide low-interest loans, interestfree credits and grants to developing countries for a wide array of
purposes that include investments in education, health, public
administration, infrastructure, financial and private sector development,
agriculture and environmental and natural resource management.
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Why is Work/Life Balance a Priority?
Internal:
• In 2002, work/life balance was identified as a key priority area per the bi-annual
Staff Survey.
• Despite existing programs, the “take-up” by staff varied across the institution
Timing:
• Other large organizations were grappling with the same challenges as the WBG
• Canada released an important study on work/life balance
Corporate Leadership:
• Management felt the institution has responsibility to provide the right environment,
the right incentives—and most important of all—encourage the right behaviors
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How Did We Begin?
Appointed a Corporate focal point in 2002 “to ensure specific, concentrated and
continuous attention on work-life balance”
• Tasked with deepening WBG “culture”
• Built on existing policies and programs
• Created an enabling environment for staff so that they could take advantage of
flexible work options without negative impact on their careers
• Provided implementation support and guidance to managers
Launched A - B - C (Achieving Balance Creatively) Campaign
• Solicited feedback from staff on specific ideas to improve take up
• Encouraged managers and staff to model best practice
• Included first “Work-Life Balance Week”, which took in all WBG offices
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Where Are We Now?
Our goal is flexibility.
• With our global work and 24/7 clients, staff often work very early in the morning or
very late at night.
• Our programs acknowledge this and encourage staggered work hours that
make the most sense to their business and personal needs
• Flexwork options are location neutral, meaning you can work on the road, from a
client’s office, or from your home.
• Position flexwork as key to business, not as a benefit or staff entitlement.
• Actively communicate that flexwork makes business sense
• Success in work/life balance is up to the individual, but recognize there is a shared
responsibility among staff, manager, and teams to decide how to work to best
serve our clients.
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What Are Our Key Programs?
Menu of work/life programs include:
Time
• Flexible Working hours – Varying work start and end times
• Alternate Work Schedules – Work 80 hours in 9 days with the 10th day off
Place
• Telecommuting – Work from home for a job in another location
• Home-based Work – Work from home in the same city as your job
Amount
• Reduced Work Schedules – Part time work for specific periods
• Job Share –Position can be shared with a colleague
Flexible work options are available to all staff with managerial approval.
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What Is The Support Infrastructure?
Communications:
• Flexwork Toolkit: one-stop shop for staff & managers to learn about flexible work
Multiple IT tools:
• Skype: Loaded on all Bank machines to reduce travel and telephone costs
• Blackberry: Available to staff based on business need.
• Videoconferencing: At Bank Group offices and other locations all over the globe
IT Help:
• 24/7 global IT support
• Remote access to desk computers and laptops
Corporate Program Resources:
• Industry standard health services program
• Lactation rooms, leave time for maternity/paternity/ adoption
• Support for victims of domestic violence/spouse abuse
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What Does Our Work Culture Look Like?
Day care:
Cafeteria with Global cuisine:
Gymnasium:
Concierge services:
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What Did We Learn?
Secure top leadership support
• Demonstrate management’s support
Develop a policies, programs, and communication strategies to support it
• Conduct a pilot program
Train managers, HR practitioners, and staff on how to use flexible work
optimally
• Make sure everyone understands the business benefits
Invest in global connectivity systems
• IT support is crucial to most flexible work options.
Market the programs well
• Communicate continuously with all staff
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What Is Our Key Message?
Create a culture that supports flexible work.
Everybody Wins!
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