Family life and the workplace are changing at an unprecedented pace, both in ways that add enormously to the strain on individuals and businesses. Technology has not eased workplace demands; it has intensified them.
If every workplace of a reasonable size tried out a single new idea for a more flexible approach to how the work gets done, would absenteeism go down and productivity go up? Would companies be more profitable, would they be able to attract the best and retain the brightest? There is no way of knowing until it’s tried. Experimenting with just one idea would be an incremental way to create a healthy balance between the demands of work and life in the 21st century.
When the clunky economy finally recovers, and the boomers retire in ever-greater numbers, talented young workers not enamoured with what is typically known as “the office” will be in demand. To attract and retain them, workplaces will need to provide challenging opportunities and allow employees more control over their jobs and lives. Flexibility is the new mantra. One creative new idea per workplace – just one – might help restore balance while also contributing to corporate well-being. It’s worth trying.
