Global Work/Life Balance: Experience in an International Organization

Juliana Oyegun, Chief Diversity OfficerWorld Bank Group

Global Summit Of WomenIstanbul, Turkey: May 7, 2011

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.

What Is “Work/Life Balance”?

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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?

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.

Source: WorldatWork Survey on Workplace Flexibility 2011

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

Flexible work culture = lower turnover

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What Else Do We Know?

• Most respondents believe their flexibility programs have a positive effect on:

• Employee engagement (72%),• Employee motivation (71%) and• Employee satisfaction (82%).

Source: WorldatWork Survey on Workplace Flexibility 2011

• Workplace flexibility has an overwhelmingly positive effect on engagement, motivation and satisfaction.

• MIT’s Daniel Pink’s research on companies around the world also denotes that the most important incentive to staff is feeling motivated and engaged.

Flexible work culture = more motivated workers

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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, interest-free 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?

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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

How Did We Begin?

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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

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:

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Gymnasium:

Concierge services:Cafeteria with Global cuisine:

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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