The Idea in Brief
In the old work-life paradigm, improvements in the quality of employees’ personal lives came at the expense of their work performance, and vice versa. Or at least, that was the fear that drove many managers to insist on a strict separation between workers’ job responsibilities and the other demands on their time. This separation was often so complete that managers had only vague notions about employees’ outside interests and commitments.
But the unprecedented need for committed workers is leading companies to rethink the traditional assumptions. Managers are discovering that when they treat the work life and the personal life as complementary priorities instead of competing ones, employees respond with greater effort and loyalty.
The Idea in Practice
How can you help employees find personal fulfillment in ways that advance organizational goals? By applying three mutually reinforcing strategies:
1. Clarify what’s important. Focus on outcomes, not process: be explicit about your unit’s priorities and your expectations for employees’ performance, but give employees great autonomy over how to achieve the goals you’ve laid out. At the same time, encourage employees to identify their concerns and goals outside the office. (Remember, such a frank exchange requires trust: you can’t penalize employees for admitting that there is something in their lives besides work.) Use that information to create a blueprint for achieving business success and employees’ fulfillment at the same time. Example:
An employee who was training to win a Gold Star in figure skating was allowed to practice in the morning when the rink is empty, arrive at work at noon, stay until 5 P.M., then take unfinished tasks home to complete in the evening.
2. Take time to learn about employees’ personal situations. Not only does this build trust, it also helps you create opportunities that capitalize on the knowledge that employees bring to the business from outside work. Example:
José learned that one of his key sales reps, Sally, was a volunteer fund-raiser for her alma mater. With Sally’s permission, he arranged for her to represent the company in its recruiting efforts at that school. The new role reduced Sally’s time with her customers, but it enhanced the company’s ability to hire good people. Sally loved the work and her commitment to the company skyrocketed.
3. Continually experiment with how the work gets done. Reengineering work processes can improve performance and simplify people’s lives at the same time. Example:
As a new unit head, Hallie “inherited” Sarah, a burned-out administrator who was caring for her terminally ill mother. Hallie streamlined Sarah’s job and got her trained to use a new computerized budget system. This gave Sarah greater control over her results; it also allowed her to work from home, which gave her more time with her mother. Sarah’s attitude and performance soared.
Bringing personal priorities into the managerial conversation doesn’t have to involve a lot of extra time—often two or three questions will do the trick. Still, this approach represents a radical departure for many managers. Start slowly: apply the strategies to a single employee, or to your own work-life situation.
The conflicting demands of work and personal life have always been with us. People have always had children and elderly parents to care for; they have always pursued hobbies and devoted time to community activities. In the past, many managers dealt with such personal needs summarily: “What you do in the office is our business. What you do outside is your own.” It was assumed, too, that employees would put the company’s interests first. Work versus personal life, after all, was a zero-sum game.