download MP3 audio  

Work-life balance is as much the responsibility of employees as employers.

INSEAD Dean Frank Brown believes employees have to be clear with their bosses about what’s important and where they are in their lives.  

“If you don’t communicate what your particular needs or out-of-work situation is, you’re doing yourself a disservice. And you shouldn’t be afraid to say, ‘You know my kid has a game today’ or ‘I have a doctor’s appointment’ or ‘I’m a member of this particular community group,’” he says. “Whatever it is, an employee owes it to an employer to communicate what it means to them to have a healthy out-of-work experience.”

Most organisations today understand that times have changed and employees will look for another job, if they don’t get the support they want for their family and personal obligations. That means good employers are much better at working with employees on work-life balance.

“Times have changed now. My point is that people are much more mobile. They’re much more willing to vote with their feet and organisations are getting smarter, and have to get smarter, in terms of the way you have to engage people.”

Brown does caution that in today’s 24/7 interconnected world, people have to take stock of their values and tune in to what’s really important for them.

“The Blackberry can be an enabler or it can be a curse, and it’s a curse where if you become so reliant on it, every time the red light goes off, you’re compelled to look at it,” he says. “People think I’m responsive, but in reality there are a lot of times when I turn the thing off for a good portion of the time.”

download MP3 audio  

Back to global business leader article