Many people have differing takes on the importance of balance. Some people say balance is dead, and that a blend is the way to go. This can frequently be accompanied by the thought that we can work on getting ahead now, and then once we’ve achieved that goal, if we choose we can then focus on improving our non-work life.
In fact, many people (rightfully) recommend on only focusing on one goal at a time. I agree with that point insofar as if you’re working towards progress in primarily one direction, you will see greater results in a shorter timeframe.
I think the challenge lies instead in making sure you are looking ahead when deciding on your goals. Sure, you want to focus on your career right now, but when you’ve achieved that goal, what is your next focus? When all is said and done, what is your ideal end state? If you’ve only thought about one aspect of your life, when one goal is completed, you’re likely to continue in that same direction. That’s where you’ve developed your momentum and gained inertia.
If you carry a BlackBerry or other smartphone, chances are you’ve checked or responded to an email at a time outside of your usual working hours. Sometimes it’s just a quick yes or no response confirming an appointment or action, while at others it can seem like writing a novel with your thumbs, and leave you reaching for the icepack (or cold beverage of choice) to help relax your aching joints.
Either way, this does intrude upon your personal time, and as such some feel that they should be compensated for it.
Now, this brings up an interesting argument. Sure, if we’re putting in measurable time on emails after hours, perhaps we should be paid for that time. Especially if this is something that happens on a frequent basis, and can be backed up by the timestamps on emails.
However, there is a potential downside as well.
“Linda Duxbury, associate professor at Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, said adding BlackBerry usage to contract negotiations is a mistake that could result in people working longer hours.
“‘That legitimizes inappropriate behaviours,’ she said. ‘Right now, it’s just the culture that pressures you to do it, or your boss, or sometimes your own personality. But what if it becomes a job responsibility to be available 24/7? This is taking everything that we’ve been talking about in terms of work-life balance and turning it on its head.’”
Aye, there’s the rub. If for some reason we’re checking and responding to email on our own time now, that’s one thing. But if we’re then expecting to be paid for it, we’re basically trading our personal time for 24/7 availability, and this can remove the option of whether we’re available or not.
I’ll admit, I’ve got my company issued BlackBerry, and there are times I’ll respond to emails outside of work hours. But I usually choose to keep it off for most evenings and weekends, and only check in periodically.
If my choice comes down to writing the occasional email on personal time or being available 24/7 for an extra few hundred dollars a year, I know which way I’ll decide.
But that is my situation, and perhaps yours is different. What do you think? Should out of hours BlackBerry usage be integrated into employment contracts? Should we be paid for it? If so, what should we realistically be giving up in return?
You’ve finally landed your dream job, have the free parking (or transit pass), great gym at work, nice bonus, good vacation, and a nice view out the window of your office.
The only problem is your car spends more time in the parking lot at work than at home (even on weekends), your gym clothes are dusty they’ve been in your locker so long, the bonus is eaten up in take-out food (much like the payout for the vacation you never took), and thankfully you have the window so you can see daylight at least through the glass.
Okay, so maybe only doesn’t belong in that sentence, but you see where I’m going.
I’m sure it’s happened to all of us, where the job we thought we’d signed up for doesn’t seem to be the job that we’ve actually signed up for, whether on something small or something huge. So, as I mentioned the other day, our options are pretty much summed up as do nothing, quit, or work to change the environment to something you’re happy with.
Changing corporate culture isn’t an overnight activity, and isn’t easy. But through being consistent and taking the right steps, you can have an impact, and affect the change you want to see. What steps are those, you ask?
Update: For the followup to this post, check out Changing Corporate Culture.
Corporate culture is something we hear about a lot. Companies are told that in order to succeed, they need to ensure that they have a culture that is progressive, customer and employee focused, and open to change.
Recent grads and pretty much anyone looking for work are all reminded to consider the culture of an organization when they’re applying for a position.
But corporate culture is more than just paying attention to the latest articles in academic journals, hiring the right change management consultant, or finding out if the company has casual Fridays. You can frequently ask all the right questions and even get the answers you want, and then show up to work and find that nothing is what it seemed to be.
(Note, this post was nearly titled “Just because it’s wide and flat doesn’t mean it’s easy to balance on the road . . . thankfully that looked way too long in the title box, and I felt a little pity for those who may type in permalinks manually . . . )
Several months back, I wrote a pair of articles on working work-life balance into the occasional business trip. That’s all well and good, but what about if you travel more often?
This post was started while I was sitting in my hotel room on my sixth business trip in less than two months, also my third in three weeks, each taking anywhere from two days to a little over a week.
Travel, especially if it’s not a primary function of your job, impacts your work-life balance in all areas of your life. You lose both days in the office and evenings at home. Other than just the stresses some experience from a change in environment, we’re suddenly faced with less time to do more.
So how can we make the most of this time, still be productive, and not come home to a pile of work that just extends the craziness?
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