Workplace creativity impact on family/work life balance

Abstract

Increased job responsibilities due to an increased demands at the workplace to achieve the objectives set at the workplace, together with family responsibilities at the home-front, have created a need to balance both the domains.To overcome this problem, employer and employees can introduce creative methods at the workplace innovate new methods and strategies at their home-front and at their workplace and entrepreneurial activities can also be considered. Employees should have the support of the management in use of creativity at the workplace and also to enhance their productivity without affecting their family-life. Hence, this article throws light on the studies done in this domain, the strategies that could be adopted and the challenges faced in trying to maintain a balance between family-life and work-life.

Introduction

Present situation, world is facing a very competitive environment. People are giving more important on their work, than family-life and people are spending more time at the workplace. Family-Life and Work-Life balance is not an easy task meaning one’s professional and family responsibilities managing both equally in an effective manner. One can have work-family balance but may not have anything left for oneself for one’s community and one’s personal growth and development. Sometimes it is possible to have family-work balance and at times it may seem as individuals still need to achieve work – life balance.

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In western scenario, other than work, all activities are considered a part of life. This may include family-life and social-life.But, when we look at Indian scenario, Family and Work are treated as two separate entities. Family is given a top priority and ideally family-life and work-life suits more to an Indian situation. We can say that, experiences associated with family are called family-life. An experience associated with work is called work-life.

Review of Literature

Marta Mas-Machuca et al (2016) in their research, “Work-Life balance and its relationship with organizational pride and job satisfaction”, have found that the work-life balance of employees was showinga positive relation with organization pride and job satisfaction. Further, the results showed that the work-life balance of supervisors of these employees provide autonomy and supports the work-life balance of these employees. In other words, the degree of work-life balance achieved by superiors in an organization affects the work-life balance of their subordinates.

SuchetaAgarwalUshaLenka (2015) in their research paper the scholars have discussed about the problem of wok-life balance for working women executive. To overcome the conflict issue they need to balance between personal life style and work life style. It suggests that women should start their own business to gain more flexibility and control on their personal obligations and on their work.

Salma Semlali, AbderrahmanHassi, (2016)in their research paper the research scholars noticed that employees try to fulfill the private and professional lives. The study was conducted on the work life balance of Moroccan women working in IT sector. Here the organizations are key factor in employees’ work life balance. Some main recommendations of this study is to increase the maternity leave, flexibility of the work, workplace nurseries and also telework may help the women employees in work life balance and their well being which will reduce their stress level in working place.

VeronikaKoubova, Aaron A. Buchko, (2013) in their research paper have discussed on work life balance and emotional intelligence and its conceptual linkage. Emotional intelligence is been viewed as an important aspect in individuals work life balance. Personal life is important and work is viewed as a component to satisfy the overall life. So the organization should develop the Emotional intelligence in work place and improve the abilities of employees.

RupashreeBaral, ShivganeshBhargava( 2010) in their research paper tell about the work-family enrichment, relationships between organization interventions for work life balance and job outcomes. It shows that outcomes of the work life balance are positively related to job outcomes and work to family enrichment will be related to job characteristics. Work family culture and support of the supervisor are also positively related to job satisfaction and an outcome were found between work life benefits and policies.

Observations

By reviewing the above literature, an impression can be drawn about the importance of balancing family and work. The significant points that can be noted are:

• Support of the Superior is required at the workplace.
• A certain level of autonomy if provided can be useful to employees in balancing family and work.
• Employers can consider facilities such as day-care, work-from-home, flexibility of work-time etc., for reducing the stress level of employees.
• It was seen that the outcomes of work-life balance is positively related to the job outcomes.
• Starting off own-ventures/business if possible would be a great initiative for the individuals in balancing life.

Work – Life Balance Definitions

Work-life balance is defined as “the management of one’s professional responsibilities and family responsibilities towards children, ageing parents, and disabled family member, or a partner/spouse effectively. One can have work-family balance, but may or may not have anything left for oneself, for one’s community, for one’s own personal growth and development, rest and relaxation”. (Buddhapriya,2009)

According to Hudson(2005), work/life balance, in its broadest sense, is defined as a “satisfactory level involvement or ‘fit’ between the multiple roles in a person’s life”.

Analysis of the above definitions

The first definition pertains to the divided responsibilities that the individuals have to fulfill at the family and at work. The responsibility at the home-front is towards spouse, children, ageing parents and other family members. The responsibility at the work-place is in fulfilling and executing the given tasks as per expectations at the work.

The second definition emphasizes on the satisfactory involvement of individuals between multiple roles in life.

A conclusion can be drawn, that in trying to maintain a balance in family and at work, understanding and fulfilling responsibility in both domains is important and this can be done through satisfactory involvement of individuals between multiple roles.

Challenges in Balancing Family– Life and Work-Life

• Excessive work confronts with tasks involving with children, home, in-laws, parents and their social circle. Employees mostly have multiples roles in their personal lives along-with an increase in demands on the job so the working population have to spend long hours in work place, at times can be carried to homes which leads to excessive work both at home and at work.
• Work interference will affect the family-life because mostly working hours are not limited to 7 to 8 hours day it may extend till 12 -16 hours also. This may lead to little time for family-life due to long hours that are spent in completing the work tasks.
• Majority employees are highly stressed and undergo anxiety, they have to manage both work responsibilities together with family responsibilities. This may lead to high levels of anxiety in having to compete with a competitive environment and juggling between the family and work preventing them from aspiring to progress in their career beyond the particular level.
• Everyday decisions on important matters in family-life and/or work-life will be difficult to handle and manage, this may result in stress which will lead to health issues.
• Sometimes due to prioritizing the family, employees may lose many opportunities and by the time they are in a position to accept the greater responsibilities, repetitive and monotonous nature assigned to them also inhibits their creativity. This will lead to imbalance and frustration and resentment which greatly impact their various roles. And hence, sometimes they are unable to realize their full potential in both work and family .
• Work responsibilities interference may often cause displeasure among the family members. This may result in disharmony among the members of the family/at home.
• If at home, there is a tendency wherein, as a primary role for the man results in dumping of all households responsibilities upon the women this leads to biased treatment on the women which will result in the imbalance and frustration in balancing family and work.
• Emotions create imbalance at family and work.
• Targets at the workplace in the form of meeting deadlines, completion of tasks, too much work to be completed in too little time etc., creates imbalance and this can be a reason and will act as a challenge in trying to balance family and work.
• Organization creates imbalances and gives resources to balance the imbalance.
• Whether at home or at work, if lot of energy is consumed then the problem solving ability of a person comes down. Hence this poses as a challenge in maintaining a balance between family and work.

Scope for creativity to maintain Family-Life and Work-Life Balance

In view of challenges, creativity can be incorporated. This has been discussed from the Management and from the Employee point of view.

From the Management context

• The Company can provide with Day-care or child-care with free of cost or with lower cost.
• The company can give a thought to job sharing positions to reduce the stress level of employees together with completion of tasks on time can happen.
• Company can give employees some extension or permissions if asked by employees with regard to the maternity or paternity leave beyond the minimum legal period.
• Flexible working hours can be introduced.
• If employee is full time worker but due to some reason the employee wish to work for part time the company can make way for them.
• The company can have recreational activities such as sports, arranging of talk from diverse fields, cultural programs etc.
• The Company can arrange for career counseling, advisory services like legal, family, financial supports etc.
• Fluctuating phenomenon at the workplace is a common scenario in IT sector hence, outsourcing of work, seeking extra hands during work over-load can be considered by the company.
• The organisation can give more importance for discussions and clarifications of job related matters over phone and mail, and reduce a personal/face-to-face discussions so that time can be saved and performance can be better.

From the Employee context

• Explore the possibilities of doing the work easily.
• To avoid unnecessary worries.
• Not to mix emotions.
• An employee should not imagine the work is difficult; this will lead to energy drain out.
• Employee should get clarity on the responsibility and expectations.
• Employee can ask for help from colleagues when required.
• Be time-conscious.
• Expanding the way of thinking.
• More work consumes more time, hence planning is required.
• Each activity should follow the next required activity.
• Every time an employee needs clarification, then phone, e-mail or texting can be considered instead of reaching out in person.
• Experience teaches creativity. If an employee is involved in doing a particular job for a long period of time, then because of his expertise in that field he will be more creative and knowledgeable in completing the task faster.
• Attitude represents energy; hence the overall attitude of an employee should be positive and accept the situation.

These are the some of the strategies which the company can implement to the employee so that employee can feel better and concentrate on their family-life which can give good results in work-life balance also.

Conclusion

Individuals play multiple role in the family-life and work-life. If there is no satisfaction and balance in both these domains it may result in frustration, inability to realize full potential, stress and anxiety, they do not enjoy the harmonious family-life and health issues may arise. So for this, an employee can consider entrepreneurship and start their own business. They can spend time with family as well as in work which leads to great innovation and creative things can be considered. They can manage and create they own boundaries. Social recognition and social status will give them a boosting power. This also help them to spend more time with the members of family. Employer should give the opportunities to work from home so that employees can have breathing time with family members and children. Today’s world is more career conscious than ever. Employees demand more in terms of career growth and development. Organizations that fail to allow employees to meet their individual career growth needs will lose the best employees. An organization's most treasured asset is Employee’s creativity. Experience teaches a person to be creative. Employees should be given facilities to enhance their creativity and self development.

Bibliography

1. Buddhapriya, (2009) Volume: 34 issue: 1, page(s): 31-46, Article first published online: January 1, 2009; Issue published: January 1, 2009.
2. Marta Mas-Machuca, Jasmina Berbegal-Mirabent, Ines Alegre, (2016) 'Work-life balance and its relationship with organizational pride and job satisfaction', Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 31 Issue: 2, pp.586-602, https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-09-2014-0272.
3. SuchetaAgarwalUshaLenka (2015), “ Study on work – life balance of women entrepreneurs – review and research agenda”, Industrial and Commerical Training, Vol. 47 Iss 7 pp. 356-362.
4. Salma Semlali, AbderrahmanHassi, (2016) “ Work-life balance : how can we help women IT Professionals in Morocco?’, Journal of Global Responsibility, Vol. 7 Issue:2, pp.210-225
5. VeronikaKoubova, Aaron A. Buchko, (2013) “Life-work balance: Emotional intelligence as a crucial component of achieving both personal life and work personal life and work performance”, Management Research Review, Vol.36 Issue: 7, pp.8700-719.
6. Rupashree Baral, ShivganeshBhargava( 2010) “ Work – family enrichment as mediator between organizational interventions for work-life balance and job outcomes”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 25 Issue: 3, pp. 274-300.
7. Shelton, LM (2006) Female entrepreneurs, work–family conflict, and venture performance: new insights into the work–family interface. Journal of Small Business Management 44: 285–97.