Human Resource Managers Views on Implementing Work-Life Balance

Abstract

This paper focuses on the views of Human Resource (HR) managers about the implementation of work life balance (WLB) initiatives. Increasingly, WLB has become an important part of employment relations discussion and knowledge. The literature presents two key themes in terms of how this is implemented in practice. Firstly there was a corporate theme, where WLB is developed and applied from within the organisation. In the second theme WLB is developed and applied in tripartite partnership. The literature showed the New Zealand (NZ) experience is confused as to which path it is following. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the views of HR managers in NZ government funded tertiary institutions about the implementation of WLB practices. The research involved 3 in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which were then transcribed, analysed and compared until stable categories emerged. The findings reflected the confusion found in the literature. Approaches and knowledge of WLB were standardised and essentially uniform; there was much pride and satisfaction in achievements, both individual and corporately: and despite being government funded, the organisations reflected a corporatist theme in their approach to WLB. In summary, regardless of the rhetoric of WLB as positive to workers regaining balance in their lives, the research showed in practice it was 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' -- more beneficial for the organisations in terms of increasing worker productivity, than for the workers.