Creating this environment has allowed for those of different gender and generation to have access to more positions in the company than were available before. In a previous company, Bryan was a manager for a well-known chain of retail coffee shops. This establishment had a traditional approach to the work life approach. While there was flexibility in the scheduling of the employees, there was no consideration given for other related issues. He stated that his manager was often heard saying that employees are to check life at the door, and they can pick it back up when they leave. As a manager in this organization, Bryan found that his opportunities to hire were limited to a certain demographic, and found it difficult to find the right people to make his business a success. During his years with this organization, he found that he only retained 40% of his employees on an annualized basis, that less than 60% of them were overly satisfied with their jobs, and less than half found that they had time or energy for family, community, and spiritual concerns. He also found that he had no time to develop his employees, could not adequate train them for their positions, and was encouraged to look outside the company for emerging leaders rather than within it. This is consistent with Gerencher who states in the Boston Globe (2004):

Many workers who may have been glad just to have job security during the recession are now grappling with dissatisfaction and weighing career options, according to several surveys. Families are sending their children back to school and confronting anew the struggle to balance work and life, with some pondering whether it makes sense to continue working when the negative impact of stress overrides the financial benefits, career specialists said.

The ironic situation with this company was that most of the employees were part time who simply worked for the benefits and additional income. The conclusion in these two organizations pointed to the reality that hours worked does not necessarily translate into time management. Bryan found that full time employees who were able to have an environment that fostered and supported...

The company who chose to keep work life completely separate with limited consideration for the employee, found it difficult to maintain, satisfy, and develop its workforce.
Work life considerations are evident in every organization. Bryan is one manager who has found different results with two different approaches on this topic. In one, he found that the employees felt cared about as people, which helped them develop professionally, and became the greatest asset and investment the company had. In another, he found a company who chose to separate itself from its employees, and therefore, could not retain, develop or grow its workforce into the leaders that they so desperately needed. There are companies who embrace and work towards an appropriate benefit of the boundaries of work-life, and companies who choose to keep the two separate at all costs. Managers who focus on the reality that every employee has a life outside of their organization will see a different kind of employee than managers who chose to disenfranchise themselves from their employees. John Maxwell (2005), in his text, the 360 Leader, states that, " One of the greatest mistakes leaders make is spending too much time in their offices and not enough time out among the people." Perhaps the more managers' focus on developing a personal and professional relationship with each of their employees will prove the true character of their leadership, ability to manage, and achieve the results that their corporations are looking for.

References

Gerencher, Kristen (2004, October 3). As Economy Improves, Job Dissatisfaction is on the Rise.

The Boston Globe.

Ki-Moon, Ban (2008, April 3). Achieving Gender Balance in the United Nations Secretariat.

United Nations Office Memorandum.

Maxwell, John (2005). The 360 Leader. Nashville, TN: Tomas Nelson Inc.

Work, Family and Health Network. (2008). How Our Research Helps Families and Employees.

Retrieved March 21, 2010, from http://www.kpchr.org.