Employers looking to improve the 'work life balance' of their staff will have a helping hand from this Friday (20 April), with the launch of a special 'how to' toolkit.
Called 'Finding Your Balance', the toolkit is in the form of a CD Rom and brings together the research findings of a team from Cumbria Sure Start who set out to find innovative solutions to improving the work life balance culture in their own organisation.
Cumbria Sure Start is part of the county council's Children's Services, and works to ensure children and families receive the right kind of support, at the right time, and in the right place.
'Finding Your Balance' has been designed to give employers in all sectors guidance and information to improve the work life balance of their employees. Getting a good work life balance involves reviewing the working patterns of staff to meet both the needs of the organisation and the very different needs of the people working for it. Flexible working methods such as home working, flexi time and compressed hours become the norm.
The 'Finding Your Balance' toolkit:
- provides a simple introduction to improving work life balance through flexible working
- shows the potential benefits to an organisation
- provides information on where to go to get further help
It also features a number of case studies from local employers who have introduced flexible working practices, and organisations that can provide further information and help. As well as Sure Start and the Castle Green Hotel itself, these include Connexions Cumbria, ASDA, ENCAMS (the environmental charity behind the Keep Britain Tidy campaign), Furness College, Elleray Nursery and Preparatory School, GlaxoSmithKline, and Project John - a small industrial and providence society in Barrow in Furness.
Local employers attending the launch will hear from speakers including Dave Harrison from CAR Northwest - the Centre for Assessment and Recognition in the North West, Tony Palmer from ENCAMS and Jane Williamson, the manager of Cumbria Sure Start.
Jane said:
"Helping staff to get a proper work life balance can bring major benefits to employers as their employees are are more motivated and have greater levels of job satisfaction.
"Employers who adopt a work life balance approach also find that they are often an 'employer of choice' for people who are looking for work, as they are viewed as an organisation that is supportive and more caring of its staff."
ENDS
Further information from Alison Lister, media team on 01228 606335 or Katie Walker on 01946 832546