Business mentor: Balancing act works for all

Q: Recently I've been reading a great deal about the importance of work-life balance, particularly in regards to boosting workplace productivity and morale. What are some small yet practical steps I can take to implement this?

* Small business sector specialist Sarah Trotman asked Philippa Reed, chief executive of EEO Trust, for some advice:

A: You're right. Research consistently finds that people who are supported by their employers to balance their personal lives and their working lives are more committed and productive at work. Employers who encourage work-life balance also report that absenteeism drops and staff retention improves.

While work-life balance initiatives are many and varied, the first thing to think about is whether you can give employees some flexibility at work. Flexible working options can include:

* Flexible or variable start and finish times.

* Being able to work from home occasionally.

* The ability to have a few hours off during the day occasionally.

* The option of quality part-time work.

Some or all of these types of initiatives may suit the varied needs of your staff, whether they are working parents, people combining work with study or involved in sports or community activities.

While it may seem daunting to give people more control over their working hours while keeping the phones tended or the service desk staffed, many businesses have found that if staff are encouraged to negotiate with each other over working hours, they will come up with solutions that suit the business as well as themselves.

The small organisation entrants in the EEO Trust's annual Work & Life Awards show that the size of a company is no barrier to encouraging work-life balance and reaping the benefits. This year's small organisation winner was Strategy Recruitment Consultancy. Some of their work-life initiatives might suit your workplace:

* Flexible working options - a part-time accountant works from home and a single mother works flexible hours to suit study commitments.

* Ensuring all meetings are held during regular working hours.

* A leave-without-pay option.

* A strong focus on fun with regular "fun days", morning teas, competitions, incentives and quizzes.

Strategy's directors say the result is high staff morale, low attrition and high productivity.

Another effective and affordable work-life option is helping people keep healthy and well, which can improve loyalty and commitment, and, ultimately, results in reduced absenteeism. This could include providing fresh fruit at work, creating an exercise programme or competition, or supporting staff sports teams.

Many entrants in this year's EEO Trust Work & Life Awards had a strong focus on health, wellness and safety; holding health seminars at work, offering workplace ergonomic assessments, running exercise programmes and offering workplace massage and medical checks.

While the scope of work-life balance is wider than parenting issues, parents do face specific issues which change as their children grow. As with other people, flexibility is the key issue for working parents, whether it be to take children to crèche or school, to attend occasional school events or to deal with a sudden emergency.