Duncan O'Leary
Duncan works on projects looking at public services, skills and work.
at 9:17am
on Thursday, 23rd March 2006
Update: thanks to everyone who has emailed in on this (keep them coming!) - i'll post some links at the bottom of the entry in case anyone is interested.
Lots of the discussion about work-life balance understandably focuses on keeping work out people�s home lives. Not too many hours in the office. Making sure new technology frees people up, rather than allowing their work to follow them home. That sort of thing. But I�ve been wondering whether there are approaches to finding a balance or equilibrium between the two that do the opposite � that help you sort out some of your �life� issues through work..?
For example, are there companies that help their employees to sort out a mortgage, give legal advice, or even provide tips on parenting if employees want them? Maxim and Zuboff gave us �deep support� in The Support Economy � but that was for customers not employees. So as we continue to lead more stressful, time-poor lives, and as companies start to compete for the best talent through values as well as pay, is this something that�s already happening? If you�ve seen it, heard of it, or are it I�d be really interested to here about it � just drop me a quick email.
Links sent in:
- Danone Daries UK - read about them here
- the Googlex - free lunches, childcare provision, laundry
- this story in the Observer
- Accor Services offer all kinds of support, including legal advice.
Update: thanks to everyone who has emailed in on this (keep them coming!) - i'll post some links at the bottom of the entry in case anyone is interested.
Lots of the discussion about work-life balance understandably focuses on keeping work out people�s home lives. Not too many hours in the office. Making sure new technology frees people up, rather than allowing their work to follow them home. That sort of thing. But I�ve been wondering whether there are approaches to finding a balance or equilibrium between the two that do the opposite � that help you sort out some of your �life� issues through work..?
For example, are there companies that help their employees to sort out a mortgage, give legal advice, or even provide tips on parenting if employees want them? Maxim and Zuboff gave us �deep support� in The Support Economy � but that was for customers not employees. So as we continue to lead more stressful, time-poor lives, and as companies start to compete for the best talent through values as well as pay, is this something that�s already happening? If you�ve seen it, heard of it, or are it I�d be really interested to here about it � just drop me a quick email.
Links sent in:
- Danone Daries UK - read about them here
- the Googlex - free lunches, childcare provision, laundry
- this story in the Observer
- Accor Services offer all kinds of support, including legal advice.
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