Employee Retention Essay

Work-life balance is a never-ending struggle for many companies. And then there are those who have been used to the work-life balance mantra that it is now part of their daily office routine. One of those companies is Eddie Bauer. Here, the objectives were not only very specific, it also gave fruit to efficient programs to which they became known and awarded. (Arthur, 307) Why does it make sense for Eddie Bauer to emphasize work-life balance? For Eddie Bauer, helping employees balance their work with their professional lives reduces absenteeism, increases productivity, and avoids high turnover thereby promoting retention of employees. This significantly cuts the problem on screening and recruiting new applicants as well as training these new employees. Where there is high retention rate, there is also continuity in the work processes. (Arthur, 308) Which of the nine key objectives do you think is the most important in their success in this area? Of the nine key objectives, making work more flexible is the determinant on the success of Eddie Bauer in giving work-life balance to their employees. Even if employees earn well, time is something that they can never buy. By introducing to them options from which they can choose the most fitting, they are able to maintain the balance in the personal and professional lives of their associates. Which of the programs do you think is the most important in their success in this area? Customized work environment which allows for flexible work times is the best program of all which Eddie Bauer offers. It allows employees to work at flexible times, have compressed workweeks if they need so, and allows them to choose a part-time position or share a workload with another employee. All these are fully customizable to their needs and preferences. (Arthur, 308) Why would work-life balance be good for employees? With newfound balance in their professional and personal races, employees will feel more content. They will think less about their personal circumstances while at work knowing that they are given time for these things. They also appreciate the efforts of the company, and so there is less chance for them to think of leaving. (Careerwomen. com reveals top five strategies for achieving work/life balance, 2003) Why would work-life balance be good for employers? With employees becoming more content at work, employers have everything to gain. They need not think much about recruitment of new employees to replace resigned employees. They also need not worry about retrainings and the additional costs included in it. They can then focus on expanding through recruiting additional and not replacement employees as well as enjoy the continuity of work with long-term employees. Why would work-life balance be good for customers? As peace of mind is received by employees and employers alike, work becomes more productive. Employees tend to give more to meet the expectations of the employers who have been considerate to them. Employers in return are able to invest more in customer relations. With long-term employee retention customers also get to enjoy personalized service with people who are already identified with the company. This results in a development of relationship between the company through the employee and the customer. As with the study done in Ernst & Young, employees are most likely to quit when they cannot achieve balance at work with their personal lives. (Arthur, 226) This encompasses the reason for the viability a work-life balance program. Companies who have it also have content workforces, employers with peace of mind, and satisfied customers. In the end, there is everything to gain and nothing to lose when there is balance between work and life.