Common Misconceptions

Managing work-life balance effectively, in part, means recognising and challenging common misconceptions. Read through the following myths and facts to see if any reflect your ideas about work-life balance.

Myths and Facts

Myth

“Flexible work is too difficult to manage.”

Fact

As a staff member, you may be reluctant to request flexible work arrangements because you believe it would create more work for other staff in the work unit. Constructing a flexible work proposal, which includes consideration of who may be affected by the proposed change, solutions to possible concerns and the perceived benefits of the proposed work arrangement, is a way of addressing this concern.

Flexible work arrangements must meet the operational requirements of the work unit as well as the personal, family social or community responsibilities and interests of individual employees.

Myth

“Flexible work arrangements are permanent.”

Fact

Flexible work arrangements are not necessarily permanent. As people progress through different stages in their lives, particular circumstances often require temporary or short term changes to an employees work patterns. Examples of temporary flexible work arrangements include:

• The opportunity to convert from full-time work to part-time work for a period of time.
  If you are a full-time worker who has taken extended leave due to the birth of a child or the onset of an illness, you may want to consider converting from full-time to part-time work for a defined period on your return in order to readjust to the workplace. If you are intending to undertake study and other endeavours such as volunteer work or sporting activities for a defined period you may also find temporary conversions from full-time work to part-time work beneficial.
• Temporary adjustments to start and finish times at work.
  If you have young children who need to be dropped off or picked up from school, then this type of arrangement may suit you. Temporary adjustments to finish times would also suit staff members wishing to pursue career goals involving attendance at lectures, seminars or conferences.

Myth

“Part-time work and career advancements are unattainable.”

Fact

Part-time work may slow down career advancements because it takes longer to attain the experience for promotion, but it should not limit career advancement.

The availability of quality part-time work is closely linked to whether or not female staff members, including Managers, decide to undertake paid work or to remain in employment. This is because women are overwhelmingly more likely be primary caregivers of their children and other family members. As an Employer of Choice for Women, the University recognises and advances women at all levels of the organisation including management. In 2006, for example, approximately 70 per cent of part-time University staff members were women. Therefore, attracting and retaining qualified and experienced female staff rests largely on the availability of part-time work to enable staff to manage a work-life balance.

Although women are more likely to choose part-time work to accommodate their caring responsibilities, men are increasingly utilising flexible work arrangements to enable them to spend more time with their children. Circumstances where part-time work is desired amongst both men and women also include:

• having a disability
• deciding to undertake further study
• caring for an ill partner.

Training and career development opportunities are also available to all part-time staff and are legislated by the following University policies.

• Professional staff
  The Staff Development Time Off for Study for Professional Staff Policy provides professional staff with the opportunity to undertake approved study activities relevant to their employment, in the form of time off work for study, with or without pay.
• Academic staff
  Subject to approval, the University’s Special Studies Program Policy, provides academic staff with financial support to undertake a period of special studies in lieu of their normal duties to further their scholarship, research, professional practice and development.

Myth

“Working long hours results in high productivity.”

Fact

Research shows that long working hours can negatively impact on the health, safety and overall well-being of employees and the productivity of the organisations that employ them.

For individual employees, the benefits of reduced hours may include:

• more time to sleep and re-energise, thereby improving overall physical health
• less stress and fatigue reduces the risk of accidents both within and outside the work environment
• more time available for family, social and community activities
• greater self-esteem and confidence.

For employers, the benefits of reduced hours of work may include:

• improved staff morale, organisational commitment and loyalty
• reduced costs associated with Occupational Health & Safety
• increased staff retention
• decrease in staff absenteeism.

To read more about the benefits see: D. Dawson, K. McCulloch & A. Baker, 2001, Report on Extended Hours in Australia: Counting the Costs.

Myth

“Striving for work-life balance does not equate with commitment to work.”

Fact

The assumption that paid work and family, social and community responsibilities and interests are, or should be, kept separate is not realistic. Tension caused by personal, cultural or community circumstances can lead to high absenteeism, poor concentration and reduced productivity at work. Conversely, tension in the workplace can also impact on personal, cultural and community activities and interests.

Myth

“Work-life balance only benefits women with children.”

Fact

While women remain the primary caregivers of dependent children, the desire by men to become more involved in the care of their children is increasing. Changes to the Family Law Act in 2006 promote an ideal of shared parenting. This suggests that more and more fathers will be using flexible work arrangements in order to care for their children. Therefore the changing role of fathers means that men, as well as women, benefit from work-life balance.

Myth

“Family commitments are about marriage and biological relationships.”

Fact

Changing social attitudes in recent decades has led to the diversification of family composition. The ‘nuclear’ or traditional family structure of a married couple with biologically related children is no longer the only type of family structure in contemporary Australian society. This is evidenced by the increase in solo parenthood, blended or step families, same sex families and families created with the assistance of reproductive technologies.

Australia is also characteristically a country of people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It is common amongst some cultural groups to refer to members of their community as ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’ despite the absence of a marital or biological connection. Acknowledging that family commitments encompass relations that may extend beyond the traditional family model of father, mother and children more accurately reflects the lifestyle of some Australians.

The University of Adelaide’s Leave Policy defines a family member as:

“A relative by blood, marriage, adoption, fostering, traditional kinship (including guardian, ward, grandparent, foster-grandparent, step-parent and in-law relative) or a person who stands in bona fide domestic or household relationship with the staff member including situations in which there is implied dependency or support role for the staff member.”

Myth

“Work-life balance is all about assisting people with parental responsibilities.”

Fact

Work-life balance encompasses a range of responsibilities and interests which include but are not limited to employees with parental responsibilities, such as:

• caring responsibilities
• individual/personal enrichment
• cultural obligations.

Caring Responsibilities

People’s life expectancy is improving due to advances in medical technology and health. Our aging population probably means that you will, at some stage in your life, need to balance your paid work commitments with caring for an elderly parent(s), spouse or individuals you consider family. If you belong to a particular culturally diverse group, you may even have defined cultural obligations to care for your elderly parents.

Grandparents are increasingly becoming primary caregivers of their grandchildren, and an aging population and a correspondingly aging workforce also means that you may become a grandparent while still performing paid work. You may also be, or become, the primary care giver of a child, spouse or significant other that has a disability.

Women are also delaying having children until their late 20s or early 30s, which is likely to result in an increase in the proportion of employees that will have both dependent children and elderly parents who require care. Since women are more likely than men to become primary carers of both their children and aging parents, this is most likely to impact on female employees in the 30- to 40-year-old age group.

Work-life balance is therefore likely to impact on staff members who have, or will have, caring responsibilities for their aging parents, spouses, grandchildren or children with disabilities.

Personal/Individual Enrichment

You may not have family or caring responsibilities. This does not mean that work-life balance is irrelevant to you. A person’s self-worth has been shown to be closely linked to their ability to pursue personal and community responsibilities and interest. Most people, whether or not they have caring responsibilities, may at some time want to pursue their personal interests and responsibility to themselves and/or their community in order to achieve a fulfilling life. Examples of activities that have the potential to enrich individual’s lives include:

• Engaging with community organisations and undertaking volunteer work to experience a sense of accomplishment and provide a valuable service to the community. In 2006, the ABS found that 34%of the Australian population aged 18 years or over participated in voluntary work.
• Undertaking sporting activities which have been shown to improve health outcomes in terms of ones physical and emotional health as well as their social life. The benefits of pursuing sporting activities also positively impact on an organisation and the wider community by reducing absenteeism and public health expenditure.
• Undertaking further studies to pursue career goals. Balancing career goals with paid work is not however limited to young employees as studies have shown that for many older workers, self worth is also linked to having a career, particularly for highly educated older workers. Organisations that support staff members desire to pursue career goals means that some staff members are able to better mange their work-life balance. This in turn has the potential to result in greater organisational commitment, job satisfaction, and productivity.

If you are able to effectively integrate paid work with your personal interests, you are more likely to be happier, healthier and have a greater sense of control over your life.

Cultural Obligations

The cultural and linguistic diversity of Australian society means that some employees have defined cultural obligations within their respective communities. The importance of fulfilling cultural obligations amongst Indigenous staff, for example, may involve attending local and national Aboriginal and Torres Islander celebrations such as sporting events, award ceremonies, art and music festivals, NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week.

The opportunity to attend cultural and religious events that you identify with means that you are able to maintain your community connections. This may also serve to enrich the University of Adelaide by:

• enhancing the University’s reputation as an employer of choice by attracting and retaining employees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• creating an opportunity to initiate collaborative partnerships between the University and community organisations.

For further information refer to:

• Cultural and Community Obligations Leave
• Diversity Australia

Myth

“Work-life balance is not as important to workers approaching retirement.”

Fact

The report Profiling the Staff of the University of Adelaide 2006-2011 anticipates that in 2011, 54 per cent of staff will be aged 50 years or over, compared to 30 per cent in 2004. Older workers will therefore be relied upon as one of the most important sources of labour for the future. In a highly competitive labour market, the changing value of older workers is therefore being recognised by many organisations. Some invaluable qualities of older workers include:

• experience and historical knowledge of an organisation
• less need for supervision
• a high level of commitment, dedication and loyalty which significantly impact on the productivity of an organisation.
• organisational savvy and an understanding of workplace culture
• the ability to mentor junior employees
• increased flexibility to meet organisational needs.

(Jaworski, 2005)

If you are an older worker, you may wish to enjoy the benefits of retirement while maintaining a reasonable level of income and meaningful activity. Remaining in the workforce can provide feelings of belonging, as well as a sense of accomplishment, appreciation and status. At the same time, you may also want time to enjoy life outside work while you are healthy enough to do so.

Older workers are also more likely to having caring responsibilities for their aging parents, partners and/or grandchildren.

Therefore, work-life balance is as important to older workers as it is to younger workers. One way of accommodating the need for flexible arrangements amongst older staff – those approaching 55 years of age – is by converting from full-time to part-time work under the University’s Pre-Retirement Contract Scheme.

Myth

“Retirement is at 60-65 years of age.”

Fact

Retirement commonly refers to the permanent withdrawal from the paid workforce and there is no legal retirement age in Australia: in 2005, in order to encourage continued workforce participation of older employees, the Government abolished the compulsory retirement age for both men and women. Prior to these changes, the age of compulsory retirement for women was 60 years and for men 65 years.

If you are 55 years of age or older and are looking to phase your retirement, a reduction in your work hours will not necessarily mean a reduction in your income. This is because staff members who have reached preservation age are able to receive superannuation while still remaining employed. The preservation age is between 55- to 60-years-old, depending on the year you were born. For further details, refer to the Australian Tax Office’s Transition to Retirement. You may also be able to access the aged pension while still remaining in the paid workforce – for more infomation, visit Centrelink’s Retirement Payment Rates fact sheets.