Getting the balance right - Isle of Man Today

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10 Business updateIsle of Man Examiner, May 2005ISSUEMAY focusWORK-LIFE BALANCEAn individualDo we really want a better work-life balance orwould we prefer more money? The experts at thismonth’s Business Update Forum spent part oftheir debate discussing which option is best.Arecent survey byLloyds TSB andWorking Familiesrevealed that 67 per cent ofworkers in the UK have promisedto strike a better balance betweenwork and home life in 2005. Thiswas compared to only one in five(22 per cent) who will be gunningfor a pay rise this year. But doesthis accurately reflect the attitudesof the Island’s workforce?Steam Packet’s STUARTGARRETT: If an individual wantsto earn more then they will findtheir own work-life balance and ithas to be down to the individualto determine what they want thatto be. Work-life balance is an issuewhich an employee must haveresponsibility for determiningwhether or not they are happy intheir own role.There has been a balancing ofcomparative remunerationpackages recently and thereappears to be a fairly standardnumber of hours which people areprepared to work. If people dowant to work longer then theyshould be allowed to do so.Hilton Hotel’s ANNE WEADOCK:We have just completed anemployee survey and a lot of thejunior level staff are working 45 tomaybe 60 hours per week. TheyAn establishedreputation for integrityand innovationwere asked whether they had anyconcerns about the working hoursand I expected a high percentageto tick the ‘yes’ box. Not that theyare forced to work those hours,they volunteer, but they didn’tcomplain. Certainly, in thehospitality sector, they seem towant more money.People’scommitmentsPeople Dimensions’ LEEHARRISON: It depends onpeople’s commitments and whatis happening in their lives. Themore important aspect is thatemployers need to establish andunderstand the needs of theworkforce and that is the key.Aston International’s TONYDOYLE: It is down to where peopleare in their life cycle. If people arestarting out at work and want tobuy a house, they may want towork as many hours as they can.But as you get older, you mightwant to slow down a bit, themortgage is being paid off, youdon’t have HP debts and you canafford not to work as much.It changes throughout your life.When you leave school you havemore time than when you have afamily and other commitments.In an office environment, whenyou get to a certain level you arepaid a salary. You don’t necessarilyget overtime pay. In terms of whatpeople would actually want, it isdifferent towhat reallyhappens. It may be different inother industries, like construction,where you can work moreconstantly and be paid.Greenland Construction’sGRAHAM TAYLOR: Inconstruction, people can work asmany hours as they want becausethe work is there to be done.There is a slowing down in theindustry, in general, and all thebig capital projects are finished.But in the smaller works sector –new house extensions, paving,repairs etc – there is still quite alot of work about. A lot of ourworkforce will do these jobs atnights and weekends.New aspirationsMerrill Lynch’s DAVID NIXON: Itcomes down to people’s needsand aspirations. But morecontentiously, I don’t think it ismutually exclusive. I would likeCOMPANY & COMMERCIAL • DISPUTE RESOLUTION • PRIVATE CLIENT • PROPERTYwww.dc.co.im33 Athol StreetDouglasIsle of Man IM11LBT 01624 647647F 01624 620992E mail@dc.co.imAlso at: Church Road, Port Erin. Tel: 01624 835225 Fax: 01624 835543.Water Street, Ramsey. Tel: 01624 812107 Fax: 01624 814275.DAVID NIXON: It comes down to people’s needs and aspirations MW: 050401/44
K C M YIsle of Man Examiner, May 2005 Businessupdate11approachto aspire to achieving both.People can work moreeffectively, earn more moneyand get a better work lifebalance. It is not black andwhite as an either or. My driveand motivation is to achieveboth for myself, and thecompany.Barclays’ PAUL CURRY: I don’tthink I would ever get to a pointwhere I wouldn’t take the extramoney. But the opportunity forpeople to have a work lifebalance is critical.There is scope for both but, byfacilitating people with moremoney, they will probably havemore work-life balance anywaybecause they have moreopportunity to do things.Interestingly, some people usetheir work-life balance time tosecond job.WEADOCK: Yes. Some people inthe banking industry work acouple of nights in the casinodoing cashier work. It is theirfree time but they want theextra money.Extra pressuresDTI’s SUE STRANG: I thinkpeople want both. But if we aregoing to have more of a worklifebalance it does mean thingslike leisure facilities and retailoutlets will be open on Sunday,and want about the work-lifebalance of people workingthere? They may want to andthere is an opportunity to earnmore money. But the idea of a24-hour society meanssomeone is working to supportthat.DTI’s JAN BUJKO: It is down toindividual choice but there is nopoint people earning lots ofmoney if they are too burnt outand haven’t got the time oropportunity or can’t bebothered to spend the moneythey are earning.Dorchester Maritime’s ELAINEHUNTER: A lot of people expecttoo much of themselves andthink they need to do this manyhours for this sort of lifestyleand put far too much pressureon themselves.Sometimes,people have to admit they arenot going to become managingdirector and don’t want to beand let’s get the balance forthemselves and realise theirlimitations. Shipping doesn’tpay huge wages and people doseem to like a work-life balance.I think people are happier tohave a less stressful job andwork with people they enjoybeing with.DTI’s ELAINE WOOD: We areseeing a bit of a sea change onhow we view employment.Some people are going to wantto earn more money but otherswant to spend more of theirtime with their kids and workflexibly.What do you think? We askedworkers in Douglas whetherthey would like more money ora better work life balance. Seetheir responses on page 12.More time ormore money?
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