Getting the balance right - Isle of Man Today

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4 Business updateIsle of Man Examiner, May 2005ISSUEMAY focusWORK-LIFE BALANCETHE BUSINESS UPDATE FORUMCreating a newDo you long for a betterwork-life balance? Thereis a growing movetowards more flexibleworking but what doesthis represent for thoseoperating businessesand aining session their or meeting employees?Penny Kay discusses themain issues with expertsat this month’s BusinessUpdate And our out-of-town Forum. locationPart I: A flexible approach p4 to 9Part II: Time or money? p10 & 11New legislation looks set tomean that employees canrequest to work moreflexibly in future. But how difficult is it toput flexible working into practice and doesit really work? The experts gave their viewson the need for a new management culture.New legislation plannedDTI’s SUE STRANG: On the legislation side,what we are looking at is bringing in a rightfor people to request to work more flexibly.People will be able to ask their employer ifthey want to work particular hours, parttimeand so on, and their employer willhave to look at the request. The employermay refuse it because it is operationallydifficult, for example, but they will have aresponsibility to look at the request.In the UK, this right is restricted to peoplewho have children below the age of sixyears old. But we are very conscious in theIsle of Man that one in five of the workingpopulation is a carer, and we are extendingthis to include them. There has been wideconsultation with industry over the last twoyears on these issues and the legislation willbe part of the Employment Bill 2005.Steam Packet’s STUART GARRETT:Whether you are a big corporate or a smallbusiness the issues are the same, and life aswe know it is changing. Legislation ischanging and for the better, hopefully, forthe total workforce.Challenges for businessGARRETT: We run a 24-hour operation, 365days a year. We aren’t any different to anyother business but we are an Island lifelineand we need to be there at all hours, everyday, and the legislative changes which arebeing proposed present a big challenge forus.We have ships which sail out in themorning and come back at night, and howflexible can you be about that? We didrespond to the government’s consultationwith the benefit of our exposure to the UKFLEXIBLE FRIENDS: What impact would a more flexible approach have for businesses and their employees? MW: 050401/7Brightlife Corporate Calm is about getting the best out of people…out of the office. Our meeting and conference rooms are just made for inspiring ideas,communicating ideals and getting the most out of your people.in the beautiful countryside of Ballalheaney provides a real getaway which works wonders.An extraordinary team-building exercise, trstarts with an extraordinary location – Brightlife.Contact us on 880318 or email brightlife@brightlife.com.
Isle of Man Examiner, May 2005 Businessupdate5STRIKES THE RIGHT BALANCEworking cultureand Irish operating environments.If you treat people properly and giveconsideration to their circumstances at theoutset, and use the legislation as a baseline,there are very few cases where we can’tactually help people by flexing in thebroadest sense of the word. I am notsuggesting people come in at 10am andfinish at 7pm, but being considerate tomeeting their requests.There is a ‘payback’ from people who havebeen treated well and when an employerneeds an extra contribution, they comethrough. It is about modern managementpractice and thinking.Partnership approachMerrill Lynch’s DAVID NIXON: We allcollectively have to take ownership of thisissue whether we are anemployer, manager oremployee. Theword that ismissing ispartnership and we have to work together.Industry has to work with government andto communicate.People Dimensions’ LEE HARRISON:Government is influencing a better worklifebalance through legislation but morehas to be done to educate why businessesshould introduce work-life balancepractices, why businesses should care andwhy it is important. It is a good way toattract and retain staff and increaseproductivity. And more needs to be done.Hilton Hotel’s ANNE WEADOCK: We needto sell the benefits of good practice in worklifebalance and show where you can gainfrom this by decreased absenteeism andlower labour turnover. You need to sell thebenefits rather than over-legislate business.Flexi-time frustrationsGreenland Constructions’ GRAHAMTAYLOR: The most frustrating part of ourbusiness is trying to get through torepresentatives of government whoare on so-called flexitime and theyare never there. This happens ona daily basis. People are eitheron holiday or on a trainingcourse or flexitime. It causeshuge stress in the industry.Flexitime means someonewill say they are workinguntil 7pm at night — itsounds impressive, butthey didn’t start until midday.There needs to besome common sense. Inan ideal society it’swonderful, but in practiceit doesn’t work.Aston International’sTONY DOYLE: With thesize of the government,MEET THE PANEL❏ Jan Bujko, training strategy development officer, Department of Trade & Industry❏ Paul Curry, head of recruitment, Barclays Private Clients International❏ Tony Doyle, personnel manager, Aston International, offshore corporate and trustservices provider❏ Stuart Garrett, human resources director, Steam Packet Company❏ Lee Harrison, managing director, People Dimensions❏ Elaine Hunter, human resources manager, Dorchester Maritime❏ David Nixon, managing director, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers❏ Sue Strang, equality adviser, Department of Trade & Industry❏ Graham Taylor, managing director, Greenland Construction, Greenland FacilitySupport Services & Island Timber❏ Anne Weadock, chair of the employment and training committee, Chamber ofCommerce and human resources manager, Hilton Hotel❏ Elaine Wood, development manager (industry), Department of Trade & IndustryTURN TOPAGE 6MW: 050401/12Car shown is an X-TYPE Estate 2 litre Sport from £22,765 OTR.Extended play. Now up to £500 less.Have more room to get active in the X-TYPE Estate, which offers one of the biggestloadspaces in its class. And to make it even more enjoyable, we’ll give you £500towards a 2 litre petrol, 2.5 or 3 litre model - so you can own one from just £20,665on the road.Contact us for a test drive.JAGUAR X-TYPE ESTATEMylchreests GroupMillmount, New Castletown Road,Douglas, Isle of Man IM2 1HE.Telephone 623481. Facsimile 661257.www.mylchreests.douglas.jaguar.co.ukE: mail@mylchreests.com Born to performSUE STRANG: Wide consultation over flexible working hoursFuel economy figures for X-TYPE Estate petrol range mpg (l/100km) Urban18.5(15.2) - 22.0(12.9), extra urban 35.9(7.9) - 39.4(7.2), combined 26.6(10.6) -30.5(9.3), CO2 emissions 254 - 224g/km
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