Employees claiming to have a healthy work/life balance are perceived as more valuable than their unbalanced peers. Accordingly, they’re invited onto more task forces and get smiled at more often by the CEO.
But how does a company know an employee is actually achieving this balance – and not just saying they’re achieving it to look good? That’s where the Work/Life Balance Report comes in.
“We need to know if someone is really making popcorn with their kids, and not at their laptop developing strategic platforms,” says Wilma Willis, HR Director at Chicago’s Plunktip. Hers is one of over 30,000 US companies currently requiring employees to complete the report each week.
The reports require workers to document their “life” activities, and they earn points for each – once the company contacted others involved to verify the activity took place. Some sample questions from actual reports:
. What are three “fun” or “rewarding” activities you engaged in outside the office? (8 points) Examples: Drinking a “smoothie” with riends, “romping” with an approved pet (cat, dog, ferret)
. Did you participate in an activity in which you learned something that wasn’t job-related? (4 points) Examples: How to play dominos, “binge-watching” a TV show, learning a new dance or “twerk”
. How often did you engage in the activity of “horseplay” in the office? (5 Points) Describe the activity and how much time was spent on it. Also provide four reasons why you believe engaging in this activity was more important than doing your job.
“The reports are due at end of business every Friday,” says Willis. “Sometimes people have to work extra hours to finish them, so they may miss a few kids’ ballgames or dance recitals.”
But the many advantages of a well-balanced staff, she says, more than make up for such minor concerns.
