Location: 16 properties in the following locations: Dublin, Waterford, Limerick, Cork and Galway
Funding: €38,100
Description:
Recruitment of a Family Friendly / Work
Life Balance Group Co-ordinator with responsibility for the implementation and
co-ordination of the following areas: term time, compressed week, flexible
hours, e-working / flexible workplace, training and development and working time
watch-dog.
Number of employees:
| Total | Male | Female | |
| Employed | 3000 | 1570 | 1930 |
Achievements:
- A dedicated work / life balance co-ordinator was hired and this has ensured that "things have happened".
- Pilot programmes were organised in specific locations. These need to be evaluated and an action plan developed to introduce these throughout the company so that they become part of the general conditions of employment.
- Flexible working hours and training and development were recognised as the two most successful schemes introduced.
- A number of presentations in the area were given to senior managers and it is intended to give these presentations to all managers in individual hotels in the future.
Obstacles:
- Negative attitude towards change. Introducing schemes as pilot programmes and evaluating these has helped to overcome this problem.
- Cost - persuading the company to invest in this area
- Evaluation - difficult as indicators are not scientific
- Needs of the business versus needs of the employee. It is not always possible to reduce the working hours of all employees. To ensure fairness in access to work life balance initiatives a 'first come first served' approach is taken to applications and care taken to ensure that all employees are aware of what is available.
Lessons:
- Managing change is a slow process that needs patience and perseverance
- Communicate what the initiatives are and make people aware of what is happening in this area
- Education, particularly for managers. Just because something has always been done in a certain way does not mean that is it right
- Encourage employees to come up with solutions to improve their own work life balance
Future Plans:
A dedicated work life balance co-ordinator
will continue to be employed on a full time basis.
