A toolkit to support human resource practice
| Published date | 13 April 2010 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/00483481011030502 |
| Date | 13 April 2010 |
| Pages | 287-307 |
| Author | Fatima Malik,Linda McKie,Rona Beattie,Gillian Hogg |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
A toolkit to support human
resource practice
Fatima Malik
Leeds University Business School, The University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Linda McKie
School of Law and Social Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University,
Glasgow, UK
Rona Beattie
Caledonian Business School, Glasgow Caledonian University,
Glasgow, UK, and
Gillian Hogg
School of Management and Languages, Heriot-Watt University,
Edinburgh, UK
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the development of a toolkit designed to assist UK
small to medium enterprise businesses (SMEs) manage work-life balance (WLB) policies and practice
issues, across the life stages.
Design/methodology/approach – A multi-method approach was adopted combining a literature
review, limited empirical study and piloting of the toolkit.
Findings – Life stages pose complex work-life challenges for employees and resource and workforce
management issues for employers. Demographics, employment cultures and socio-economic and
labour market trends impact on the physical and psychological wellbeing of employees. In striving to
fulfil multiple work-life roles, workers constantly face challenges in terms of (un)paid work/non-work
commitments, caring responsibilities and changing family structures resulting in work/family
tensions. This leads to workforce planning, recruitment and retention costs for businesses. Employers
face challenges in working with the growing number of WLB policies and in monitoring and
evaluating policies, practices and procedures. SMEs require support to adopt a comprehensive WLB
approach, whilst meeting operational requirements within resource capabilities and ensuring business
sustainability.
Practical implications – The toolkit is a source of WLB guidance for practitioners and those with
an HR role in SMEs. The paper encourages reflection on research from business and social science
research to better inform human resource (HR) practice.
Originality/value – The paper identifies the critical needfor “WLB across the life-stages”policy and
practice guidance for UK SMEs.
Keywords Family life, Jobsatisfaction, Human resource management,
Small to medium-sizedenterprises, Business policy, UnitedKingdom
Paper type Technical paper
Introduction
The aim of this paper is to present the rationale, underpinning theoretical concepts and
stages involved in developing a practical work-life balance (WLB) toolkit for small to
medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To fully appreciate this article, we recommend that
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
A toolkit to
support HR
practice
287
Received 9 April 2008
Revised June 2008
Accepted 1 May 2009
Personnel Review
Vol. 39 No. 3, 2010
pp. 287-307
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/00483481011030502
readers download the toolkit as the details outlined in this paper are best considered
alongside the contents of the toolkit. Readers can do this at: www.organisations
workandcare.org/pdfs/WLBToolkitCDVersion.pdf
Following the introduction, section 2 of this article provides an overview of the
content and purpose of the various sections within the toolkit and the sources of
information which enabled its development, while section 3 identifies the key
conceptual underpinnings which formed the basis of these sections further detailing
how they helped to inform the practical requirements within each. The final section
presents research findings from a small empirical study that draws on the WLB
experiences of SME managers.
The toolkit was developed as part of a European Social Fund (ESF) project that
explored WLB policies and practices across the life stages within SMEs. Key project
findings from a literature review and semi-structured interviews with individuals
responsible for HRM issues within SMEs helped to inform its development which, after
piloting and completion, was disseminated t o 400 UK SME businesses and
professional, governmental and academic organisations. A short evaluation
questionnaire was sent with the toolkit to ask users to rate accessibility and
relevance to practice (Appendix 1). Responses and comments received up to one year
after circulation were highly positive.
The aim of the toolkit was to assist SMEs check, monitor, evaluate and update their
WLB life stage policies, practice guidelines and corresponding procedures. Our
literature review and interviews with individuals responsible for WLB conveyed that
SME businesses experienced limited human resource management capabilities, were
heavily reliant on external, legal and professional advice and HR support and required
assistance in managing WLB issues. In addition to providing practical guidance in
how to manage these issues, the toolkit also outlines WLB policies which include
maternity, paternity and parental leave, statutory adoption leave, time off for
dependents and various guidelines and options on flexible working. The rationale in its
development also encompassed a number of key factors drawn from the findings of an
earlier project leading to our acknowledgment of the critical WLB issues which SMEs,
often with limited operational and financial resources experienced.
We also considered that due to the pressures of (un)paid work commitments,
personal life care responsibilities and life style preferences that employees, particularly
those working within the pressurised working en vironments of SMEs, were
increasingly facing challenges in maintaining healthy WLB choices at various
stages of their working life. These issues, with their relevance to the toolkit’s
development, are presented in section 3 of this paper. The toolkit offers SME employers
practical WLB guidance by encouraging them to ensure that WLB policies, practices
and procedures are continuously monitored, evaluated and updated in compliance with
EU/UK regulated WLB statutory minimum legislation and corresponding procedure s
implemented in accordance to “good practice guidelines”. We have referred to “good
practice” guidelines as those that imply that SMEs advocate, implement and integrate
statutory WLB life stage policies and complimentary practice guidelines. These should
also improve the administration of equal treatment, fair and non-discriminatory
practices for employees whilst providing reciprocal business benefits whic h maximise
operational and performance outcomes. Our research conveyed that employers
PR
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