The Business Case for Work-Life Balance
For companies committed to corporate social responsibility focusing on work-life balance is critical. Not only do employers have a responsibility to ensure that employees are treated fairly and respected as individuals, work-life balance is a business imperative directly impacting productivity, recruitment and retention and business performance.

Definition
Work-life balance is not necessarily about achieving an equal balance and there is no one size fits all approach that companies should be striving for. It varies for individuals and different organisations and changes over time. However, one definition that is useful is the following from The Work Foundation:

“Work-life balance is about people having a measure of control over when, where and how they work. It is achieved when an individual’s right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society.”

WORK-LIFE BALANCE WEEK Building on the success of three consecutive years of Work-Life Balance Day, for the first time in 2011, we are pleased to promote Work-Life Balance Week 2011 from 17 to 21 October 2011. The purpose of Work-Life Balance Week is to raise awareness of work-life balance as a business issue and to encourage companies to demonstrate their commitment by holding some kind of work-life balance initiatives throughout the week. Companies representing all industries and sizes are encouraged to take part. Click here, to find out how. To find out more about last year’s Work-Life Balance Day, please click here.

THE STATE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN HONG KONG SURVEYS For five years running the Community Business Leadership Team (CBLT) has commissioned public research to assess the state of work-life balance in Hong Kong. Undertaken by the Public Opinion Programme (POP) at the University of Hong Kong, the main aim of the survey is to provide the corporate sector with the necessary data to assist them with their work-life balance policies and initiatives. It is also designed to raise awareness of the importance of work-life balance and the direct impact on business and employees. Last year’s research was launched on 19 October 2010. To download the report, click here.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE WORKSHOP As we raise the profile of work-life balance as a business issue in Hong Kong, more and more companies are asking how they can integrate a culture of work-life balance into their organisations. Community Business has been running a work-life balance workshop entitled: “Adopting a Strategic Approach to Work-Life Balance” since 2009. This workshop is based on Community Business’ publication Work-Life Balance: the Guide which was launched in June 2009.

---

Publications

	Driving Cultural Change to Achieve Work-Life Balance Sponsored by: Barclays Capital, Bayer, Blackrock, Crown Worldwide Group, KPMG, LHK Media, MTR Corporation Limited, The Prudential Assurance Company Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), Time Technology and Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. Author: Robin Bishop Published: October 2011 For more information
	The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2010 Survey Sponsored by: Bayer Group of Companies in Hong Kong, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, KPMG, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Marks & Spencer, MTR Corporation, The Prudential Assurance Company Limited and Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited. Author: Winnie Ng Published: October 2010 For more information
	Standard Chartered State of Work-Life Balance in Seoul 2010 Survey Sponsored by: Standard Chartered Author: Winnie Ng & Kate Vernon Published: June 2010  For more information
	The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2009 Survey Sponsored by: Baker & McKenzie, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Crown Worldwide Group, KPMG, Microsoft Hong Kong Limited, MTR Corporation, The Prudential Assurance Company Limited, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, Thomson Reuters and Time Technology. Author: Winnie Ng & Shaun Bernier Published: October 2009 For more information

Work-Life Balance: The Guide Sponsored by: Bank of Ammerica and Merrill Lynch, Cisco, CLP, KPMG, Standard Chartered Bank, Thomson Reuters Author: Kate Vernon Published: June 2009 For more information

Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong Case Studies Sponsored by: ABN AMRO, BP, CLP, Lehman Brothers, MTR Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank Author: Kate Vernon & Annemarie Evans Published: June 2007 For more information

The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2008 Survey Sponsored by: Baker & McKenzie, CLP, KPMG, MTR, Pinsent Masons, Prudential, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Schroders, Standard Chartered Bank and Time Technology Author: Shalini Mahtani & Winnie Ng Published: October 2008 For more information

The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2007 Survey Sponsored by: ABN AMRO, Baker & McKenzie, Cisco, Disney, Lehman Brothers, Prudential, Standard Chartered Bank, Time Technology, Towngas Author: Shalini Mahtani & Kym Leo Published: October 2007 For more information

The State of Work-Life Balance in Hong Kong 2006 Survey Author: Shalini Mahtani Published: October 2006 For more information

Key Contact
To find out more information about Work-Life Balance, please contact:

Amanda Yik, Senior Project Manager
Tel: +852 2152 1889
amanda@communitybusiness.org