Balancing Professional and Personal Responsibilities
Sometimes it becomes difficult to balance one’s professional responsibilities and personal responsibilities. In my profession, most of the time being required to work overtime to finish reviewing important documents in time. I always manage with few hours of sleep. However, at one point, as the company was preparing for a new project, sleeping hours reduced. I stayed up late at night and worked up early, and thus, I ended up catching a severe cold. Although my health was at risk, I was needed to report my progress regarding the new project to the manager without delay. Since I had no time to visit a doctor, I just took a cold pill and pushed for the day. This scenario is an example of the conflict between my professional responsibilities and my responsibilities regarding my wellbeing.
Businesses have ethical obligations to support family needs by providing extended family leaves, flexible working hours, and remote positions due to various reasons. Employees face difficulties when managing their homes and work. In recent years, there has been a significant increase of women in the workforce despite the need for childcare and elders care roles. Each family needs care for their children, sick as well as elderly family members. Although funds are greatly needed for family care, personal care in family matters is also required.
In some cases, during family emergencies, parents get fired or are forced to quit their jobs since they cannot manage both. Loss of employment or reduced career options for parents and other family members after some leave of working part-time to care for children, sick and elderly family members is against the values of equality in providing opportunities, caring for loved ones, and work commitments. Flexible working hours, remote positions and extended family leaves give employees required freedom in when and also how they accomplish their professional tasks. They also allow the employees to be committed to their work and family. Thus, it is an ethical obligation for businesses to ensure employees have time for their families.
Supporting the family lives of employees is beneficial to any business. The stress level of employees is reduced. Since the workers can settle their family needs, their performance during work is greatly improved. Business productivity also increases. Through the support of family lives, employees create trust with the business. They can entirely focus on their work without worrying about their families since they get enough family time. Thus, production is increased. Employee absenteeism decreases. Without the company’s care of employees’ family lives, they are forced to ask for day-offs to meet some family needs. With the business caring for its employees’ family lives, it provides flexible working hours. Employees can utilize the available time to accommodate their family needs reducing absenteeism. It also improves the quality as well as quantity of employees work. Through flexible schedules allowing for family care, workers reduce their professional and personal responsibilities conflicts, reduce distress, and emotional exhaustion. They become mentally and even physically healthy, increasing the quality and quality of work. Employees build trust with the company. They feel autonomous when the company cares for their family lives. They get increased work-life balance, better health, and less stress. Through this, the possibility of employee turnover is reduced.
Balancing personal and professional responsibilities is necessary for every employee. Both work and family are essential, and enough time should be given to each. Businesses should support employees’ family lives by ensuring extended family leaves, flexible working hours, and remote responsibilities. Through this practice, business productivity increases.