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ABSTRACT
Many working Americans have longed for the opportunity to implement flexible working arrangements into their daily lives in hopes to achieve a better work life balance. While this desire may seem like a simple request made by many, a work-life balance is desired for various reasons including additional time to spend with children, pursuing hobbies, or having more leisure time. Working a job can be difficult, and without having time to enjoy additional activities, health can be negatively impacted, stress levels can rise, and relationships may suffer. This paper looks at the impact increased labor demands, and a non-work-life balance may have on families and children, company culture, employee motivation and retention, and women and provide insight and logical reasoning as to why a work-life balance is necessary and the ways to implement the balance.
Key words: Work-life balance, flexible working arrangement, working women, work schedule.
INTRODUCTION
Flexible working arrangements are used by many employees as a key component of hoping to achieve a better work-life balance. This has been a huge topic of discussion since the modern era and is seen as a hopeful tactic to better the working lives of humans. Flexible work arrangement meanings can vary depending on company policy and industry, but in general, most people define it as different work hours other than the standard 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. that many Americans typically work. The arrangements are also representative of a remote work option, half days and additional paid time off days, and longer lunch breaks.
Over time, employees have demanded a more flexible schedule that can be tailored to their personal needs, such as children, family, marriage, or additional life activities. In addition, work-life balance and flexibility has been a topic of discussion over the last few decades because of the changing nature of work, added pressures to succeed, and context of globalization (Shankar, T., & Bhatnagar, J., 2010). Employers, on the other hand, have deemed this sought-after schedule as a privilege or incentive rather than a right. But how can this idea be modernized so that both parties are content, and turnover rates diminish? The idea of having a better work-life balance can even promote greater morale, better employee engagement, and overall effectiveness (Grzywacz and...