AC 1.5 Explain the concept of better working lives and how this can be designed.

Even though there are designated work hours, many employees find that their work obligations tend to extend into the evenings and weekends. Research by the CIPD found that compared to their European counterparts, employees in the UK work longer hours, with many working five extra hours per week than they would prefer (Suff, 2021).   Nearly two-thirds of study subjects in the research said they would like to see their work hours reduced to have a more fulfilling work life. However, this is impossible because one out of every two employees says that their jobs make it difficult to unwind outside of work hours. Work-life balance is crucial for each employee as it increases productivity and creativity (Kelliher et al., 2019). As the organisation continues to expand, employees at Makita may become demoralized due to burnout brought on by a lack of healthy work-life balance, thus resulting in lower productivity. It is the company’s responsibility and, more specifically, of the Human Resources department to come up with formal and informal arrangements that help employees maintain better working lives. Flexi-time is the most common arrangement, allowing employees to start and finish their work at their convenience.

On the other hand, managers must pay more attention to output than hours worked (Kelliher et al., 2019). As a result, employees will be able to work from home and set their hours as long as they meet the company’s quality standards. An hour or two of unpaid time off per week for dealing with personal or family matters can be arranged through informal arrangements. For high productivity, it is essential to incorporate these arrangements into the organisational culture, which shows employees that the organisation values their health and well-being.