Employers host initiatives and events for National Work-Life Week

Employers suc as Royal Bank of Scotland, American Express, Mayer Brown and KPMG are hosting special initiatives this week in recognition of National Work-Life Week from 27 September to 1 October.

Working Families is marking the week with a complimentary webinar on ‘Generation Diversity’, a conference on older workers, and the launch of a Dare to Care survey for employers.

Other activities on offer during the week include complimentary wellness events, a virtual telephone seminar for working parents and carers, and a breakfast briefing on enhancing work-life balance using psychological evidence.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate Banking Division is marking the week in a variety of ways, including a ‘Leave at 5 and dress down day’, and an awareness raising programme which will include the promotion of new role models and case studies.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is running an ‘Improving working lives’ conference to showcase and share best practice.

American Express will be running a series of events and informational stands across three UK locations throughout the week, including panel discussions with guest speaker Sally Gunnell and taster Zumba Dance sessions.

Mayer Brown is running activities every day of the week which include: seminars on building strong relationships with children and on personal safety, a benefits fair, a pension clinic, onsite massage and health and wellbeing checkups.

KPMG’s Diversity Team and Parenting Network have teamed up to provide drop-in sessions and accompanying materials for parents on subjects including ‘Can parents have it all?’ and ‘The science of happiness’.

Aspire Housing are promoting their wellbeing policy and approach to flexible working across the organisation.

Hogan Lovells will be hosting two seminars to mark the week. On Monday, Suzie Hayman, Agony Aunt and author will be giving a talk on Stepfamilies and on Thursday there will be a seminar titled 'Blackberry - Master or Servant' which aims to assist individuals with preserving the balance by retaining or regaining control over the use of their Blackberry outside of the workplace.

NFU Mutual will be launching a wellbeing policy as well as encouraging employees to complete an online ‘Wheel of life’ exercise which helps them to identify how balanced their work-life is. They will also be promoting resources around five key aspects of wellbeing: career, finance, social, physical and community. For example, discounted gym membership, onsite leisure facilities, social events, financial planning advice, dedicated career website, and local community activities.

Sarah Jackson, chief executive of Working Families, said: “We are delighted to see how National Work-Life Week has captured everyone’s imagination.

It is great to see that good employers recognise the importance of work-life balance for successful and productive workplaces.”

Professor Cary Cooper, stress management expert and professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University, added: “Work-life balance is now near the top of the agenda for people at work, given the long working hours which is now endemic in most organisations.

“In the current climate, with more cuts to come, people will be working longer hours to the detriment of the family and individuals’ personal lifestyle. National Work-Life Week reminds employers of the dangers of long hours at work, and showcases a better way to work.”