Australian Sociologist Barbara Pocock has written several books and research articles on how managers can improve work/life balance. This includes being flexible with hours and the structure of work, the type of work different employees do, and the ways that employees can deliver work outputs.

With new technology, there are a range of cloud based solutions for collaboration and submission of work. Another important way of managing work/life balance is to foster an environment of trust where employees can let you know about their out-of-hours responsibilities and preferences should they wish to have you better accommodate their needs.

Managers should also seek to support working parents and workers who provide care for dependants who are sick, elderly or disabled. This includes access to affordable childcare, good parental and care leave arrangements that won’t impact on career progression, and giving employees the capacity to take holidays and other time off to manage family and health appointments.

Society talks about work/ life balance as an issue that individuals and families should negotiate on their own.  In “Time Bomb: Work, Rest and Play in Australia Today,” Pocock puts emphasis on “Supportive workplace cultures, practices and leadership” as the means to improve work. Making work/ life balance a responsibility of workplaces as well as employees is a pivotal way that managers & CEOs can ensure that work is fulfilling, meaningful and energising, rather than a drain on the creativity and productivity of their company.