Introduction

Workplaces that implement work-life balance policies and initiatives often provide childcare and eldercare facilities, information or financial support about non-work-related matters, and a range of onsite services. Other flexible working options include telework, flexible hours, part-time, term-time, and job-sharing. 

According to Osterman (1995) and Scheibl and Dex (1998), these interventions are commonly referred to as work-life benefits and policies (WLBPs) or family-friendly policies (FFPs). A few examples of flexible work arrangements are: direct financial assistance for child care; information services like helping a new employee locate a childcare facility; flexibility in selecting the place of employment; leave in lieu of family emergencies like parental leave; and flexibility in scheduling the time of arrival and departure to and/or from work. 

Recruitment gives you the opportunity to stand out as an employer of choice while combating unfavourable work practices like longer workdays; retention makes you more adaptable to the changing needs of your workforce; a supportive work environment boosts morale and improves organisational culture; and staff motivation and equality make you more accessible through inclusivity.

Konrad and Mangel (2000) listed the following work-life balance programmes: on-site day care, near-site day care, sick care, emergency care, sick days of childcare, on-site conveniences, extended maternity leave, gradual return to work, paternity leave, adoption leave, parental leave, spouse placement, supervisory training in the workplace, family sensitivity, flex-time, job sharing, part-year work, part-time workforce, voluntary condensed time, and part-time work for professionals. This measure was comparable to Osterman’s (1995) measure, but it was more comprehensive because Osterman’s measure only contained nine unique work-life initiatives. 

Compressed work week: This type of arrangement involves an employee working the required number of hours in one or two weeks, but breaking those hours up into fewer workdays so that they can put in more time at the office.

Flexitime: There are several different types of flexible work schedules. According to Papalexandris and Kramar (1997), these include flexibility in the number of hours worked, the working environment, and the arrangement of working hours. Organisations today implement a variety of flexible scheduling programmes, job sharing, part-time work, teleworking, and other workplace flexitime policies. Previous studies on flexible work schedules found that implementing such programmes could lower absenteeism and turnover while increasing employee job satisfaction (Narayanan and Nath, 1982; Pierce and Newstrom, 1983). Flexible work arrangements enable employees to better balance their personal and professional obligations, improve their quality of life, and more. Additionally, Grover and Crooker (1995) noted a bad correlation betweenthis approach and the goal of turnover. As a result, it is thought that when a flexible work schedule is offered to employees, their chances of staying with the company increase. According to research done in 2003 by Olorunsola and Ibegbulam among librarians in Jamaica, 78% of participants felt that having flexible work hours encouraged or appealed to one’s autonomy. Building up competence in balancing working and non-work is one of the new ways that Ball (1998) contends must be found in order to attract and retain, motivate, and develop library workers in the profession. 

Family Leave: According to Bond and Wise (2003), policies pertaining to family leave permit workers to take varied amounts of time off from work to attend to personal matters. 

The purpose of employee assistance programmes, or EAPs, is to provide staff with confidential counselling to address personal or other issues, including work-related stress that may be impairing their performance. They also aim to acknowledge the interaction between people’s home and work lives (Clemmet, 1998). Organisation to organisation today differs in the nature of their EAP. Helping with personal problems, relationship problems, eldercare, childcare, parenting issues, harassment, substance abuse, job stress, juggling work and family, financial or legal difficulties, and family violence were among the typical areas in which EAPs provided support. Furthermore, a few EAP providers cansome may provide guidance on long-term illnesses, disability issues, and crisis counselling; others may offer other services like retirement or layoff assistance, wellness and health promotion, and fitness. Thus, life skills and fitness programmes are not the only services offered by EAPs; they also extend beyond counselling. Employees who use it can also benefit from stress management and personal problem solving. According to Carolyn and Cooper (1994), employee assistance programmes (EAPs) play a crucial role in enhancing the mental and physical well-being of employees. This, in turn, leads to improved job satisfaction, increased performance, and decreased intention to leave the company.

Job sharing: Is a very common type of employment with many positive aspects and a reputation for being family-friendly. It is an employee-driven movement that is applied in different contexts, such as in reaction to the idea that more family-friendly laws are necessary or as a way to address the unemployment issue in some countries. Job sharers may exhibit greater ―vigor and excitement‖, as well as greater motivation and focus. According to Brocklebank and Whitehouse (2003), over 90% of job sharers are women (per Literature Review 43%), which is probably due to the traditional role that women have in child and home care. In the public sector, job sharing is far more widespread. One full-time job with all duties and benefits is typically involved in hybrids of job-sharing split, split days, or week-on, week-off scenarios are some examples of shared schedules.

Work sharing is a very common type of employment that is seen as family-friendly and has many positive aspects. It is a trend driven by employees and is applied in different ways, such as to address the unemployment crisis in certain economies or in response to the perceived need for more family-friendly policies (Gunnigle et al., 1998). Job sharers may exhibit greater motivation, focus, and ―energy and enthusiasm‖, according to Stennett (1994). According to Brocklebank and Whitehouse’s 2003 conclusion, more than 90 per Literature Review Women make up 43% of job sharers, which is probably due to the customary role that women play in caring for children and the home. In the public sector, job sharing is far more prevalent. Job-sharing hybrids may typically entailone full-time position that includes all duties and 

For example, some sizable public sector companies have begun discussing WLB recently, including National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Power grid, Indian Oil, and the Oil and Natural Gas Commission.