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Purpose: In the past decade, the rapid globalisation and modernisation has resulted in an increased focus of organisations on implementation of family friendly work-life balance (WLB) policies for enhancing employee retention. The purpose of this study is to review the importance of WLB policies and programmes and its impact on organisational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: Using Deery's (2008) framework as the conceptual framework, the current study attempts to provide an integrated literature review of the empirical studies conducted in the area of WLB and employee retention in India for a decade from 2007 till 2017.

Findings: The analysis of the extant literature revealed that the research on WLB for Indian organisations really surged since 2013. Most of the empirical studies conducted in this area use a positivist paradigm. Numerous industry sectors including the information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing sectors have benefitted from WLB policies, but the banking and higher education sector have generously implemented employee-friendly WLB policies. Practical implications: The study stresses upon the implementation of employee friendly WLB policies for achieving high organisational outcomes. Furthermore, the findings may be useful for human resource management and human resource development professionals to understand and appreciate the organisational components, settings that are necessary to facilitate better WLB in Indian organisations, thereby resulting in better organisational outcomes. Originality/value: The study provides us with a comprehensive review of different WLB studies conducted in India till date and its possible impact on various organisational outcomes.

Published abstract. Show less

The aim of this report is to provide up-to-date and nationally representative quantitative evidence on the attitudes and experiences of young workers, by analysing nationally representative survey data. Specifically, the research considers what young people look for in a job; which aspects of the working environment are most effective in engendering their organisational commitment and engagement; and which arrangements for employee voice give young people a sense of influence or involvement at work.

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The present study aims to analyse the possible impact of various leadership styles on followers' job behaviour in production industry. Twenty-five identified leaders along with five followers under each of these leaders were taken as the sample of the present study thus making the sample size 150. The leadership style of each of the leaders was measured by administering the Leadership Behaviour Description Questionnaire to each of the followers of a particular leader. In addition, the followers' job behaviour has been obtained from the Followers' Reaction Questionnaire.

The results of the present study seem to suggest that in a production industry, followers are most willing to contribute and perform under a value-based style. They tend to perform well under the humane, team-oriented and participative style of leadership also. Ina production industry, employees seem to perform well under autocratic leaders as they are habituated with this type of leadership. However, followers seem to reject the self-protective style of leadership and show poor performance under this kind of leadership

Edited published abstract. Show less

The most successful employers know that they cannot devise and implement a successful training strategy without fully engaging their workforce. This guidance highlights how ten organisations have established and sustained effective dialogue with their workforce on training. The case studies, based on specially commissioned research from Leeds University Business School, show what is involved and what benefits have resulted. The ten have very different characteristics. They operate across different regions and in different sectors, and the workforces have varied skills profiles. Some are small businesses - the smallest has just 16 employees - whilst others are well-known names which operate throughout this country and abroad. Some are unionised: others are not.

Excerpt from published introduction. Show less

Ideas about the organisation of work combined with the knowledge of the workforce are emerging as the key to competitive advantage in the global economy. This study explores the cross-cultural diffusion of ideas about the organisation of work with important implications for the connection between work and learning, knowledge generation, and the challenges in managing work around the world in the future. Eight Japanese affiliated manufacturing facilities operating in the United States of America (USA) are closely examined to document the flow of ideas from Japan to the USA and the emergence of a reverse spread of innovation back to Japan. The findings of the research are organised into six areas: the cross-cultural diffusion of work practices; team-based work systems; kaizen (ongoing incremental improvement) and employee involvement; employment security; human resource management; and, labour management relations. It is argued that throughout these areas of work runs 'virtual knowledge' which is defined as the critical understandings that are a function of particular combinations of people. Those organisations that have anticipated and channelled virtual knowledge are able to generate a knowledge-driven workplace and continuous improvement. Show less

The emergence of online digital labour platforms has been one of the major transformations in the world of work over the past decade. This report focuses on web-based platforms, wherein tasks can be outsourced by businesses and other clients through an open call to a large, flexible workforce ('crowd'), which is geographically dispersed around the world. The report provides one of the first comparative studies of working conditions on five major microtask platforms that operate globally. It is based on an ILO survey covering 3,500 workers living in 75 countries around the world and other qualitative surveys. It documents the characteristics of crowdworkers, the type of work they perform and their motivations and perceptions towards this work, and finds both commonalities and differences between workers from the global North and global South. The report analyses the working conditions on these micro-task platforms, which includes pay rates, work availability, work intensity, rejections and non-payment, worker communication with clients and platform operators, social protection coverage, work-life balance and workers' prospects for future career development.

The report shows that while digital labour platforms provide a number of opportunities, there are also some drawbacks. In this context, the report reviews the different initiatives that have been put forth, including the Crowdsourcing code of conduct initiated by IG Metall and the German crowdsourcing platforms to improve working conditions. The report recommends 18 principles towards ensuring decent work on digital labour platforms.

Published abstract. Show less

Presently, the global [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic is placing immense pressure on organisations and their employees to operate, cope and perform within a hyper-turbulent environment. Whether this pandemic has increased employee workload and pressure or is forcing organisations to operate virtually, what is common across all businesses is that we are faced with enduring uncertainty about what the future may hold. In understanding the nature of unprecedented change and its impact on people, it is likely that employees are experiencing aspects of confusion, anger and grief, among other emotions, straining their ability to cope adaptively in an environment over which they can exert little control. As we move further through the COVID-19 pandemic and Australia's response, it is clear that this is a long term challenge. This paper explores the psychology of building adaptive capacity to not only survive the crisis, but to thrive and become stronger as a result. Recognising this challenge, this guide aims to provide practical, evidence-based strategies to bolster employees' adaptive capacity in a team, building resilience now and into the future.

Edited excerpt from publication. Show less

This survey report presents responses collected from over a thousand apprentices who have not completed their apprenticeships. The survey revealed apprentice and trainee motives for leaving, key concerns, and what opportunities they were pursuing. The findings show that not completing an apprenticeship doesn't necessarily mean failure or an end to a prospective career; it's often just a step in a new direction or beginning. Most non-completing Australian Apprentices are still keen and motivated to work; for example, after dropping out of an apprenticeship/traineeship, 31 per cent did an apprenticeship in the same occupation but with a different employer, and 27 per cent found full-time work, indicating that there is a high amount of drive and eagerness to continue working. Further supporting the above, for those respondents who changed to another apprenticeship/traineeship, 83 per cent started immediately, 16 per cent within a year and 1 per cent more than a year after stopping the initial apprenticeship/traineeship, proving that they were willing to continue working and not make a career break.

Apprentices shared that lack of support and guidance from the employer is one of the critical reasons for quitting. When asked if they felt they received adequate support and guidance from their employer, 30 per cent thought they always did, 22 per cent most of the time, 18 per cent sometimes, 16 per cent rarely, and 14 per cent never, meaning almost half rarely got support. Also, 70 per cent of surveyed apprentices said they would have accessed career discussions or assessments to explore future career pathways and options in the last year if they had the chance. Financial and Government incentives also rank high in the apprentices' list of priorities, even though it is not a key reason for non-completions. Whilst overall satisfaction with the registered training organisations (RTOs) is high (68 per cent), what could have made the training more successful is additional support from teachers (31 per cent) and training delivered by the RTO in the workplace (26 per cent), to name a few initiatives.

Insights provided by non-completing apprentices suggest that a lot is in employers' hands, for example, taking the initiative to action on best retention practices that may stop apprentices and trainees from leaving. Some steps may be simple, easy to implement and cost-effective, while others may take more time and investment. Some strategies include: (1) building connection; (2) providing support and guidance, including mentoring; (3) creating opportunities for learning and development; (4) resolving conflict; and (5) recognising and awarding good work.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

The Apprentice Employment Network (AEN) NSW & ACT is the industry association representing more than 30 Group Training Organisations (GTOs). Social Outcomes was commissioned by AEN NSW & ACT to develop an evidence-backed business value proposition targeting the key business audience for GTOs - both small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and large corporations. This report focuses on the role that GTOs play as the legal employer of apprentices and trainees who are then placed in Host businesses. However, it is worth highlighting that the GTO network is increasingly diversifying its service offering and/or providing discrete model components to meet changing market needs. For example, some GTOs offer products within managed services, such as 'recruitment only' or 'mentor fee' models for businesses who wish to remain the legal employer, but who require support to fill specific capacity gaps or manage particular risks. The report analyses existing research and data regarding the role that GTOs play in advancing a skilled workforce across Australian industries and elevates the research through targeted stakeholder consultation and interviews with a sample of GTOs, Host employers, industry contacts, government stakeholders and the industry association itself.

The first section of this report provides a succinct business value proposition designed around the top five advantages businesses experience when using a GTO service, as compared to directly employing an apprentice or trainee: (1) recruitment, selection, and induction outcomes; (2) workplace support and training outcomes; (3) de-risked employment relationship and reduced administrative burden; (4) completion and employment outcomes; and (5) value for money. The second section of the report delivers the rationale for the business value proposition by highlighting the research behind each of the five advantages delivered by GTOs. Research has been collated from over 50 papers, analysed recent data, and showcased GTO practices in the real world. Throughout the report, deidentified examples and case studies from GTOs are provided. Appendix 1 summarises the work done by GTOs to build the apprentice pipeline and the role they play in developing employment opportunities for women in trades and Indigenous Peoples given the government policy initiatives, business directed requirements, and community expectations in those areas. Appendix 2 articulates the ways GTOs help deliver government policy imperatives, e.g.: GTOs help fill skills shortages; GTOs promote apprenticeships among equity groups; GTOs can help place out-of-trade apprentices; GTOs secure higher apprenticeship completions; GTOs bring policy solutions to governments; and GTOs support governments as Host employers.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

An important part of the ability of men and women to balance work and family commitments is the availability of working arrangements that enable the reconciliation of work and family life. These arrangements are often referred to as ‘family-friendly’ work practices. This report is the first large-scale study in Australia of differences in access to family-friendly work practices amongst employees working in the same workplace. It analyses the extent to which access to family-friendly work practices is shaped by differential access within organisations as compared with differential access between organisations. The analysis draws on the Australian Workplace Industrial Relations Survey 1995 (AWIRS95). This data set allows the combining of information from both employers and employees. Four family-friendly work arrangements are analysed: (1) availability of permanent part-time employment; (2) control over start and finish times; (3) access to a telephone for family reasons; and (4) availability of the type of leave used for the care of a sick family member. For each of these practices, results indicated a great deal of variation in access among employees in the same workplace as well as between different workplaces. This variation in access is greater among employees working in the same workplace than the variation between workplaces. There are relatively few workplaces in which a high proportion of employees reported having access to each of these work practices. A multivariate regression framework is used to identify the determinants of access to family-friendly work practices. The analysis reveals that employees with the lowest levels of education, job tenure and employer-provided training are least likely to have access to these practices. The implication for policy is that availability to these practices should be increased to include all employees with particular attention to the needs of lower skilled workers. The authors suggest that government could use industrial relations regulation to regulate conditions of employment and finance information campaigns to raise the awareness of employers of the workplace benefits of offering family-friendly work practices. Show less