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The composition of today's workforce is much more complex. Dual income families and single parents with dependents are the norm. "Our lives are becoming increasingly complex with every passing year. We have more choices, more opportunities and more demands placed on us," says Clutterbuck, whose latest book is Managing the Work-Life Balance.

The face of the workplace has changed dramatically as we head into the 21st century. Today's workers are better educated, increasingly mobile and are seeking empowerment. This, together with tremendous leaps in technology, increased competition, and globalization has created a new workplace reality, which bears little resemblance to the work order of the past.

The workforce is having difficulty balancing work-life activities. Whereas one individual bore the burden in the past, the responsibilities are often shared between two working individuals today. Both feel the pressure to balance work and family life - and squeeze in some time for themselves.

In industries, where the labour market is competitive or skills are scarce, offering employees benefits that extend beyond basic statutory requirements can help a company stand out from the crowd.

Although very slightly touched in class, work-life balance is viewed as a strategic component of the package offered to the employees, as in the workplace of the future, many employers are realizing that the only constant competitive advantage they will have is their people - their intellectual capital. Organizational success depends on people. People have multiple responsibilities, diverse needs, and often, conflicting priorities. Leading organizations need to attract and retain the best people. People need work experiences where they can reach their full potential, be fully engaged, and be able to meet their personal and professional goals and objectives.

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* Contributed by -
Manish Saini,
2nd Year Student,
IIM Indore.