Editor's Note View from the Top Point of View Perspective International Trends Provider Point of View The Next Big Thing Accor Services Hewitt on Work-Life Balance The concept of Work-Life Balance has been in circulation for more than 60 years. However, the phrase 'Work-Life Balance' was first coined in 1986. Even so, it did not see much use in management parlance until recently, when high levels of stress at the workplace led to managers around the world sitting up and taking notice of the toll it was taking on their employees. Scientific research has shown that moderate levels of stress are almost beneficial for superior performance at the workplace. However, the rapid increase in stress levels in the new global workplace can rapidly lead to low morale, poor productivity, and decreased levels of job satisfaction. Work-Life Balance: A state of equilibrium in which the demands of both a person's job and personal life are equal. EAPs–A Glimmer of Hope? EAPs or Employee Assistance Programs are a very popular practice in most of the developed economies. They provide a number of services to employees, ranging from counselling to addressing financial and legal difficulties. These work-life programs represent a largely untapped solution that have the potential to significantly address stressful work environments. These EAPs are run in-house by the company's own management, or, as is becoming increasingly popular these days, are completely outsourced to a professional firm that specializes in providing these kinds of solutions. With the increased levels of stress that most Indian employees face, it is just a matter of time before EAPs gain popularity in India as well. Are Work-Life programs for everyone? Before establishing Work-Life Balance programs, it is important to assess the openness of the company's culture to such initiatives. The three most critical factors that determine the success or failure of any work-life initiative are: A corporate culture that encourages employees to look at business in an entirely different way An understanding that employees are also individuals who have priorities beyond work Complete support from senior management What is the ROI? So, once the decision to enforce Work-Life Balance programs has been made, where does the employer look to measure the returns? One has to consider several factors in measuring ROI, such as the target population, the culture, the measurement process, integration of findings and the company's primary goals. But the most challenging task for most companies is the quantification of this data. The best way to start is to consider four key areas. They are: Employee time saved Retention Increased Motivation & Productivity Absenteeism The way forward While Work-Life Balance programs are not a one-stop solution for all organizational woes, they are certainly a step in the right direction. The actual practices that an organization chooses to adopt will depend on the organization itself, and it falls to the human resource professional to understand the critical issues of Work-Life Balance and champion the processes in the organization.