Helping associates achieve work/life balance.

• Author: Green, Mary Cathryn

ACHIEVING WORK/LIFE BALANCE IS A VERY personal goal that is unique to each associate, especially at a time when many firms are expecting associates to take on expanded roles (do more with less). A situation that one associate may consider to be a perfect balance may be completely wrong for another. This column outlines suggestions for helping a firm's associates achieve a work/life balance that is appropriate for them.

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Why Should Accounting Firm's Be Concerned With Balance?

Accounting firms have a goal of making money, and one way to reach that goal is to have associates work as many hours as possible. However, if a firm expects too many hours from associates, it risks burnout and fosters an environment of disengagement. Associate morale is a key factor in retaining the firm's top talent. If associates are miserable, they may look elsewhere for employment, and it is often the firm's best associates who are the most vulnerable.

It is expensive for firms to hire new associates, especially considering the time it takes to conduct multiple levels of interviews and for new associates to learn the corporate culture and expectations. Disengaged associates affect productivity, and they infiltrate the firm's entire culture.

Generation V Associates

Generation Y associates have different communication styles and expectations than Baby Boomers and Generation X associates. A higher proportion of Generation Y associates (or Millennials), born in the early 1980s, grew up with divorced parents. They might wish to provide a life for their families different from what they experienced, and they may place greater emphasis on work/life balance. Generation Y associates also want a collaborative work environment. For Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) and Gen Xers (born between 1965 and 1980) to create an engaged workforce, as managers they should obtain training about generational differences within their teams and how to adapt their management style to connect with the values and needs of Generation Y associates.

How Can Firms Help Associates Achieve Work/Life Balance?

Some alternatives that accounting firms could consider include part-time hours, flexible hours, a paid-time-off (PTO) bank, alternative partner tracks, work-from-home arrangements, mentoring, health club memberships, busy season perks, "road warrior" perks, volunteer opportunities, and camaraderie-building activities. This column looks at each suggestion in more detail.

Part-Time Hours

Accounting firms have come a long way in the last 20 years in their willingness to hire part-time associates. Firms realize that many talented people would like to work--but not in a full-time capacity. These individuals may have other commitments such as younger children, or outside interests that compete for their time. The key to a successful part-time arrangement is to establish clear expectations on both sides. For example, the firm may want associates to be available extra hours during peak work periods (e.g., in March, April...