The Truth About Managing People, Third Edition

Truth 47. How to Reduce Work–Life Conflicts

The typical employee in the 1960s or 1970s showed up at the workplace Monday through Friday and did his or her job in eight- or nine-hour chunks of time. Both the workplace and hours of work were clearly specified. That’s no longer true for many in today’s workforce. Employees are increasingly complaining that the line between work and nonwork time has become blurred, creating personal conflicts and stress.

A number of forces have contributed to blurring the lines between employees’ work life and personal life. First, the creation of global organizations means their world never sleeps. At any time and on any day, for instance, thousands of General Electric employees are working in countries throughout ...