HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

International Human Resource Management

International Human Resource Management

Definition of flexibility and work-life balance

The extent to which a border may contract or expand, depending on the demands of one domain or the other. For example, if individuals are free to work any hours they choose, the temporal border separating work and family is flexible.

Background

Work-life balance is defined as the dilemma of managing work obligations and personal and or family responsibilities. The main focus of this study was to determine how multinational corporations transfer personnel policies in other countries while exporting their employees to other places. Balance is defined as, a state where an individual manages real or potential conflict between different demands on his or her time and energy in a way that satisfies his or her needs for well-being and self-fulfillment. Since different countries will have different work-life policies and rules, therefore, multinationals have to consider those policies according to the culture of the employee they want to export.

Keeping one's personal life separate from the professional life was once thought to be the best strategy for keeping a balance between the two entities. Recent studies in this area suggest that one of the possible solutions could be integrating work responsibilities and family obligations. Rather than keeping them separate, work-life integration is designed to take a holistic approach rather than a compartmentalized approach. Employees have to consider integration of their personal and professional lives as a process rather than a destination. This theoretical framework provided some understanding of the work-life balance issues in international environment.

The professional development of expatriate workers has become increasingly important to transnational organizations over the past few decades . Multinational organizations send their most talented employees on international assignments to implement organizational culture change, knowledge transfer and control systems overseas . International work assignments have steadily increased in the last half of the 20th Century, with expatriates often being put on the “fast track” for career advancement to become “global leaders” . Multinational enterprises (MNEs) usually deploy expatriates overseas on short notice, precluding expatriates from receiving pre-departure training or the mentoring they need to adequately prepare for the work and culture shock ahead. Once they arrive in the host country of their assignment, expatriates are confronted with the greatest number and kind of professional and personal challenges of their career, adding to the heightened level of uncertainty and stress in today's rapidly changing business environment.

Different Countries Work-Life Balance Policies

Following are given the work-life balance policies of different countries. I have taken France, UK, Japan, and USA.

Work-life balane in France

The present French human resource management practices are the outcome of some constraints for example powerful and exact guidelines, a demography exclusive in Europe, the acceleration of internationalization of large associations, and sociological upheaval. These practices are converging with those of other nations under force from alike factors. French human resource managers are striving to acclimatize French associations to their natural environment by relying on exclusive practices or practices alike to those applied in ...