In this post, Steve Hansen shares his experiences with coaching people who are experiencing work family conflict.
Many of the people I coach experience some work-family conflict issues (work/life balance). There is a lot of talk about work-life balance in the workplace but it is often discussed with sort of a wink, in the sense that in reality one has to get the work done first and foremost. It really matters how the people at the top of the organization act. If they are exemplifying their support for a good work-life balance and living it themselves, then there is a greater chance that others in the organization will be able to do so as well. If it is just corporate speak, and the people at the top of the organization don’t live it, it is obvious to all that getting the work done is the number one priority.
In coaching someone, it is very important to know the culture of the organization with regard to work-family conflict. If the organization does not realistically support a good work-life balance, then I find it important to have a conversation about boundaries and self-management. Given their cultural reality, what boundaries around work can be realistically set and how well can the client self-manage to those boundaries?