Redefining Stress in the Work Place, Personal Life and Home for Work-Life Balance

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) November 14, 2006

Work-life balance has become the forefront issue confronting family and Corporate America. In Monster.com's survey released October 30, 2006 the top deal-makers of accepting a new job is salary and the opportunity for work-life balance and benefits – regardless of age, gender or ethnicity.

"Everybody's talking … but nothing's being done about it." There is so much stress in the workplace, in one's personal life and at home; and although acknowledging "something has to give" not much is being done to relieve it.

Society is changing. More and more individuals, employees, and employers are caught in the "sandwich generation." People are wrestling with juggling elder care for aging parents and loved ones by becoming caregivers and career minded individuals are putting off starting families until later years. As a result, people are wrestling the demands responsibility and productivity because there isn't enough time in a day.

Employers are realizing that by recognizing the value of the employee it attracts the brightest and best as well retains current employees. Promotion of "Employee Value" and a means of "Work-Life Balance" are becoming corporate buzzwords. Employers are searching for ways to solve flagging sales, poor morale and lack-luster performance. Time Management seminars are not producing needed results to solve the dilemma of how to squeeze more out of one's precious 24 hour day and 7 day week. HR departments are recognizing that human resources can be depleted just like any other natural resources if taken for granted. But employers are finding that by adding benefits which cater to the issues and demands of balancing home and work they are finding recognition with current employees as well as recruiting new employees.

In today's world, it is becoming common to ask for help without the feeling of being inadequate. Employers as well as individuals and professionals are recognizing the demand and doing something about - seeking the hottest trend now available to the public and Corporate America; enthusiastic personal assistants, errand and concierge services. The benefits not only increase a company's productivity but provide a solution to solve finding the time for daily personal tasks. The overall plus is people are able to relax and get back more leisure time.

Marianne McNulty of CLEVER CONCIERGE in Sugar Grove, IL (http://www.yourcleverconcierge.com) has found assisting clients get free of clutter which invades homes, offices and garages is the best way to gain back time. Says McNulty, "When the detritus of things thrown into bags and boxes and then 'hidden' in drawers, closets and shelves is sifted, sorted and purged, my clients experience a great weight being lifted." In fact, McNulty suggests: "Consider this – departing the cluttered life for the great organized beyond. From this vantage point, loved ones MUST deal with the mess left behind. Daughters may linger looking for 'memories', but not sons. In a nanosecond, the mess is pitched or the junk king is called to pick it up. Regrettably, in the haste to purge the clutter, missed items of value were lost."

Jackie Murphy of EK Errands Express in Indianapolis, IN (http://www.EK-Errands-Express.com) who provides services for both individuals and companies states services are becoming more popular every day in both capacities. "The pressures of trying to keep up between work and home and at the same time maintain sanity of life are being credibly realized in today's world," says Murphy. "EK was recently profiled in the Indianapolis Business Journal's Women in Business section and that has produced increased business from companies wanting to offer work-life benefit programs to employees as well as professionals and everyday individuals who need more time or need to have tasks done in their absence."

EK Errands' request for the many types of services it offers is continually increasing on a daily basis but a popular service requested is house sitting visits for those who travel to warmer weather for the winter. "Clients are relieved not to have to ask for 'another favor" or request friends and family members to check on residences while away," Murphy says. Visit frequency per week is based on client's preference and includes checking for mail, stray newspapers, watering plants, checking to make sure there are no leaks or burst pipes, run faucets and flush toilets keeping pipes flowing and reduce sediment accumulation. Frequent visits to one's home are also a great deterrent to home invasion because of a lack of activity at the home.

Jill Burstein, owner of Jill will...Concierge Service LLC (http://www.jillwilldoit.com ) serves the Detroit, Michigan area providing services for individuals and companies. One client, Arrow Strategies, was recently recognized by 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For as a 2006 Elite Winner in the category of Work-Life Balance. A highly sought after ranking, the award recognizes companies for meeting and exceeding expectations of employees. Burstein states "The fact that the company includes concierge services put them in the running and subsequently the recipient of the elite award." A typical day includes handling dry cleaning, return a shirt, a book store run, a car's oil changed, and drop off a child's forgotten gym bag to the school.

Just about anything on a person's "to-do list" may decrease an employee's productivity. "It's a great feeling to help streamline lives. By getting to know likes and dislikes, not only are anticipated needs taken care of but tasks not necessarily thought of. A good example is dropping off charitable donations. The client purges items no longer needed, donates to the less fortunate, and nets a tax deductible receipt - all in one fell swoop," states Burstein.

Home Management is one of the most requested services by busy Atlantan's says Barbara Betti, owner of At Your Service Atlanta, LLC (http://www.atyourserviceatlanta.com). Many young corporate executives and management consultants are so busy building their professional careers that there is no time to take care of their everyday household responsibilities. A number of these professionals travel extensively for their job, which increases the need for personal assistance. As a former corporate executive, Betti knows how stressful it can be to try to juggle both the "home and office balls". While every client has their own specific needs, there are some basic tasks required by everyone, which include grocery shopping, personal and gift shopping, post office and drugstore runs and appointment scheduling. Other home management services encompass lawn care, routine cleaning, handyman repairs, heating and cooling maintenance, laundry and dry cleaning, and servicing of automobiles.

Betti states "it's great to know that when a client arrives home after a long week of travel they walk into a clean house, a well stocked refrigerator and pantry, manicured lawn and they can relax and enjoy the weekend".

Work-life balance has become a daily essential and "common sense." Stress between work and home in dealing with everyday responsibilities effects overall health and a person's productivity in all areas of life. The wide variety of services offered by errand/concierge service professionals, commonly being referred to nowadays as "angels of time" are becoming both an advantage and a solution to making life simple - on a personal level and in Corporate America.

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