WORK/LIFE
Balance, Benefits, and Flexibility There’s an evolution in the relationships between companies and their employees in Dallas-Fort Worth and across the nation. Some people might call it work/life balance. To others it’s work/life integration. Regardless of what it’s called, companies and workers in North Texas are looking for ways to be integral parts of their communities. Achieving that balance can be a tall order, but flexible work schedules and environments can help employees achieve wholeness in their lives, and serve as important tools for companies to attract and retain top talent in their industries.
Matt Chambers
Andrea Hough
Kelley Shimansky
James Helms
Traci Dunn
Chief Information Officer Baylor, Scott & White Health
Head of Talent Management Fidelity
Chief Human Resources Officer Tyler Technologies
Vice President, Design Intuit
Vice President Inclusion, Diversity & Culture, McKesson
We’re in healthcare so it’s inherent that we’re focused on the health and well-being of our employees, patients, members and community. We can’t care for our patients and health plan members if we don’t also care for our own employees and the health of their families. Work-life balance starts with culture and trust.
We stay away from the phrase “work/life balance” and instead focus on work life integration. In today’s flexible work environments, decoupling work and life is a tall order. We know—and in fact, appreciate—that our employees juggle multiple roles. In any one day, a Fidelity Investments employee may also be a parent, friend, volunteer, community leader, student and beyond. We believe the many roles of our employees provide them valuable insights and skills that help serve our customers even better. “Integration” acknowledges that there will be overlaps, some ebbs and some flows. At Fidelity Investments, we solve for this by focusing on the total employee— providing them with support and benefits to help them thrive both at work and in life.
Each member of our team has a somewhat different definition of work/life flexibility. Age is one of many drivers of what matters most. We continually gather information from our candidates and team members to determine what matters most and how that is changing as we design work/life balance benefits and practices. Younger staff are often driven by opportunities to broaden their base of experience and grow their capabilities. Those in the later stages of their careers often have a strong desire to mentor, guide, and grow the capabilities of those around them.
We try to build in quite a bit of flexibility—to take care of errands or work from home —to respect our employees’ time. I definitely encourage my own employees to embrace their families, hobbies and passions. I’m a firm believer that creativity requires downtime, outside interests and a certain amount of “semi-productivity.” We are immersed in so many inputs each day, our brains need time to process that in the background. And to create organic “collisions” which force new ideas and connections to form. We see that work/life balance actually yields happier, more engaged employees and ultimately happier customers. And that’s good for business.
Life is a collection of gives and gets. There will be times where you’ll need to be 100% focused on work and times where you’ll need to be 100% focused on home life —and that’s okay. It’s about finding ways to effectively integrate the two. Our office is designed to offer flexibility in your work. At McKesson, we work in “neighborhoods” instead of assigned seats and all our technology is mobile. This space naturally creates an inclusive environment and promotes collaboration. If you need quiet time or space to focus on a project, there’s plenty of room across the campus to find some peace and quiet. We also have great amenities that help with home life like Amazon Lockers, dry cleaning services, and an on-site gym with fitness classes available throughout the day.
“WORKING WITH SUCH DEDICATED TEAM MEMBERS, IT’S EASY TO GET IMMERSED IN WORK TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHER AREAS OF OUR LIVES. WE MAKE SURE TO FIND TIME TO CELEBRATE WITH OUR EMPLOYEES TO LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEM AND CARE ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING. WE RECOGNIZE OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF STACKPATH. ” — VICTORIA GUERRE, STACKPATH 62
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