Balance Strategies

I'm a bit skeptical of all this talk about work-life balance. All the big accounting firms embrace the concept, and, sure, everyone wants more balance in their life, but you hear precious little about the trade-offs that might be required if you're serious about it. Still Emma Johnson wrote what I think is a pretty balanced view of what's going on along Wall Street for eFinancialCareers, and much of what she found applies to accounting.

In an economy that's hot and spurring a demand for qualified people, employers are being forced to make such arrangements more common. However, (Wharton's Stewart) Friedman says it takes initiative on the part of the individual - as well as the organization - to create a win-win proposition for alternative work situations. Strategies might include proposing telecommuting one day per week, or shutting off your Blackberry at 6 p.m. - all with an eye toward making your work time more productive. The specifics, of course, depend on your role within the firm.

"The big enabler is the digital revolution," says Friedman. "The trick we all have to learn is how to use these tools to tap into their promise - which is liberation. It's up to each one of us to determine when and how we get things done."

Of course, if anyone feels like adding their two cents, I'd love to know if you've ever tried to work out a more balanced approach to work with your firm - and what the results were.

Balance Programs Make Inroads [eFinancialCareers]