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SCMP Reporter

A cap on working hours, extra days off and massage breaks in the office might sound like pipe dreams for most stressed-out workers. But they are among measures being adopted by companies to create a better work-life balance for staff.

They are listed along with similar ideas from 15 companies in a publication called  Work-life Balance in Hong Kong Case Studies 2007, which was launched yesterday.

The book is intended to offer plausible suggestions on how a balance can be struck in a competitive working culture such as Hong Kong's.

The concept is approached from five angles: reducing working time; flexible working arrangements; leave options; employee and family support and health and well-being.

Worldwide courier company TNT is one of the few that have volunteered to set a maximum of 48 working hours a week for staff.

Employees are also restricted to no more than 12 hours' overtime a week and they must take one day off after working for seven days.

'The result of setting a maximum working week and overtime hours is encouraging and satisfactory,' said Ambrose Linn Hon-chung, managing director of TNT Hong Kong.

'Our revenue has seen steady growth even after the measures were implemented. Our staff work harder, as we stress productivity instead of how long they work every day.'

Mr Linn said 1 per cent to 2 per cent of operating costs were budgeted for the working-hour reduction scheme.

'At first, I expected it to be covered after two to three years. But to my surprise, we made it after one year.'

Public relations consultancy Text 100 is offering staff two 'duvet days' a year on which they don't have to come to work.

'Employees can phone in and say they need a duvet day when they feel tired - but don't have to pretend to be sick to sink back under the bed covers,' managing consultant Jeremy Woolf  said.

Conditions are that they must have no external meetings or major deadlines, and are accessible by phone. But convincing Hong Kong workers to take duvet days could be challenging, Mr Woolf said.

Investment Bank UBS, however, believed extending employees' personal networks  and equipping them with more well-being information was a way to attract talent.

That was why they introduced parenting workshops and bi-monthly massage sessions starting this year.

'Graduates just out of university do not want to work 16 hours a day. Senior management must acknowledge this,' said Shalini Thakur, an associate director  for the group.

Contents of the publication can be found online at www.communitybusiness.org.hk.



Taking a sickie? Try a 'duvet day' instead