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.