The Golden Apple: Redefining Work-Life Balance for a Diverse Workforce

by Mason Donovan

Overview

Organizations are coming to the reality that work-life balance is no longer solely an issue for working women. As we progress further into the 21st century, workers and ways of working are changing. We have four generations operating together in the workplace, and a tremendous variety of professional expectations, values, goals, and needs. People want to work, but more and more need work to work better in their lives. For some, it might be a question of flexibility to care for family, for others, a question of personal fulfillment and being present both at work and at home. Regardless, people are expressing the need for an improved sense of work-life balance. It has become central to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. As companies grapple with increased talent and marketplace competition, work-life balance has become a pivotal issue for higher engagement, increased productivity, greater innovation, and employee retention. Backed by 20 years of talent engagement expertise, The Golden Apple bridges the gap between awareness and action, giving leaders practical solutions they can take for immediate impact: the 50-minute meeting, mindful minutes, and establishing clear boundaries that can instantly provide a valuable return with minimal effort. In short, the book shows how full engagement of a diverse, inclusive workforce is the competitive advantage of our time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629561141
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xv

Introduction xvii

Chapter 1 Why Is Work-Life Balance Important? 1

Chapter 2 How Did We Get Here? 19

Chapter 3 Finding Your Purpose 35

Chapter 4 Achieving Balance and Presence in Work 49

Chapter 5 Achieving a Personal Life Balance 71

Chapter 6 Inclusive Aspects of Work-Life Balance 85

Conclusion 105

Acknowledgments 113

Index 115

Editorial Reviews

07/18/2016
After feeling overworked for many years, Donovan (Driven), a managing partner at the consulting firm Dagoba Group, decided on a change—and the results are captured in this enthusiastic but familiar guide to achieving work-life balance. The titular golden apple is Donovan’s alternative to the “golden handcuffs” metaphor: unlike handcuffs, apples are wholesome and tasty. Donovan encourages readers to dig deep into methods of keeping work and home from bleeding into each other, both to increase job satisfaction for its own sake and to ensure that productivity doesn’t suffer. He covers how leaders can model behavior for employees, such as by eliminating time-wasting activities. Donovan also discusses his decades of experience helping companies become more diverse and inclusive, while noting that work-life balance impacts everyone, “across generations, genders, and geographies.” There’s precious little else here that addresses diversity, and as a result the subtitle feels like a misleading afterthought. The writing is quick, crisp, and snappy, but Donovan’s take on work-life balance is not distinct enough from the many other books published on the subject for this effort to stand out. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly