Reconciling the divide between strategic HRM practices and work-life balance: conceptualising a career-life balance audit

The effective management of employees' work-life balance (WLB) requires organisations to recognise and account for the array of work and non-work roles that impact their employees' working-lives. Despite the literary attention given to the 'work-life balance' in recent years, however, contemporary researchers still note the concept's inadequacy both in terms of its definition and administration. Research suggests that in order to manage the WLB effectively, human resource managers should consider better representing the employees' perspective in their management of the WLB. This paper attempts to facilitate this through the conceptualisation of a Career-Life Balance Impact Audit. Such an audit would provide employees with an avenue to express their WLB needs and career aspirations formally with their employer, and provide a firm with a potentially powerful basis upon which to implement their job evaluation/design and performance management processes