Work/Life Balance: A More Human Workplace

Colleagues are human beings first and staff second. This motto has inspired Union Syndicale in its unceasing efforts over the years (see insert) to bring about a better balance between staff's working and private lives. However, it is not enough to create new rights and rules. The services must change their attitude towards working hours and life priorities.

Excessive hours are not acceptable – not to staff and are not even in the best interests of the institution.
It is time to discard the old misperception that “virtuous” colleagues stay late, the “unvirtuous” go home on time. Overworked staff is unhappy staff, and unhappy staff is inefficient staff.

The Prodi Commission promised not to accept new tasks without new resources – a promise it did not keep. The Barroso Commission did not even bother to make the promise. The new Commission must do better.

The DG’s must act to change the institution’s working culture in at least three areas:

1. take place on the DG’s own premises between 9:30-13:00 and 14:30 and 17:00;
   end no later than 18:00;
   be well prepared and well chaired in order not to last longer than 90 minutes;
   never take place on Wednesday afternoons;
2. Missions should be planned to allow colleagues to make any necessary personal arrangements.
3. Deadlines must be reasonable and take part-time work into account.
4. Flexitime must be applied fully and properly.

Human beings work better when they lead balanced, happy lives. The institution has a moral duty to treat staff as human beings rather than units of production and to do whatever it can to reduce the unhealthy stress arising from conflicts between their personal and professional lives. In the end, this is how it can best serve its own interests.
Human beings work better when they lead balanced, happy lives. The institution has a moral duty to treat staff as human beings rather than units of production and to do whatever it can to reduce the unhealthy stress arising from conflicts between their personal and professional lives. In the end, this is how it can best serve its own interests.

The Revolution of 2004

The new Staff Regulations of 2004, negotiated by Union Syndicale, created unprecedented rights and possibilities for staff to enjoy a better work/ life balance:

• the right to work part-time:
  o for the care of children or a seriously ill or disabled spouse or relative;
  o to prepare retirement as of the age of 55 with 60% to 80% of basic salary;
• shared posts
• part-time if unlimited duration;
• flexitime
• outside of the Staff Regulations, Union Syndicale successfully negotiated the right to a truly effective, universally applied system of flexitime.
• maternity leave
• increased from 16 to 20 weeks (24 for twins, premature or handicapped children);
• paternity leave
• increased from 2 to 10 days;
• leave on personal grounds
• increased from 3 years to 15;
• adoption leave
• 20 to 24 weeks;
• leave for the very serious illness of a child
• 5 days;
• parental leave
• 6 months per child, with an allowance, continued medical insurance, pension rights and seniority towards promotion; may be taken half-time;
• family leave
• 9 months, with the same conditions as parental leave.