Question

Does a firm have an obligation to give employees the flexibility to work out the particular balance of career and family that is right for them? Or does this go beyond the social responsibilities of business?

Answer 1

Firm has to fix the stable working hours for the employees and it is the part of employment contract. After work, employees should be free to spend time with the families to maintain a good personal life along with the professional life. Here, organization can have a councillor that can counsel employees who are under performing or getting stressed or unable to balance their personal and professional lives. But, it is not the legal obligation for the firm to let employees work out their issues. It is to be done by the employees, and consider the demand of the job, personal issues and their own skill level. Here, as a goodwill gesture, firm can provide moral support to the employees to recover from issues, but it should not damage the goals of the firm. So, firm has to help employees as per the employment contract and prevailing labor laws.

It is not about the social responsibility of the business to help employees and harm their own interest if it happens. It is the profitability earned by the firm whose some part is spent upon community, nature and environment as a part of  social responsibility of the business.