There could be several practices that can be focused by Unilever in order to provide the benefits related to the work-life balance as there is the need to focus on encouraging employee wellness programs, flextime policies, flexible work opportunities, implement the employee-friendly policies, incentives on job well done, reduce work stress can encourage employees to work efficiently these efficient programs can increase in employee job satisfaction and there could be support to employees as there could be retention and productivity. The Agile working programs are also supportive in the Unilever; therefore, other programs could be flexible and productive environment and employees can be given complete freedom under the unique and efficient practices (McCarthy, Darcy and Grady 2010).

Through implementing, the work-life balance there could be better creativity and intuitiveness. The employees can generate fresh ideas as employees cannot work under the high-pressure. If the company effectively responds to the principles of the facilitate work-life balance then there could be an improvement in productivity and communication. As analyzed that Google and Unilever are resulting in innovation through agile working and it is bringing the positive culture in the company. To facilitate work-life balance Unilever can provide videoconferencing as it would help an employee with telecommuting and also there could be better performance because employees will be free (Bruin, et al. 2018).

As concerned in the case study by Bruin, Meulen, Wandeler, Zijlstra, Formsma, & Bögels (2018) that Unilever is focused on the cutting edge of positive employment practices through implementing the idea of Agile Working. However, Unilever recently implemented the new policy and concerned to provide the grants flexible work arrangements. Moreover, it is found in the trial that running the Agile Working program provides benefits to the factory workers. Unilever effectively and favorably functions the technology and it provides opportunities to employees to work effectively from the remote locations. Moreover, Unilever is also concerned about the efficient leadership approach in human resources because through good management there could be good attendance and employees can be working long hours Agile Working program can provide several benefits as Videoconferencing because there can be better distance communication in this way (Bruin, et al. 2018).

Through the Technology enhancements employees can provide assistance to work from home and the company can improve workplace efficiency and effectiveness. There will be fewer physical office requirements in this way and employee job satisfaction would be increased. However, through flexible work opportunities, there could be an enhancement in worker engagement and retention. The agile Working program can provide the positive overall and there could be better and stronger hiring trends based on the employment situations (Shanafelt, et al. 2015).

According to the research conducted by McCarthy, Darcy, & Grady (2010) work-life balance focused on the increasing attention of it in the field of human resource management. However, it is analyzed that Line managers play an important role in the HRM decision-making so there is the need for the balance decisions by the manager as it is the management responsibility to respond according to the planned behavior and fairly. However, the research involves the aspects that the policy involvement is important for the Work-life balance; other aspects that are mentioned are policy awareness, personal policy utilization, and policy instrumentality following the line manager attitudes towards. There is a description of the unpredictable workflows that employees may not effectively work in the company because of the 24/7 availability to clients and tight deadlines; therefore, it could result in the employment instability as well as the intensification of the extensification of work (McCarthy, Darcy and Grady 2010).

McCarthy, Darcy, & Grady (2010) also noticed that work-life balance if not there in the company then there could be working and non-working aspects or unsustainable in terms. As analyzed in the case study that the lives of UK managers are not balanced and therefore, they are not working effectively in the company. Thus organizational initiatives need to be taken so that there could be effective in the work-life balance programs.

 As concerned in the case study that Work-life balance needs to be the part of every organization, through it there could be better working; in this way, employee assistance programs, part-time working, management training, stress management training need to be concerned for the benefit of the company. Work-life balance should support the childcare facilities there should be financial support for childcare because it could result in satisfaction as well as the productivity of the employees. Work-life balance provides the attraction and retention in the employees, however, work-family policies and programs need to be supported by the line manager support, as it is the important HRM decision-making and in this way, there could be balance management by the manager.

Work-life balance if not focused then there could be weakness or affecting organizational functioning. The employee attitudes and performance may also be weakened or according to the desires. Thus, the line managers should support all the Work-life balance programs in the company and there is the need to practice well for maintaining or increasing productivity. Managing conflicting demands can also result in employee commitment and expectations towards the Work-life balance programs (McCarthy, Darcy and Grady 2010).

According to the research conducted by Burke (2010) analyzed the achievement of the employees through creating and sustaining the work-life balance for employees can be encouraged and motivated to achieve their goals. Work-life balance is necessary for the employees as it can result in fulfilling their social management needs as well as cultural needs. work-life balance programs can also result in employee effectiveness, best careers, and money and there could be in result happiness in a special life. If there is no work-life balance management then there could be a negative performance by the employees, thus, a work-life balance needs to be recognized through the compensation and rewards adequately but reward sometimes cannot be justified with the work-life balance. This is the modern approach that should be adopted by Unilever (Burke 2010).

Burke (2010) also noticed that work-life balance also results in better motivation and training by the manager and there could be effective in the employee's skills. Employees' task and goal accomplishment have significant impacts on organizational performance, therefore, work-life balance can provide them benefit and they would be more loyal to the company. The employee's goal and organizational goals would work together rate of turnover also decreases and employees will be satisfied with the company. Work-life balance is an important factor as it would result in the employee task achievement. Work-life balance can also be done through the work roles and career security. For Work-life balance, organizational climate need to positive for the satisfaction of the employees, it is the responsibility of the management there should be proper rules and regulations.

According to the research conducted by Lazar, Osoian, & Ratiu (2010) work-life balance plays a very important role in the attainment of the targets of the company. If it is not satisfied then there could be the emergence of psychosocial risk in the employees. Moreover, employees need to work health and safety issues, job insecurity that can be possible to achieve through work-life balance. For best work-life balance better safety at the workplace, the employees need to be given benefits related to the family facilities, recovery, leisure time, and work health, etc. The HR manager has to follow the HR principles flexibility and acceptability by the managers are important; for the work-life balance flexible working hours, part-time and job sharing, compressed workweeks, can also support the culture of flexibility in the organization need to be included (Lazar, Osoian and Ratiu 2010).

According to the research conducted by Lazar, Osoian, & Ratiu (2010), Work-life balance can result in the competitive business strategies, strategic human resource management decisions need to be concerned for the economic and cultural changes. Moreover, organizational performance can be poor if employees don’t get facilitate by the work-life balance; there could be low productivity, turnover rates, absenteeism and lack of engagement if employees are stressed. There would be poor retention levels due to work-life culture; the work-life balance would improve company understanding, choice.

It is suggested in the article that work-life balance should be implemented by practicing flexi-time as there would be personal commitments in this way, there should be better services related to the telecommuting as expenses work-related would be decreased. Health and safety protection, security and promotion opportunities would be there through Work-life balance. Moreover, compressed workweeks would also maximize production; part-time work would also improve organizational performance. Other than these job-sharing facilities are also recommended in the article as it can result in increasing productivity, improving staff retention, learning for a wider range of skills. Offering flexible working would result in the growth of the company (Lazar, Osoian and Ratiu 2010).

Opportunities that Unilever can offer to enhance work–life balance

As analyzed through the researches that companies can improve workplace efficiency and effectiveness through work-life balance so Unilever should also focus on several practices to create the programs related to the work-life balance. Unilever should focus on encouraging employee wellness programs, flextime policies, and flexible work opportunities, implement the employee-friendly policies.

Unilever is already promoting the agile working programs and there are benefits; through this flexible and productive environment provided to the employees, therefore, Unilever should focus on work-life balance for maximizing production; part-time work would also improve organizational performance. Unilever should focus on work-life balance through job-sharing facilities, health, and safety protection, practicing flexi-time, competitive business strategies, and HR principles flexibility and acceptability by the managers are important; for the work-life balance flexible working hours, part-time and job sharing as suggested in the literature.

Unilever should focus on work-life balance better safety at the workplace. Consequently, for Work-life balance, organizational climate needs to positive for the satisfaction of the employees, it is the responsibility of the management there should be proper rules and regulations. Work-life balance is necessary for the employees as it can result in fulfilling their social management needs as well as cultural needs. Unilever should focus on work-life balance through responding to work wellbeing and security issues, work instability that can be conceivable to accomplish through work-life balance. The managers should be given advantages identified with the family offices, recuperation, relaxation time, and workplace wellbeing, focus on the adaptable working hours, low maintenance and employment sharing, compacted work filled weeks, etc.

Unilever should focus on work-life balance through implementing the policy awareness, personal policy utilization, and policy instrumentality following the line manager attitudes towards. The HRM decision-making should be based on policies of Unilever for the need to balance decisions by the manager as it is the management's responsibility to respond according to the planned behavior and fairly.

Unilever through flexible work opportunities can result in an enhancement in worker engagement and retention. A work-life balance needs to be the part of every organization, so Unilever through it there could be better working; in this way, employee assistance programs, part-time working, management training, stress management training need to be concerned for the benefit of the company (Crispin 2010).

References of opportunities could Unilever offer its employees to enhance work–life balance? 

Bruin, Esther I. de, Rachel T. van der Meulen, Jorien de Wandeler, Bonne JH Zijlstra, Anne R. Formsma, and Susan M. Bögels. 2018. "The Unilever Study: Positive Effects on Stress and Risk for Dropout from Work after the Finding Peace in a Frantic World Training." Mindfulness 1-12.

Burke, Ronald. 2010. "Do managerial men benefit from organizational values supporting work-personal life balance?" Gender in Management: An International Journal 25 (2): 91-99.

Crispin. 2010. Agile Testing: A Practical Guide For Testers And Agile Teams. Pearson Education India.

Lazar, Ioan, Codruta Osoian, and Patricia Ratiu. 2010. "The role of work-life balance practices in order to improve organizational performance." European Research Studies 13 (1): 201.

McCarthy, Alma, Colette Darcy, and Geraldine Grady. 2010. "Work-life balance policy and practice: Understanding line manager attitudes and behaviors." Human Resource Management 20 (2): 158-167.

Shanafelt, Tait D., Omar Hasan, Lotte N. Dyrbye, Christine Sinsky, Daniel Satele, Jeff Sloan, and Colin P. West. 2015. "Changes in burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance in physicians and the general US working population between 2011 and 2014." In Mayo Clinic Proceedings 90 (12): 1600-1613.