Baxter International may not be a household name, but if you’ve ever been in a hospital, you’ve probably seen their products. The company produces medical products that are used in IV (intravenous solutions), anesthesia, dialysis, and many blood disorders along with medical devices, biotechnology products and specialty pharmaceuticals. Employees at Baxter are justifiably proud of the lifesaving products they produce, but also take pride in the emphasis that Baxter takes in their ability to balance their careers and family responsibilities.

Work/life balance is part of the culture at Baxter. Managers and employees share responsibility in managing the daily demands of a career and family and are provided with a guidebook that encourages discussion and problem-solving strategies for work/life conflicts. They recognize that alternate work arrangements can be a way to meet employees’ needs for balance and flexibility, and that the employee should examine his/her own personal characteristics when considering a change in schedule. The company Web site includes a guide for determining if alternative work arrangements would be a good fit for the employee’s personality and career. Options like part-time work, job-sharing, compressed work week, and telecommuting are analyzed. If the employee feels that an alternative work arrangement is appropriate, Baxter provides an online proposal kit for the employee to request a more flexible schedule. 

Baxter has acquired several companies from other countries in recent years and is in the process of spreading family-friendly benefits such as alternative work arrangements, dependent care, counseling resources, adoption assistance, back-up/emergency child care, and lactation rooms to their non-United States subsidiaries.

The commitment to balance seems to permeate the culture all the way to the top. Harry Jansen Kraemer, a former C.E.O., attempted to balance his career and family by not accepting work-related calls after 6:00 P.M. He once refused to cancel a family camping trip after being informed that a Baxter product was implicated in several recent patient deaths. He admonished his staff to “do the right thing” in his absence. Is this work/life balance at Baxter beneficial? That answer depends on how one defines beneficial. In spite of two major product failures since 2001, they have grown steadily to 45,000 employees in 200 facilities worldwide. Revenues, profits, and stock prices have all shown steady growth. Based on these performance measures, you could say that the emphasis on balance has been successful. In addition, by allowing employees to request alternative and flexible work arrangements such as job-sharing, compressed workweeks, and telecommuting, Baxter has been able to attract and retain top-notch employees, who in turn have generated greater productivity for the company.

Questions:

1. What role, if any, does work/life balance play in the success of an organization? Explain. 

2. How does diversity in an organization affect the organization’s work/life balance? What ethical considerations exist that may drive the organization to be more work/life balanced? 

3. How can organizations develop a culture that supports work/ life balance? 

4. What role does human resources play in making sure work/ life practices are effective? 

5. Take a look at the Baxter Web site “Careers” section (www. baxter.com). What does Baxter do that seems to support the goal of work/life balance?