A friend was working for a multi-national corporation for the last 5 years. Over the last year she watched as her colleagues were let go one by one. Her workload increased, the gossip at the water cooler was disturbing about the company’s stock value, she had no voice in the office to ease the pain, and the workplace environment deteriorated.

An emotional wreck and physically exhausted, she was actually relieved to be laid off even though it posed a temporary monkey-wrench in her career. Her passing thought when she told me the story… no more big companies where she wouldn’t have a voice. Instead, she’ll focus her job hunt on companies better known for treating their employees well  - while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Signature components to what some define as a “Great Workplace.”  She’s onto something according to the Q2 Workplace Layoffs and Employment study by GreatPlaceJobs.

Here are some of the highlights:

•  The study shows that the nation’s largest companies conducted layoffs at a rate of almost twice that of a group of companies recognized as great workplaces.  
• Only 44% of excellent employers laid off workers from the beginning of 2008, while a shocking 86% of the Fortune 100 companies have laid off employees in the past year and a half. 
• The revenue growth rate at great workplace companies in Q1 2009 was 2.3% better than the rest of the Fortune 100, and the average stock price of the excellent employers was 1.1% higher as of June 30, 2009 (compared to January 1, 2009) than typical Fortune 100 companies.”

Perhaps the most galvanizing slice of information from this study was that “nine of the Fortune 100 largest companies from 2008 filed for bankruptcy or were bailed out by the U.S. government in 2008, while none of the great workplace companies failed on this magnitude.”

The bigger they are the harder they fall. But there are great workplaces that continue to be resilient in this economic climate while treating their employees well. A blatant fear of scarcity and the red on the spread sheets tosses many CFO’s into an understandable spiral. But it seems the progressive companies that take the time to create a better working experience are a head of the curve financially. Workplace flexibility, wellness programs and employee engagement morale boosters are still looked upon as band-aids if not spread throughout the rank and file. But if you check out the stats at GreatPlaceJobs, you’ll see such programs are really the launching pad for a more productive workforce.

Vietnam is often refered to as ‘McNamara’s War” by political hacks in the know.  Former U-S Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara is credited with being the “chief architect of the Vietnam war” as stated in this Los Angeles Times blog. That title is clearly not recogized as an honorable work life distinction, but in his death it dominates the headlines.  

The blog goes on to chronicle the books that have sealed McNamara’s place in history,  despite his work to divest the world of nuclear arms and his work with poor nations. Although he subseqently denounced the war in his 1995 memoir, The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam, it was too little - way too late for the public and pundits to digest. 

The word “legacy” as defined in Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary: anything handed down from the past as from an ancestor or predecessor. It wasn’t meant to have a negative connotation judging by its true roots, but it’s meaning had been kidnapped long before the dictates of our time (ie. the legacy of ancient Rome).

In our era, the Bernie Madoffs, the former chief of Enron, the politicians who have not quite lived up to expectations, have marred the word further. So today, I vote for a conscious cultivation of the morally good-to-the-core kind of legacy. That means aligning our core human values with our work, career, or what I refer to as vocation.

Few of us have the opportunity to call the shots on a war, engage in a public political battle, or make a mark in nuclear disarmament. But in our daily lives we do have the opportunity to be of positive influence, even in little ways. And it’s not just about our work – it’s about how we work, why we work, what motivates us to work, and the values we  align ourselves with as we work.

No longer are our working and living experiences all that separate, we are truly a work life nation.  Now because of social media which allows information to travel at the speed of light across the planet, there’s a moral and business imperative to stick to the meat of our business message from a more human place. If not, we shall be recorded in history not just in books, but forever in our digital age as less than – or far worse. 

As for McNamara, he is human, just like the rest of us. We all make mistakes, but owning up to them or correcting them sooner rather than later, might help us to avoid the tragedy that McNamara endured. His true “legacy” by definition, should be the work he did with developing and poor nations, and his strong voice on disarmament. But as the term has been corrupted, his “legacy” will instead be McNamara’s War.

The bottom line is that the images and sounds of Vietnam is how we will remember McNamara, and few would argue otherwise. Do we really think about our “legacy” when we work and do business? Perhaps we should  just concentrate on being more conscious of making the right choices in every moment. That means conscious action not just in support of ones own business goals, but also to be impeccably be aligned with our values as we impact others in life, work and business.

Having recently come into the scholarly work of CV Harquail Ph.D, (@cvharquail) a leading voice on Organizational Leadership  at AuthenticOrganizations.com, I’ve been watching, reading and stretching my mind on many fronts – including the topic of women-at-work. A few days ago she pointed me to Fem 2.0 where a “blog carnival” is taking place posing the question, “what is considered gainful employment” in the 21st century. 

Thoughts flooded my brain when I considered what constitutes gainful employment for women. First thought best thought. It is the individual’s business to discern what constitutes work or what I prefer to term – vocation – in our 24/7 world for anyone; male or female. 

To me, gainful employment means right livelihood; working with purpose, passion and profit on a meaningful career trajectory guided by ones own unique skills, desires and voice. It’s not an easy task in a time when career expansion can fall victim to the reality of having to stay in a job you hate – to pay the bills. Thus, more than ever, there is a desperate need for the woman’s voice now, to tackle work life concerns and traditional stereotypes of the 9-5 job structure, if only to make it more bearable.

I’m not going to make a blanket statement saying that our voices have been irrevocably quelled by fear in this lousy economy – but some have. With soaring unemployment, the largest percentage of layoffs impacting men, and the tightening job market – keeping a job seems to have become paramount for women – depending on which news article you’re reading.

Work/Life flexibility is embraced by progressive companies which understand that their current labor pool is dwindling (both male and female) and that they need to attract more female workers who now make up 46 % of the workforce. But a flexible working model is not always seen as the Great White Knight, which with its sword, can tear down walls of gender bias toward better attraction and retention of skilled employees. Flexibility is instead feared by some as a killer of face time, a signal of less interest in ones work or the threatening anti-christ to the almighty dollar. 

Thrust into the work life balance debate, women forge ahead on-line and in the media pushing for more flexible working arrangements, better maternity leave, and changes in the Family Leave Act. But when we walk through the doors of big business  (and again, not everywhere) there’s the perception that a voice that dares speak up might fall on deaf ears – or worse – end up with a pink slip. This perception needs to be slayed, but it will take both sexes to open up the conversation in the workplace.

Just a few days ago I wrote about the 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce in my post, Work Life Gender Gap Narrows. The study found that the work/life conflict men were experiencing had increased more so, over a period of time, then for the women surveyed (women were already feeling a high level of conflict). The results were not surprising given the fact that men are taking on more of the household and childcare duties than in past years, in dual-earner couples.

Perhaps the equalizing of work life conflict will level the playing field for men and women striving for better work life integration. Perhaps, the deaf ear will be more receptive to a woman’s voice demanding to be heard, as it might have had to listen to a crying child the night before.

The glass ceiling hasn’t been broken on the pay scale, but ambition to potentially shatter it has picked up momentum, and Millennials, (under the age of 29) are in the drivers seat. 

It’s one of the more striking and surprising findings in 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce says Ellen Galinsky, president and co-founder of the Families and Work Institute. For three decades the Institute has been tracking family concerns within the changing landscape of the workforce and workplace.

“There are many firsts in this study – the first time that younger men and women feel the same about job advancement, and the first time that there is no statistically significant different between men and women in their views of proper gender roles,” said Galinsky. For example, men and women are both less likely to embrace “traditional” gender roles. Even if the man earns more cash in his career, he might still be making dinner and doing housework.  

Women in the Workforce

Among the men and women under 29 years old, women are just as likely to want jobs with greater responsibility. For the first time, that attitude was neck and neck among women with and without children. According to the figures, the fruits of that drive might already be manifesting behind the scenes. Women in dual-earner couples contributed an average of 44% to the annual family income in 2008, compared to 39% back in 1997. 

The model of the working mother picked up positive steam in this report. More men and women agreed that employed women can be good mothers. 

Men in the Workforce

Perhaps one of the more startling findings is the increased level of work life conflict experienced by men. It increased from 34% in 1977, to 45% in 2008. The report once again, attributes that to changing gender roles.

Employed fathers are spending more time with their children than their age counterparts did three decades ago and men are taking more overall responsibility for the care of their children. In 1992, 21% of women said their spouses were taking as much or more responsibility, but that number jumped to 31% in 2008.

Seismic Shift in Attitude

It’s worth it to note that the data was collected in 2008, during what some economists would call the beginning of the recession. (some say more specifically December 2007) There has been a marked increase of women in the workforce due to layoffs, economic pressures and the high numbers of women entering into small businesses. So it stands to reason that the gender gap might have narrowed even further in just a year. 

The report is telling according to Ron Glover, Vice President of Diversity and Workforce Programs, at IBM (which funded the report) “Work/Life difficulty is no longer a women’s issue – it’s a people issue.” 

The report’s data collection was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation which keeps its philanthropic finger on the pulse of American society, the sciences and the economy. The non-profit is known for its support of numerous work life research programs which you can read about here.

Scattered across the digital landscape, there’s been a trend toward the trashing and bashing of work life balance. Some career experts, human resource pundits, and life coaches have been eroding confidence in the value of work life balance, or flexibility, saying that it flies in the face of conventional wisdom in a dire job market. Of course, holding on to a job is paramount as we endure the daily public dose of pink slips – but how about holding onto our sanity and avoiding burnout?

Unemployment is expected to soar dramatically by next time this year. It’s said to be on track to hit 10% in metropolitan areas across the nation, according to a report from the U.S Conference of Mayors. While optimism reigns with the advent of the Obama era, the jobless numbers are daunting. But we can’t ignore the direction of our 24/7 culture – the merging of our working and living experience – even if by default.

The merge, which I’ve dubbed our WorkLife Nation, is the result of three increasingly dominant themes.

First, we are working our tails off to secure our good standing at work, thus there’s a great blur between work and life.

Second, many are leaving the mainstream nine-to-five grind in favor of becoming entrepreneurs and taking control of their own lives, thus – working like crazy to gain market and brand strength in a weakening economy.

And the third theme is the newly sparked interest – courtesy Obama – in social capitalism – doing work that is closely aligned with one’s life passion, human core values, and service. In her Brazen Careerist blog, Penelope Trunk wrote of this theme in her post: Celebrate the inauguration by making your work an act of service in which she spoke of Generation ‘S’ the new buzz phrase for such an ideology.

The great merge is happening whether we like it or not. How we handle it is our choice. We can act from a place of fear, or proactively take more personal responsibility. The phrase ‘work life balance’ is deceiving. The semantics raises red flags in an always on, do more with less world. Perhaps that’s why it’s taking such a beating these days. Why can’t we just call it work life flexibility? Furthermore, why does it have to go out the window even in a down job market?

Work life flexibility does not have to cost money. In Cindy Krischer Goodman’s Balancing Act column in the Miami Herald, it’s time for Oprah, others to take advice, she offers some tips toward a better balancing of the work life merge.

Even with an increasing number of Employee Assistance Programs addressing work life initiatives, there’s little choice but for individuals manage their own work life fit – as my colleague Cali Williams Yost of Work+Life Fit Inc. would advise.

Just a gander at the stats on stress within the American family is enough to boost interest. A survey by Country Financial, reveals that three out of four Americans polled agreed that financial stress as the recession deepens, is leading to emotional difficulties in their family relationships.

Ultimately, the merge of the working and living experience takes thought, and requires time to figure out. It is not a destination, it is a journey. It’s a simple reality, if not attended to – us humans will burn out. As former Secretary of State Colin Powell said on CNN this morning about the incredible challenges our new president faces, he’ll have to, “Deal with the crisis of the day, but not get consumed by it.”

So it is for our work life nation.

Actress and film director Nandita Das will be the first one to tell you that she chooses to be a part of stories that are not commonly told, but need to be heard. Whether on screen in such movies as Before The Rains, or behind the scenes,  there is a theme of social injustice that beckons to be acknowledged.

In the wake of one of  the most anticipated debates of the season,  every Washington commentator is eagerly weighing in on both sides. While debating Palin's credibility was all the rage this week, and her folksy image the target of the tabloids,  I shall pass on judging her performance in contrast to a senate icon. 

I'll say this – on the issue of work life balance or concerns, both have faced personal challenges which might make them more conscious on this topic. In a touching moment, Senator Biden aligned himself with those who understand what it is like to struggle as a single parent. He refered to his own family tradgedy when his wife and daughter were killed in an accident in the 1970's. We know of Palin's personal world as well. Her baby son was born with Down syndrome.

Beyond that, without further comment, I'm bagging the idea of deconstructing the debate in favor of bringing attention to some other powerful women who have a steady track record rocking the boat, while being at the top of their game. (That's not a jab at Palin, but instead, an offer through a different lens.)

Fortune just came out with its list of the 50 most powerful women in business. Here' are the top five whose careers have soared. Upon examination of the company websites associated with these women, you will see common threads in their workplace programs:

1    Indra Nooyi - PepsiCo
2    Irene Rosenfeld -  Kraft Foods
3    Pat Woertz - Archer Daniels Midland
4    Anne Mulcahy -  Xerox
5    Angela Braly -  Wellpoint
 

All of these companies offer  some sort of work life balance initiative, flexibility or wellness programs that take the concept of integrating the working and living experience very seriously. One might argue that with women running these organizations there might be a sensitivity to the work life "merge"  and the need for balance while juggling the job and family. But that characterization runs short. Remember, these women were singled out in their careers for business performance. Regardless of whether these women are moms or run families -  the welfare of their employees (their human capital) is clearly valuable to them.

One may only be able to make an anecdotal case as to whether such work life programs are impacting the bottom line, but you don't have to do a deep analysis to figure out that these women are doing something right. Just ask the people over at Harpo which is headed up by Oprah Winfrey. She came in at number eight.

My dreams of my secret peaceful work/life refuge were shattered on Friday during rush hour. I approached the line of cars in front of me which were waiting like ants to get to the top of the hill, but instead to cross the Throgs Neck Bridge. The passengers in the cars in front of me were preparing to fork over five bucks and it was an especially long ling. That excited me. Odd – right? Not for me. Even though I was exhausted and approaching burnout. This was an opportunity.

Being a part of the streaming cars – while an exercise in patience – is generally a peaceful experience because I choose to make it one. It was a beautiful sunny day on Friday. I could smell the water, the cool breeze of spring was trying to make an appearance. I make it a habit to count my breaths, because waiting on that line can be darn annoying. It stops the moment of traffic chaos and reminds to get to the stillness within, instead of concentrating on the chaos outside of me.

Generally, I let people in front of me, ignore the honking horns, and engage in some deep breathing to prepare myself for the traffic on the other side of the bridge heading into Long Island to work. I take the high road and smile at all the drivers who are enraged on the line as they head into the workplace.

Closer and closer I came to the booth and with that I entered deeper and deeper into an aware relaxed state of mind. I was successfully practicing my worklife balance technique of not buying into commuter chaos. Then the unthinkable happened. Right before the car in front of me was to pass – the toll booth collectors changed shifts.

I remained undaunted. My "enlightened" state of mind was still in the peaceful zone. I watched, car by car, the lines in the other lanes move along smoothly. "Just breath," I repeated to myself. I’m not sure what happened, but I suddenly decided that they were doing this just to get me riled up. All that peaceful meditation went out the window – albeit momentarily.

"Come on," I said to myself. Then out loud I exclaimed, "You have got to be kidding me!" Enlightenment was taken like a rug from beneath my feet. I was running just a tad late and it threw me off. Actually, I let it happen. What happened next made me squirm in my seat.

The person in front of me finally paid, but he forgot his change, so he stopped just on the other side of the booth. Suddenly, the lane went into lock down. The police stopped the traffic in the lane; I had not even made it under the awning of the booth. I had no where to go. Toll booth interruptus again. The officer in the booth put his hand up, told me to "Just stay put!" and the driver of the car in front of me slowly emerged from his car. With a soft limp, he slowly made his way back to the booth to collect his change. He looked right at me and smiled an apology. I began to soften, feeling sad for the older gentleman who was clearly challenged. And then it was my turn to pay.

The toll booth officer was completely calm. He looked at me as I handed him a five spot, "Everyone is in such a hurry, people need to slow down!" I nodded, thinking, "No, people, including myself, need to take a breath."