Work life balance of Salesforce PDF

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An In-depth Analysis of Salesforce and Work-Life Balance of its Employees and Suggestions for the Future

Human Resource Management HRM4003: Human Resource Management

Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. A Review of Salesforce 2.1 What is Salesforce 2.2 Mission, Goal/ Objectives, and Values 2.3 Business Strategy 2.4 Challenges for the Future 3. Work-life Balance 3.1 What is Work-life balance? 3.2 Why is Work-life balance important? 3.3 Work-life Balance and Health-Related Outcomes 3.4 Factors Affecting Work-Life Balance 4. How Salesforce has Addressed Potential Challenges to Work-life Balance 4.1 Increasing Flexibility

4.2 Parental/ Family Friendly Polices 4.3 Factors Affecting Work-Life Balance 4.4 Health and Wellness Benefits 4.5 Vacation and Time Off 4.6 Positive Physical Workplace 5. Evaluation of Salesforce’s Work-Life Balance Initiative 6. Recommendations to Salesforce to Address WLB-related Challenges 6.1 Encouragement from Management 6.2 Avoid the Negative Impacts of Flexibility Arrangement 6.3 Increasing WLB through Training and Development 7. Conclusion 8. Contribution Breakdown 9. References

Abstract

A popular concept in the literature known as work-life balance can be defined as a healthy and harmonious integration of work and personal life. The purpose of this paper is to establish work-life balance-what does this mean in the current environment and how it is practiced in Salesforce. Salesforce is the driving force of revenues top-line company growth. Employees are often recognized as a company’s greatest asset, and employees have a direct impact on how the marketplace perceives the

company and its products. Work-life balance plays a key role in retaining employees and developing a sales force that shows high engagement. Work-life struggle has huge business costs related to absence of commitment, non-attendance, turnover rates, low efficiency and innovativeness or helpless maintenance levels. Therefore, a company must utilize effective methods and implement programs and practices that can tackle barriers to work-life balance. In this paper, we propose solutions that can help the sales force target current company challenges to increase the work-life balance of its employees.

Keywords: Work-life balance, salesforce, integration, performance, flexible working hours, workplace culture

A Review of Salesforce What is Salesforce? Salesforce is a company that specializes in the development of cloud-based software for customer relationship management (CRM). Salesforce was founded in 1999 by previous Oracle executive Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, Dave Molellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez and is currently headquartered in SanFrancisco (Forbes, 2021). Since the inception of salesforce’s first CRM solution in February 2000, the company has capitalized on opportunities and stayed on top of technological innovations by expanding their services based on client needs (Salesforce, 2016). Salesforce’s services include application development, community management, analytic, sales force automation, customer service, customer support, marketing automation, and much more (Salesforce, 2016). Salesforce’s new leading Customer 360 platform integrates sales, services, marketing, commerce, and IT on to one AI-driven CRM platform, while tailoring the services offered to meet the needs of their customers (Salesforce, 2021). Salesforce platform is selected by over 150,000 enterprises globally, making it the top CRM platform worldwide (Snehaa & Prasad, 2018). It offers services to businesses of all sizes and industries (Salesforce, 2021)

Mission, Goal/ Objectives, and Values Salesforce prides themselves on their key values which they operate by - Equality, Customer Success, Innovation, and Trust (Salesforce, 2021). Salesforce strives to build customer trust and increase confidence in their technology offered by providing customers with superior performance, privacy, availability, and security (Salesforce, 2020). Additionally, salesforces encourage equality through various ways, including providing mentorship opportunities and professional development workshops to underrepresented groups (Salesforce, 2020). Furthermore, salesforce promotes continuous innovation, as they believe innovation is the key driving force to customer success and growth. Considering that today’s market is highly customer-centric, customer engagement is key for a business to unlock its true potential and be successful (Snehaa & Prasad, 2018). Salesforce’s mission is to help their customers become businesses that can be considered “customer companies” (Bielawski et al., 2015). Salesforce seeks to achieve this by creating an effective and novel way for companies to connect with their customers, employees, and partners, transforming the way in which companies innovate, sell, and market themselves (Bielawski et al., 2015). According to the 2021 Salesforce Annual Report, for the year coming, salesforce is expected to exceed $25 billion in revenue, and in the next five years, their goal is to reach $50 billion. Additionally, another goal stated in their 2021 Annual report is to increase underrepresentation. More specifically, to double the representation of Black individuals in leadership position and further increase representation of underrepresented minorities by 50% by 2024. Salesforce is also well known for its environmental initiatives. Salesforce’s goal is to reach 100% renewable energy by 2022. Furthermore, over the next decade, salesforce is on track to restore and grow 100 million trees (Salesforce, 2021).

Business Strategy

According to the 2021 Salesforce Annual report, the company’s current business growth strategy focuses on a few key factors. First, Salesforce seeks to further expand and deepen relationships with its existing customers. This can be done through upselling and cross-selling by encouraging customers to upgrade services and purchase new products and premium editions. Second, is to expand to new categories by creating innovative solutions. For example, salesforce developed Work.com to help businesses create a safer workplace. Work.com helped salesforce customers and businesses reopen effectively in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Third, continuing to grow and strengthen partner ecosystem. This includes expanding relationships with customers, third-party developers, and independent software vendors (ISVs). Fourth, expanding go-to-markets globally and finding customers in new untouched regions. Finally, their last strategy focuses on reducing customer attrition and ensuring renewal of subscriptions before the end of contract terms. This involves using company resources such as success management resources, and business strategist to help increase customer loyalty.

Challenges for the Future There are many challenges that Salesforce is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Salesforce Annual Report (2021), the pandemic and public health measures has impacted how salesforce operates their company and how salesforce’s customers are operating their business as well. Many customer events had to be rescheduled or cancelled all together. Although creating virtual event is a potential solution, it is not as successful in showcasing the products, or generating customer interest that tends to be achieved through in-person events. Conditions caused by COVID-19 may additionally adversely impact the willingness of customers to purchase salesforce’s services, which will affect company sales Salesforce is responding to the challenges brought by COVID-19 in several ways. First through protecting their employees. Salesforce has temporality closed all offices, and has nearly 57, 000 employees globally working from home. Second, through innovation and customer support by creating

solutions for salesforce customers to tackle challenges posed by the pandemic and to ensure safe reopening. Another challenge for salesforce is to stay ahead of competition. Considering that the industry is highly concentrated, and rapidly evolving, salesforce must continue to stand out from competitors. Some of salesforce’s competition includes internally developed applications by the customer’s IT department, software companies that offer their services for free or only charge a premium for advanced features, and companies that offer more specific services that are tailored to the needs of the company rather than a full suite of services that salesforce offers (Salesforce, 2021). Additionally, salesforce is seeking to expand their brand and product offerings. They are expecting to face elevated levels of competition in new markets which they have no experience in, while competitors will have a competitive advantage as they have the experience, knowledge, and stronger market position.

Work-life Balance Globalization has increased competition worldwide. A consequence of globalization is that there is an ever-growing pressure experienced by employees to increase productivity and demonstrate superior performance to stay in their jobs (Muthukumar et al., 2014). According to statistics Canada, 27% workers in Canada reported that they experienced “high to extreme levels of stress” in their day-to-day life. In other words, 1 in 4 Canadian workers are experiencing high stress levels (Statistic Canada, 2010). The lack of balance between work and personal life experienced by workers has shifted focus to the concept of work-life balance (WLB). There is currently a significant interest in studying the construct of WLB as values of workers are shifting towards a stronger desire to lead a life where work and personal life can be balanced (Bulger, 2014). What is Work-life balance?

Work-life balance (WLB) is often defined as an integration of work and personal life in a way where the two can exist harmoniously and do not interfere with each other (Muthukumar et al., 2014). An important aspect of work-life balance is the perception of little to no conflict between personal life and work-life (Bulger, 2014). Considering that an individual spends a significant amount time at work, it is most likely the case that work-related issues may spillover and impact personal life. Therefore, balancing work and personal life is something that can be challenging for many (Muthukumar et al., 2014).

Why is Work-life balance important? A healthy work environment requires a good WLB. Maintaining a healthy WLB is a crucial factor for reducing stress and preventing workplace burnout (Kohll, 2018). According to research, WLB is related to poor outcomes such as negative work outcomes, lower organizational commitment, lower job satisfaction, higher absenteeism, higher turnover rates, high stress, and overall lower performance (Bulger, 2014). Research has also found that WLB is related to employees’ behavioural outcomes. Studies have shown that individuals that have poor WLB and low job satisfaction show greater withdrawal at work (Oludayo et al., 2018), Additionally, they are also less engaged and more likely to show deviant behaviour that violate norms (Oludayo et al., 2018). However, a meta-analysis showed that when companies put effort in increasing employees WLB by taking actions such as creating flexible work schedules, job satisfaction increases, and intentions of turnover decrease (Beauregard & Henry, 2009). This can be explained by the social exchange theory- when an organization treats its employees well (e.g., by providing flexible hours, supportive practices, benefits), the employees will feel an obligation to respond by having a positive attitude towards the organization and performing positive behaviors that will benefit the organization (Beauregard & Henry, 2009). Another aspect of work life that is impacted by WLB in innovation and creativity. A study found that for a company to attain innovation related outcomes, the management must be supportive of a positive WLB culture (Cegarra-Navarro et al., 2015). This may be linked to fact that having a healthy WLB is associated with higher concentration in work-

related tasks, and concentration is key to the development of innovative ideas ( Alegre & Pasamar,

2017). In many ways, by creating a work environment that values WLB, employers can save money and retain a productive staff. This may also result to a workplace with employees that are motivated and not overburdened by their job (Kohlly, 2018).

Work-life Balance and Health-Related Outcomes There are a wide range of negative implication of poor WLB on organizational outcomes. However, negative health consequences of poor WLB on employees should not be neglected. Work-life imbalance can lead to work-related stress. Research has found that people who experienced work-related stress where twice as likely to experience negative health effects, including cardiovascular disease, back pain, infectious disease, and even certain cancers. Additionally, they are also twice as likely to experience mental health consequences such as anxiety, depression, and demoralization ( Atheya & Arora, 2014). Considering how important WLB is to the physical and mental wellbeing of an individual, it is the responsibility of both the individual employee and the employer to ensure that effort is being made to attain healthy WLB.

Factors Affecting Work-Life Balance Researchers Muthukumar et al. (2014) stated some factors in their paper that can impact WLB. First category of factors is related to the self. For instance, various psychological factors can heavily impact WLB. For example, how an individual perceives or reacts to stressful situations. Additional emotional factors and an individual’s emotion management ability will impact how the individual will react to life stressors. The second category of factors is related to the environment that an individual occupies. This includes an individual’s environment at home and in the workplace. Responsibilities at work and at home

should not be overburdening and unmanageable to the point where WLB is compromised. Finally other external factors, such as financial situation of the employee, social life, friend circle, and daily routine, all impact WLB. All mentioned factors must be considered to ensure optimal and healthy WLB.

How Salesforce has Addressed Potential Challenges to Work-life Balance Smartphones and other forms of technology has led to creation of “the never-ending workday”, which has replaced the tradition 8-hour workday that has historically been the norm. Our phones never stop ringing. Social networking applications keep us linked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our day is disrupted by the incessant "ding" of a fresh email arriving in our inbox. We are hooked into more gadgets than ever before for most of our day, and it can be difficult to switch them off because we are terrified of missing anything. In today's economy, it appears practically impossible to achieve work-life "balance" in any function without meticulous planning. Even the most promising employee can burn out. Salesforce has valued the importance of having balance between work and life. Salesforce is recognized globally for its strong company cultures and its substantial investment in its human capital. The 2021 Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For ranked Salesforce at #2 (while being on the list for 13 years in a row). Salesforce ranked 10th best on the Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in Canada. Additionally, ranked #1 for the Best Workplaces in Europe list. The following are specific measures adopted by Salesforce to address the challenges and barriers related to WLB.

Increasing Flexibility In a company blog post, Salesforce stated that “immersive workforce is no longer related to a desk in out Towers; the 9-to-5 workday is dead (Hyder, 2021). According to the article, during the beginning of the pandemic, as Salesforce transitioned from offices to homes, they implemented employee

wellbeing surveys to better understand how their employees were feeling and to address any issues that arose. It has resulted in significant changes to their programmes and practises. The results of the survey revealed that more than 50% of employees wanted to come into the office only a few times per month. However, 80% still desired to maintain a connection to a physical office. As a response to results of the survey, Salesforce implemented changes in three ways; (1) After reopening, most employees worldwide will work flex. This means they will only come to the office 1-3 days a week for meetings and group collaborations. (2) Providing a fully remote options for those employees that live far away or do not have job requirements where in-person attendance is a necessary. (3) Only a small number of employees will work in the office 4-5 days a week if they have roles in the company that requires in-person attendance. This initiative taken by Salesforce is a big step towards increasing employee WLB. Longitudinal studies have revealed that increased work flexibility is associated with overall higher employee wellbeing, lower absence due to sickness, lower work-related impairments, and higher job commitment over a year long period (Casey & Grzywacz, 2008). Salesforce work-from-anywhere approach will open new prospects for growth, allowing us to achieve more equality. Creating more flexible schedules also eliminates roadblocks that may make it more difficult to get to work every day, such as picking up children or caring for ill family members.

Parental/ Family Friendly Polices According to surveys, parents with children under 18 have greater demanding responsibilities at home than employees that do not have children or have children over 18. Furthermore, mothers with children under 18 find it incredibly difficult to balance work-related duties and child-care responsibilities and demands, which increases the likelihood of them leaving the workforce altogether (Jang, 2009). Companies that have family-friendly policies can support struggling parents achieve a healthy WLB. Salesforce has understood the challenges associated with parental obligations and has offered various types of family-friendly benefits. Along with flexible work options that were previously mentioned for all

employees, Salesforce offer maternal and parental leave, providing mothers, father, and adoptive parents 80% of their salary for a maximum of 26 weeks (Yerema & Leung, 2021). Gradual return-to-work are established for new parents to allow for phased-in return (e.g., only working 4 days a week for a month). Additionally, Salesforce provides $250 reimbursements for food so new parents do not need to start cooking right away after having their child (Johl, 2017). When it comes to adoptive parents, Salesforce reimburses parents (maximum of $10,000) per child for adoption related costs (Yerema & Leung, 2021). Furthermore, Salesforce offers a Milk Stork Membership that can be used by new mothers taking part in business travel to ship their breast milk home (Johl, 2017).

Health and Wellness Benefits Being overburdened with responsibilities can jeopardize an individual’s wellbeing and health. Health and wellness factors are incredibly important to consider when it comes to achieving WLB. Salesforce provides benefits to its employees to help them address challenges related to health and wellness that are often faced while balancing work and personal life responsibilities. First, salesforce provides it employees with health and dental benefits where employers pay up to 97% of premiums. To qualify, the employee must work at least 20 hours weekly. There is no waiting period for the health coverage and Salesforce also offer family coverage options (Yerema & Leung, 2021). Health coverage plans include medical travel insurance, physiotherapy, osteopathy, nutrition planning, virtual medical services, podiatrist, semi-private hospital room, massage therapy, chiropractor, and other traditional prescription drug coverage. Furthermore, Salesforce provides a health spending account for up $300 per year and a wellness spending account for up to $1,200 each year. In addition, employees have access ...