Demands for Work Life Balance Met with the Help of a Wingspouse

Online, May 23, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Wingspouse Consulting, a Tennessee-based company, has caught the attention of the business community with its creative approach to work life balance. This approach, referred to as the wingspouse concept, includes recognizing relationships as an important aspect in productivity, recruitment, retention, and ultimately saving money.

In this approach, spouses of management level employees are invited to take an active role in their partners' careers. They may offer feedback, participate in a networking event, or show a candidate's spouse around the community. In some cases, they may occasionally accompany their partners on a trip. "Cultivating a true partnership between an executive and the spouse has a snowball effect," explains Kathi Browne, founder of Wingspouse Consulting and an executive spouse herself, "the couple communicates better, the executive works smarter, the spouse coordinates better, and the company sees a positive effect to the bottom line."

A notable research project conducted in 1996 supports Mrs. Browne's statement. It reported that American businesses lost an estimated $6 billion due to decreased productivity related to relationships (Forthofer, Markman, Cox, Stanley & Kessler, 1996). In addition, stress-related issues cost Corporate America $300 billion annually (Valasquez-Manof, 2005), a clear indication of the potential savings a successful program could offer to businesses.

Along with executive spouse coaching, Wingspouse Consulting maintains a blog (at www.wingspouse.com) which has also been attracting attention. Browne's bold claim of redefining the spouse role has women debating whether a wingspouse is a reinvention of an old stereotype or a reflection of a more modern feminist.

Regardless of which side one takes in the debate, it is clear that businesses are eager to find new ways to save money and retain their best employees. As more and more executives consider work life balance a priority, maybe cost savings should be a family affair.