PITTSBURGH – The stakes have been upped as far as employees achieving the “holy grail” of having it all and enjoying a healthy work/life balance. A recent KEYGroup research study reveals that one in five respondents plans to look for a new job this year-specifically because of the “balance” issue. “If you shrug off this question with an attitude of `that's their responsibility not mine' think again,” said KEYGroup CEO/Founder Dr. Joanne G. Sujansky. “Balance really is a bottom-line issue. Fact is, many companies simply don't have a culture that emphasizes work/life balance. There's a prevailing attitude among employers that employees are there to work and their personal life, or lack thereof, is irrelevant. Let me bluntly say that if you think this way, it will harm your company. Guaranteed.” According to Sujansky, organizations that help employees foster a healthy work/life balance will create a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization, where all employees feel a sense of ownership for the organization and their work resulting in a loyal, innovative, productive staffer with an entrepreneurial attitude. “What's really interesting about this survey finding,” said Sujansky, “is that it's the opposite of how one might expect unhappy employees to act in an age of economic uncertainty. Rather than telling themselves they're lucky to have a job at all, they're resolving to do something about their dissatisfaction. People re-think their priorities. They focus on what really matters to them. And you know, working long hours for a job that's unfulfilling isn't going to make the cut.” Sujansky adds that employees who are treated holistically as individuals who have lives outside the office are grateful and will reward employers with their hard work and loyalty. In addition, for work/life balance to work it has to be reflected from the top of the organization down. In light of the survey findings, Credit Union Times talked to a few credit union CEOs to see how they manage their own work/life balance. Here is a look. “I married a very strong woman who keeps me in balance with four kids and 10 grandkids. The work end of the equation was sometimes very tough. We were the original credit union for Pan Am and in 1991 when they went out of business the job took 25 hour days and my wife and family understood. We also have a strong staff. I'm surrounded by terrific people and there is a real team effort that makes it easier to get away and recharge the batteries by enjoying the family. In our case here, the children and wife can make it easy or difficult. I'm lucky, my wife is my best friend and she has understood throughout there were times things had to get done and she took on the burden and moved on. It was always a comfort to know she was there. “In terms of achieving balance a lot of it depends more on the family than the position. I really believe that if my career took away enjoyment with family I'd change careers. Family is most important. I've been with this credit union since 1964 and served as CEO since 1980 and successfully managing family and career takes teamwork in the workplace and a loving family at home. That being said, I always made it a point every year to get away with the entire family even when we didn't have two nickels to rub together. The kids didn't know we were staying at a $90 a week cabin in New Hampshire – they just know they enjoyed themselves and had a great time as a family.” Nicholas Lacetera CEO People's Alliance FCU Hauppauge, N.Y. “It is a really difficult balancing act so my approach is to try to be flexible and efficient with my time. I guess my guiding principle is that you can't regain the years with your children and their childhood. I attend school events and leave about 5:30-6 p.m. to be home for dinner or those activities and to spend some quality time with my wife. After she goes to bed I take about 45 minutes to catch up on work e-mails. On the weekends, since I am such an early riser, I spend 30 minutes to an hour while everyone is sleeping to catch up with things not done at the office. After that the rest of the weekend is devoted to my family. I also set aside four hours every Wednesday to focus on catching up on different things. “It is so important to practice what you preach. Beyond just telling employees it is important to balance your time, you have to live it and they have to see that too. My children are now ages 16 and 18 and now they are more interested in spending more time on their own, but we still have dinner together and the annual week-long family vacation tradition continues. When our children were younger our happiest times were found at Walt Disney World -it delivered a fun, magical experience every time. Now that they are older we also take a few days during spring break.” Issa Stephan CEO MON-OC FCU Toms River, N.J. “I'm fortunate compared to many because my husband is self-employed and has a great deal of flexibility. Because of that he can travel with me quite a bit. Even when he's not able to travel with me we make it a point to talk on the phone every day to touch base. We are also very respectful of our time together so if I have a lot of projects for work then I'll get up early in the mornings to do them rather than work on the weekend. That way Saturdays and Sundays are spent together without distractions. I think we have to always be careful to stay connected. If available, he also attends our credit union community events. Since credit union conferences tend to be in nice locations, we also take few days before or after a meeting as vacation. For example we are headed to the WOCCU conference but afterward we will also spend a week in England and a few days in Paris exploring. What also helps a lot is having an excellent staff.” Patsy Van Ouwerkerk CEO Travis CU Vacaville, Calif. “I have to admit the balancing act is a little easier for me now since my youngest child is a freshman in college and my oldest of three is 29. I've even started taking up golf! When they were growing up it was tough because I'd go away on conferences, seminars, serve on several boards and I couldn't take them to ball practice or help them with their homework. It was tougher on my wife than me, but I still felt that pull of wanting to be home. “For me, what worked was being very involved and when I came home at night I'd quickly change clothes and as a family we'd race off to the ball field or dance class-basically I was involved with the kids' lives. When I was growing up it was very different; parents would come home from work and want to go to a quiet corner. Not me. I'd find ways to really be a part of all their activities so there was always a quality of time spent together. I've been here at the credit union for 27 years and have seen from time to time people that take work home and it creates stress. I've always been able to leave the discussion of my job at work and not bring it home. I am lucky in that I have an excellent staff so I don't have the 24-hour worry I used to have.” Jack Braswell CEO Members CU Winston-Salem, N.C. Page 85 FinCEN Offers Fast Facts on SARs Filed by Depository Institutions WASHINGTON-According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's latest By the Numbers report out this month, Suspicious Activity Reporting by financial institutions increased significantly in the first half of 2005. Depository institutions filed 251,092 SARs filed in the first half of 2005, compared to 381,671 filed in all of 2004. Casinos were the only category where filings in the first half of 2005 were not more than half the entire previous year. Other bits of information to be gleaned from the depository institution section of FinCEN's report (from the mandated reporting date in April 1996 through June 30, 2005): * Between April 1996 and June 30, 2005, 1,921,798 SARs were filed by depository institutions. * The volume of SAR filings in the first six months of 2005 increased 45% over those filed in the same period in 2004. * Bank Secrecy Act/structuring/money laundering continued to be the leading characterization of suspicious activity filed by depository institutions. * Since April 1996, 61,278 Suspicious Activity Reports have been filed for suspected mortgage loan fraud. Of these reports, 48% were filed in 2004 and 2005. In the first six months of 2005, mortgage loan fraud increased 33% from the corresponding six-month reporting period in 2004. * In the first six months of 2005, bribery/gratuity increased 148% from the corresponding six-month period in 2004. * The suspicious activity characterization counterfeit instrument (other) increased 130% from the corresponding six-month period.