It is now October and my book is finally going live. We lost a few months due to additions and corrections, but we are finally there. And I am very excited to announce that my book about the work/life movement will be available on Amazon and at bookstores throughout the country this week, and the ebook will also be available later this week as well. I am looking forward to reaction from the people who meant so much to me during the time of my involvement in the work/life arena. Thus far, I know that the friends that I contacted during the writing of the book were so supportive of my effort and glad that I attempted to draw attention to a time when we worked so hard to achieve a goal. As my Dedication states:

To all my brilliant friends and colleagues, who became the Pioneers of the work/life field and began working diligently forty years ago to raise CEO awareness to promote the concept that work/life balance matters.

Many of those friends and colleagues are mentioned throughout the pages of the book, and, sad to say, many of my special friends have since passed away, leaving a lasting legacy. I hope that you will join me in praising all of the efforts during that important time from the early 80s to the beginning of the new millennium.

It is also my hope that those individuals who are currently serving within the human resource arena will take a look back in history with me to see how the important work of The Pioneers impacted the current scene, and can reflect on its importance.

The back cover reads:

What evolved to become the work/life movement in corporate America began in the early 80s, when several professionals recognized the inadequacy of programs or policies to fulfill the needs of working parents as women entered the workforce in record numbers. Those professionals became the Pioneers within a new industry. As corporate executives were faced with the challenge of retaining a talented and dedicated workforce, and keeping workers productive on the job, they sought assistance from those forward-thinking and committed individuals.

This book is one consultant’s journey as the new field was being created, and the role she and her colleagues played in its development. Ann Vincola Votta describes the environment, the players, and the process, as attention grew to incorporating work/life programs and policies into a compressive human resource agenda.

The author describes the economic impetus for the creation of new programs, such as on-site child care, as well as other types of programs and services established. She also outlines her journey as her own career evolved during the twenty-year period from 1981 to 2001.

This is a history of what happened, and how some of the professional involved achieved a worthwhile goal.

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Ann Vincola Votta has shown that the historical and current perspectives on work/life balance effectively emphasize our changing society as it shifted the cultural focus from family to individual diversity. Her recognition that while there may be shifts in focus, the underlying and pervasive reality that employers must respond to and support a balanced life for his human capital prevails and remains timeless. Dr. Desiree Del-Zio, Ed.D, CEO and Principal Consultant, DE&C Consulting, Charlotte, NC.

I hope you will agree and enjoy taking a look back.