---What does the word commitment mean here?

Question

Dear All:The phrase below is copied from webpage:Why work for IBM? The reasons are as many and varied as our employees. Global opportunities. Heavyweight intellectual challenge. In-depth industry expertise.Ideas that change the way we live and work. A commitment to work/life balance. What will inspire you at IBM?I can fluently read all of sentences but the sentence: "A commitment to work/life balance". The reason is mainly causedby the word "commitment"Somebody here can help me?Thanks in advance !Bill Zhao2003, 10, 24

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Dear All: The phrase below is copied from webpage: Why work for IBM? The reasons are as many and varied ... sentence: "A commitment to work/life balance". The reason is mainly caused by the word "commitment" Somebody here can help me?[/nq]
I guess m-w.com's definition isn't very helpful:
c : the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled
It means, IBM knows it is important that their employees balance work and life (personal & family) responsibilities, and they have promised to help them do so. A commitment is a lot like a promise.

It probably refers to child care, although maybe other personal needs.

Best Donna Richoux

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Dear All: The phrase below is copied from webpage: Why ... caused by the word "commitment" Somebody here can help me?[/nq]
[nq:1]I guess m-w.com's definition isn't very helpful: c : the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled ... so. A commitment is a lot like a promise. It probably refers to child care, although maybe other personal needs.[/nq]
It probably only means that the copywriter's brief included the note: "Keywords: opportunities, challenge, in-depth, commitment, expertise try and work as many of these in as you can".

Ross Howard

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Dear All: The phrase below is copied from webpage: Why ... caused by the word "commitment" Somebody here can help me?[/nq]
[nq:1]I guess m-w.com's definition isn't very helpful: c : the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled ... so. A commitment is a lot like a promise. It probably refers to child care, although maybe other personal needs.[/nq]
To me, it would imply that the company understands it is important for people find a balance between what they give to their job and what they give to their personal life. It suggests the company are not going to expect people to stay till unearthly hours to finish projects, that people are not expected to take home enough work to occupy their entire weekend, that a request for a morning off to watch a child's school assembly is just as valid as hosting a visit by an important customer. Of course, if that's what they mean, you'd have to wonder why they wouldn't come right out and say so.
But, hey, we have our own tame (ish) resident ex-Big Bluer whose hollow laughter I hear approaching ...

John Dean
Oxford
De-frag to reply

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Dear All: The phrase below is copied from webpage: Why work for IBM? The reasons are as many and varied ... all of sentences but the sentence: "A commitment to work/life balance". The reason is mainly caused by the word "commitment"[/nq]
Dedication. They've dedicated themselves to achieving a so-called "work/life balance" for their employees. This basically means that they don't expect people to sacrifice time spent with family (e.g., attending children's soccer games) in favor of time spent with IBM beyond a certain point, though they don't say what that point is. The reference is sort of to a perceived or imaginary or real past time in which people in certain occupational groups worked so hard (or so physically removed from their families or households) that they enjoyed no healthy balance between work life and non-work life.
[nq:1]Somebody here can help me?[/nq]
Well, if you're really interested in working for IBM, you can check with several people on this newsgroup, and in particular Doc Robin Bignall. I'm sure he'll confirm the characteristics noted in the material you've excerpted. There are a few other people here who don't seem to understand that people can get by in life without even thinking much, or at all, about IBM. For some reason, when you consider that IBM is a US-based company, most of these people seem to be British (or Australian if you count Peter Moylan's obsession (can it not be called an obsession?) with OS/2). (I mean, Peter, it's just another operating system FCOL.)

There's some sort of cultural lesson to be learned here, but what it is is not clear. From Doc Bignall's reminiscings, and from what I've heard about former times where IBM employees of all ranks (other than female ones like Lexy Connor) were required to wear starched-white Sipowicz shirts (why?) and neckties (rather like that Dilbert fellow), I get the sense that in 1970s Britain (or France, or Nottinghamshire, whatever), at least, IBM was in some ways more cult than company. Not that there's anything wrong with that; some of my best friends are more cult than company.

Usenet · Answer

Ross Howard filted:
[nq:1]It probably only means that the copywriter's brief included the note: "Keywords: opportunities, challenge, in-depth, commitment, expertise try and work as many of these in as you can".[/nq]
Once I found a list of what were described as "winning words"...you were assured of attracting attention if you included as many of them as possible in your sales pitch, because they pushed people's buttons...the list was (alphabetically since I don't have the original order):
discover, easy, guarantee, health, love, money, need, proven, results, safety

I can only assume that words have come on and off this list since the one I saw was compiled...today's version (to judge from the contents of my spam filter) probably contains "DVDs", "vicodin", "*****" and "ink-jet"..r

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I guess m-w.com's definition isn't very helpful: c : the ... probably refers to child care, although maybe other personal needs.[/nq]
[nq:1]To me, it would imply that the company understands it is important for people find a balance between what they ... morning off to watch a child's school assembly is just as valid as hosting a visit by an important customer.[/nq]
Oh yes indeedy.. Very suggestive.
[nq:1]Of course, if that's what they mean, you'd have to wonder why they wouldn't come right out and say so.[/nq]
heh..
[nq:1]But, hey, we have our own tame (ish) resident ex-Big Bluer whose hollow laughter I hear approaching ...[/nq]
Dead ****** right. The biggest and hollowest laugh of the day. Decade, actually. It's almost enough to make me eat my 'THINK' sign.

wrmst rgrds
Robin Bignall
Quiet part of Hertfordshire
England
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/docrobin/homepage.htm

Usenet · Answer

Thank you very much.
I cannot see Donna's original mail on my pc.
Is the news server losing mails?
Bill Zhao
"Ross Howard" (Email Removed) ??

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Thank you very much. I cannot see Donna's original mail on my pc. Is the news server losing mails?[/nq]
I don't know, but Ross did quote my message in full, so you have seen it. I'll leave it in this message as well (from "I guess..." to "personal needs."
[nq:1]employees. industry to[/nq]
[nq:2]It probably only means that the copywriter's brief included the ... and work as many of these in as you can".[/nq]
Best wishes Donna Richoux
Posted & emailed

---What does the word commitment mean here?

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