The Equality Authority, on behalf of the committee, is currently drawing up a shortlist of consultants for the scheme, which will be officially launched later this year.

Under the scheme, firms can apply for a week's free access to human resources consultants, who will help them develop their own work-life balance programmes.

According to the authority's chief executive and committee member Niall Crowley, the move represents a significant shift in the committee's approach.

"Our previous focus was on providing information on work-life balance to employers. The big question now in the area though is how to advance it, " he said.

"What we are trying to achieve is more flexibility in workplace working arrangements, especially for people with caring responsibilities and a diversity of employees in the workplace including older people, migrant workers and people with disabilities."

Crowley said that the committee believed that many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) already had some informal flexible working arrangements and the challenge facing them was develop formal procedures.

He said that the committee also hoped to use the new scheme to persuade SMEs that the cost of introducing flexible working arrangements was often much less than expected.

"Obviously costs are an important factor for SMEs but work-life balance is more about how to arrange work so it's not a big cost item. Also, with this programme by allowing companies to access advice for free, we're removing the remaining cost factor, " he said.

One of the main promoters of the scheme will be the state's main employers' organisation IBEC through the Small Firms Association.

According to Finola McDonnell, IBEC's social policy executive, it will be of particular benefit to small firms without any human resources expertise, particularly when it came to attracting new staff.

"Nowadays in our tight labour market, employees are attracted to business which offer packages that contain more than just an attractive salary. They are looking for things like flexible working arrangements or the ability to take career breaks etc, " she said.

McDonnell said that worklife balance policies could also help small firms to increase their productivity and staff retention rates.

"Ultimately, you'll end up with a more satisfied and loyal workforce, which is good for business and that the main reward for firms looking at this."