Wednesday, 08 February 2012

Work-life balance responsibility of employees, say workers

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 | By Ben Jones

Three-quarters of employees say it is their responsibility, not that of their employer, to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance, according to new research.

And 70% are concerned about their personal life affecting their performance at work, says a survey conducted by psychologist Richard MacKinnon.

MacKinnon, of talent management consultancy Talent Q, told Recruiter that employers should do more to offer their staff the chance to reach a work-life balance they are happy with, rather than simply offering the standard statutory options.

“Organisations will approach the idea of work-life balance from two directions – the statutory direction or be more innovative, and offer things like a menu of options which an employee can choose from, such a flexible working.

“You are damaging a person’s work-life balance if you ask them to work crazy hours.”

MacKinnon argues that senior figures in a business can set an example to other staff when it comes to balancing work and home life. “If the management population is walking the talk then employees will feel better about asking for flexible working and the like.”

A total of 39% of those surveyed said they’d had to sacrifice some aspect of work-life balance to keep their job during the recession, and less than half (44%) feel this balance will improve after the downturn.

In the survey, employees from the public sector felt they had to work longer hours to manage their workload than those working for private organisations, and single people and women contended that reducing their working hours, even temporarily, would harm their careers.

Women also felt, according to the research, that they should work long hours and be available all the time.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to work-life balance,” MacKinnon continues. “Employers have a duty of care towards their staff, but employees have to be aware of the nature of their job and engage with the issue of work-life balance.”

MacKinnon conducted his research using social networking sites as a vehicle for his surveys. He spoke at the recent British Psychological Society’s conference in Brighton on the subject of work-life balance. 

Readers' comments (4)

  • Sean Ryan--Ryan Careers Permanent Ltd. | Tue, 2 Feb 2010 11:16 am

    I remember when men were men and dogs barked at strangers.

    I remember when I used to walk eight miles a day to and from work, and work 12 hours a day digging roads to feed my family.

    Work-life balance — get real. Did I work all my life to build a business to wrap people in cotton wool? I don't think so.

    If they don't want to work, let them try their hand at living in a third-world country where people sell their body parts to feed their families.

    Does nobody realise the sacrifices the employers made to give them work?

    If you want to work, then work. If not, step aside and let someone else have your job.

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  • Tara Hewitt - Ebb & Flow Life Coaching | Thu, 4 Feb 2010 5:05 am

    We all have a fixed amount of energy to use each day, and how we distribute that energy between the different aspects of our life influences our balance. If we put too much energy into work, we have too little for the other important parts of life – over time this can result in burnout.

    Burnout does no one any favours - employers or employees. Burnt out employees are unhappy, unhealthy, less productive, and likely to take more sick days than others.

    Each person is an individual with unique requirements. It is up to employers to ask their staff what they need and provide a range of options for people to choose from and negotiate. It is equally important for employees to research options, speak out and ask for what they want.

    Tara Hewitt is a personal life coach with interests including downshifting, work-life balance, and living simply and sustainably. For more information visit www.ebbandflowcoaching.com.au

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  • Cameron Phillips | Sat, 6 Feb 2010 0:16 am

    ...and what sort of relationship do you have with your kids?

    Your work ethic and your sense of duty to your family are laudable. However, I'm guessing you grew up in an era when all men were expected to do was bring home a paycheck. That's not the case anymore. As a 40-something working father of two kids, I want to work, love my job, but I am not willing to sacrifice my relationship with my kids.

    Thankfully, smart employers are recognising that men have more responsibilities these days and are willing to accommodate that.

    I don't think anyone is asking for a free ride – just a bit of flexibility.

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  • Laura Moulton | Mon, 8 Feb 2010 9:46 pm

    Richard, great work, happy to read of it here!

    Very interested in the differences for men/women around the perceived value of "face time" at the office.

    I agree that one key is employees owning a responsibility to discuss possibilities of options for flexible work plans to facilitate their personal balance. Managers are not expected to be mind-readers or to pick up on every clue that someone is approaching burnout. The confidence to do this during a weak economy seems to be a significant barrier, however.

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