The truth behind attaining work/life balance

PRESS RELEASE
27 October 2010

The truth behind attaining work/life balance

Is work/life balance really attainable? 44.01 percent of New Zealanders think it is - but say it is up to them to make it work.

In a survey by recruiting experts Hays, a further 37.22 percent think work/life balance is attainable – but say a flexible employer is the key. 18.77 percent feel work/life balance is not attainable.

“As this survey shows, most New Zealanders now believe work/life balance is achievable, provided they either find the right employer or they take matters into their own hands,” said Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand.

“This is good news for job seekers because the recent conversations we’ve had with them shows that work/life balance has shot up their priority list. It’s starting to replace job security now that we’re seeing the job market start to improve.

“While salary and career progression are also important factors in a job seeker’s decision, it’s the potential for work/life balance that can be the deal breaker in an offer that otherwise ticks all the boxes.

“The most common work/life balance approaches we see are compressed working weeks and part-time work. Job sharing and working from home are also becoming more common.

“From an employee perspective, the main reasons they want flexible working options are to gain more personal time or to cope with care arrangements for children or elderly relatives – a trend only set to increase given future demographic changes.

“Meanwhile, the employers we speak to that have practical and flexible working options in place often say productivity has increased and staff retention and loyalty have improved because their employees’ work/life balance is better. Employers that offer flexible working options to support their employees also gain a good reputation in their industry,” he said.

According to Hays, simple, flexible working options can make the difference between keeping and losing staff at a critical time, when the best employees are needed to drive recovery.

“The key is to make available the flexible working options most sought after by employees,” added Jason. “A one-size fits-all approach will not work. That’s why almost half of our survey respondents said work/life balance is only attainable if they make it work. It’s important for employers to speak to their staff about the options that will allow them to achieve the desired work/life balance.

“This is where the public sector has a clear advantage over the private sector; the public sector has a good reputation for offering flexible working options for all employees.

“Ultimately, we see flexible working policies as a positive move for both employers and employees and we hope to see continued improvements in this area,” said Jason.

The survey was conducted on www.hays.net.nz. 618 people responded.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

- Ends -

© Scoop Media