The survey findings revealed that only 29 percent of workers view their employer's work/life balance initiatives as good or excellent; in fact, 58 percent say their employer encourages working too much. Furthermore, the long-term outlook does not look promising - 61 percent of HR pros believe there will be more employer-provided work/life balance initiatives in five years, and only 56 percent believe that general work/life balance will improve in the future.
"Developing and promoting a work/life balance program can be a key differentiator in today's challenging recruitment market where there are ample opportunities for job seekers. Thus, employers should look to improve their employment brand by creating and promoting a flexible, balanced work atmosphere as an effective means of improving recruitment and retention," said Jesse Harriott, vice president of research, Monster. "Moreover, we found that a healthy work/life balance is more valued by younger workers - Gen X and Gen Y - so, employers looking to cultivate those talent pools would be well-advised to promote related initiatives."
Employers Undervalue Significance of Work/Life Balance Initiatives' Impact on Recruitment
More than three-fourths of workers believe that work/life balance initiatives result in more loyal and efficient employees, and 82 percent say that in the offer stage, a potential employer's work/life balance initiatives are important or very important to consider. However, only half (49 percent) of HR professionals feel they acquire more qualified candidates because of their work/life balance initiatives.
Managers and Corporate Culture Largely Shape Employee Work/Life Balance
Sixty percent of employees say they spend too much time working - with about one-third (35 percent) blaming their boss' expectations and one-fourth (26 percent) saying they overwork to fit in with corporate culture.
In addition, 91 percent of workers have worked directly with someone they would classify as a "workaholic." Of this group, 51 percent say that doing so spurred working longer hours; 28 percent report giving up vacation days as a result. Image plays a part, as well - 25 percent of workers admitted to boasting about work/life imbalance to demonstrate commitment and hard work ethic.
Technology's Impact on Work/Life Balance
Interestingly, workers believe that advances in mobile technology will actually damage their work/life balance, as evidenced by the following findings:
* 64 percent predict that employees will spend more time working due to the increased use of PDAs, while 72 percent say the same will be true due to the increased use of laptop computers
* Of workers who currently have a PDA, 44 percent wish they could relinquish using it outside of work
* Nearly one-third say their PDA limits the quality of face-to-face interactions with colleagues and/or people outside of work
Survey Methodology
The 2007 Monster Work/Life Balance Survey was conducted online in August 2007. Respondents include 506 human resource professionals and 830 workers. This poll is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.
