Most Professionals Say They Are Achieving Work-Life Balanace

When it comes to work-life balance, new research suggests the scales are tipping in employees’ favor. In a Robert Half Management Resources survey, 77 percent of workers characterized their work-life balance as good or very good.

Nearly half of respondents (45 percent) reported they have greater balance than three years ago.

Balance also has reached the C-suite. In a separate survey, 82 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) rated their work-life balance as good or very good.

While generally positive, the findings show room for improvement. About one in five of all workers (22 percent) and 17 percent of CFOs specifically consider their work-life balance fair or poor.

In the survey of workers, 14 percent of respondents said they have less balance now compared to three years ago.

Respondents were asked how they would rate their work-life balance. Their responses*:

	All Workers	CFOs
Very good – It’s right where I want it to be	30%	28%
Good – It’s close to where I want it to be	47%	54%
Fair – It needs improvement	20%	14%
Poor – I don’t have balance	2%	3%
	99%	99%

In the survey of all workers, respondents also were asked how their work-life balance has changed compared to three years ago. Their responses*:

Getting better	45%
No change	42%
Getting worse	14%
	101%

* Totals do not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

“Work-life balance can have different meanings for different people — for some, leaving at 5 o’clock every night is the ideal, and for others, scheduling flexibility and remote work options offer the greatest benefit,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director for Robert Half. “Employers today are introducing more flexibility in how, when and where work is performed, and employees are reaping the rewards. At the same time, businesses can enjoy enhanced retention efforts.”

McDonald noted that while technology makes it easier for employees to multitask, there is a risk of blurring the lines between work and personal time. “There’s no doubt technology allows for added flexibility, but it’s easy to succumb to the temptation of constantly staying connected and tapping into on-demand access to information.”