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Work/Life Losing its Balance

February 28, 2012 mikekato 2 comments

Human Resource Executive Online – Work/Life Loses its Balance.

This article on Human Resource Executive Online looks at the drop, as a motivator, from 4th to 7th for work/life balance among American corporate leaders, between 2006 and 2009. For the past 3 years, it has maintained its position at #7 of 19 possible motivators surveyed. While this drop is not large, it is significant, because it is frequently said that only the top 5 motivators have a great effect on their actions/choices. If so, then the idea that work/life balance is critical for success may no longer a priority among a great many corporate leaders in the US.

In the rest of the world, such a balance may be even less of a motivation. It is frequently said that in Asia people work harder than in most of the world. While the balance between work and life is complex and very affected by culture, the idea that employers should be concerned for the work/life balance of their employees is one that often starts with how corporate leaders think about it for themselves.

I’m very concerned about leadership, though I’m not as concerned with *corporate leadership* nor what the CL have to say… Nevertheless, it is somewhat disconcerting that CL concerns for work/life balance is lower in importance to them than 6 years ago – if it isn’t as important to them as then, then it is likely that they don’t care as much about balance for their employees, either.

While I believe that my work is my life, giving me the balance that enables my to be healthy and energized, for most people, work is a 9-to-5 grind. I also think that usually, when execs start to question the importance of work/life balance, it is time to “watch out” – they usually are prepping to step up the pace on the assembly line and drop the axe on those who fail to hop uptempo.