A growing number of studies capture a changing landscape for work/life balance in today’s multi-generational workforce. They reveal the need to integrate flexible diversity and work/life initiatives that promote employee commitment, improve productivity, result in lower turnover and decrease the likelihood of unethical business practices. They also show that all generations and both genders expect a range of work/life balance assistance from their employers.
- Gen X and Gen Y see work as part of their life, but it is not their LIFE. Quote from a Gen Y’er: “If there’s going to be a clash in work-life balance, life wins.”
McCrindle Research, 2006 Study on Generations at Work
- An online poll of 5,000 workers found nearly six out of 10 put a healthy work-life balance as their most important workplace goal for 2008.
Careers website, www.beyond.com
- When employees are "out of balance," they experience more stress and fatigue and tend to be absent from work more often due to these reasons.
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2005
- More than half of respondents (59%) believe it is the responsibility of employers to promote wellness, compared with 49% in 2005.
Employee Benefits/HAS Healthcare Research 2008 ( UK)
- One in four American workers say they’ve missed work due to work-related stress.
Mental Health America, 2008
- Despite the bleaker economic outlook leading to fears of less job security this year, two new polls have put better work-life balance high on the priority list for most Americans .
2008, www.management-issues.com
"We're at the tip of the iceberg. The next 10 to 15 years will bring significant changes to expectations of what employers need to provide.”
- Steve Miranda, of the Society for Human Resource Management, in Alexandria, Va.
“Occasionally in history, massive demographic change combines with relentless technological change and within a generation society altogether changes. Today we are living in such an era.”
- McCrindle Research, 2006 Study on Generations at Work
“So many more options are available to today's young that companies have to approach them differently than previous generations. "Savvy, leading-edge companies are realizing there's no right or wrong. They're just different."
- David Stillman, Author. When Generations Collide, (2002)
"For the company as a whole, work/life balance is a priority because it allows us to be competitive and attract a diverse slate of candidates."
- Michael DesMarais, Vice President of Human Capital Management, Goldman Sachs
"Work/life balance was a foreign concept, and it was not embraced automatically. Now, as a company, we are beginning to believe that a satisfying personal life affects an employee’s job."
- William Ives, Vice President for benefits, compensation, labor and employee relations, Macy’s East.
Towers Perrin sees work/life as an enabler of diversity, and diversity is critical to our existence. We have to have diversity of thought and diversity of connections with our clients, or we become irrelevant."
- Emmett Seaborn, Principal, Towers Perrin
"Diversity certainly motivates work/life programs. We spent time defining diversity, and one of the important points was encouraging a diverse workforce by promoting work/life flexibility."
- Dennis Stern, Vice President for Human Resources, The New York Times |
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