The growing importance of work-life balance in the labor market

As many as 20% of employees are considering changing their jobs due to the lack of balance between their professional and private lives. That is the conclusion reached by the latest report published by Hays Poland and Mind & Soul Business under the title "New era of motivation". People focus strongly on career development, but at the same time they want to have time to relax and pursue their passions. Unfortunately, nearly 40% of Poles rate their work-life balanceas being at the bad to medium level.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) presents a better life index, which is significantly influenced by, among others, the work-life balance index. The latest comparison clearly shows that it is Dutch, Danish and French companies that offer the best conditions for combining work and personal life. The worst companies in this respect are in Turkey and Mexico. Poland scored 6.5 points on a 10-point scale, which is unfortunately not a good result. We still have far to go to achieve a good balance and – what is even worse - a significant number of employers do not even realize how important the work-life balance is on the labor market at the moment - as many as 34% of people take overtime because they are under pressure from their superiors.

Overworked employees

The study was carried out for the first time in 2006, and the conclusions it reached can be summarized by the work-life balance. In 2019, employees have begun suggesting specific solutions to the problem. We have learned that it is important for them to have a good work atmosphere, the opportunity to work remotely and to spend time on personal and intellectual development. As it turns out, half of them work over 40 hours a week. The higher the position, the greater the number of obligations and, consequently, the greater amount of overtime hours worked.

We are generally overloaded with work, and therefore stressed out and frustrated. This, in turn, translates into a worse overall mood and - of course - reflects on our private lives. The report by Hays Poland and Mind & Soul Business clearly shows that Poles devote about 6 hours a week to their life partners, and only about 9 hours a week to their children. This is very little. Such an overload of work also causes a number of health consequences. Poles complain of headaches, backaches, neck and muscle pains. They also have trouble sleeping and suffer from chronic fatigue. Of course, this is all affected by the overly demanding work environment, the need to perform work "after hours", as well as during holidays or when sick.

A signal to employers

The better the employee's well-being, the greater his/her efficiency and effectiveness on a daily basis. Employers should start to realize how important the balance between work and private life is. Innovative solutions should be sought beyond what is offered so far. The benefits proposed by employers should match the real needs of their employees - so as to improve their quality of life. The option of remote work, flexible schedules, additional breaks for physical activity, rehabilitation at work - are all benefits that are increasingly gaining importance in the work place and are appreciated by employees, because they can help balance the various spheres of life.

An effective work-life balance does not have to mean an exact balance between time devoted to work – it is more about the quality of this time, as well as the level of commitment. To help employees achieve this state, companies are increasingly introducing solutions aimed at effective time management – hence they have begun offering their employees, among other things, the opportunity to work from home or to be renumerated for work results, not the time spent in the company.

The right balance between the professional and private spheres is increasingly important, including on the Polish labor market. The ability to achieve and maintain a work-life balance is currently one of the most important criteria on the basis of which Poles make their professional career decisions. In order for employees to achieve a balance between their professional and personal lives the employers' support is essential - in the past the concept of work-life balance primarily referred to a balance between work and home, today it not only covers flexible working hours, but also takes into consideration the daily needs of employees.