Work Life Balance

Work Life Balance

• What is work life balance?
• What influences work life balance?
• How do Australians feel about their work life balance?
• Who is affected by a lack of work life balance?
  • Parents
  • Carers
  • Gender
  • Income and working hours
  • Type of employment
  • Commuting, age and level of education
• Benefits of work life balance
• Risks associated with work life conflict

Work life balance refers to an individual’s ability to balance the commitments, responsibilities and goals relating to their paid work (e.g. working hours, expected outputs of the job, career advancement), with personal commitments, responsibilities and desires (e.g. parenting, recreational activities, community commitments, further education). Individuals who maintain a healthy balance between work and life achieve a sense of wellbeing and feel that they not only have control over their working life (e.g. by being able to determine when and how much they work), but also to lead a rich and fulfilling personal life.

On the contrary, individuals who do not find a healthy balance between work and life experience conflict between work and personal commitments, known as work life conflict. These individuals may have to forgo dedicating time to life in order to fulfil work responsibilities or vice versa.

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breastfeeding and child-rearing also influence an individual’s ability to achieve a healthy work life balance. Employee control over work and work flexibility is of critical importance to employees who are also parents.

Parenting and Work Life Balance

More information on Breastfeeding in the Workplace

mental health;

Using prescription drugs;

Stress; and

Dissatisfaction with personal relationships.

Being dissatisfied with various aspects of work (which increases the likelihood of dissatisfaction with work life balance) is also associated with poor health outcomes. For example, another Australian survey reported that individuals who experience job strain and insecurity were approximately two and a half times more likely to experience depression or anxiety, and that they were also more likely to experience poor physical health. A further Australian survey reported an approximately 13 times increased risk of depression or anxiety amongst managers and professionals who experienced job strain, compared to those who did not. There is also evidence that long and/or atypical working hours are associated with depression and other psychological conditions such as anxiety. Highly demanding and stressful jobs have also been associated with poor emotional and physical health outcomes. Thus, finding a secure and satisfying job can considerably improve psychological and physical health amongst workers.

absenteeism;

More difficulty attracting employees (for companies) and particularly skilled employees;

Increased staff turnover;

Increased recruitment costs;

Reduced morale amongst employees; and

Reduced workforce diversity.

Experiencing work life conflict may also reduce a worker’s productivity and performance when they are at work, a phenomenon sometimes termed presenteeism. Presenteeism refers to a situation in which workers present at work but do not function at optimal capacity. It may occur when a worker is ill or experiencing personal problems which distract them from focusing on their job. Presenteeism may also occur when individuals feel that their jobs are not secure. For example, an individual may work extra hours to try and demonstrate they are a good employee but because they are concerned about job security, they do not perform the job properly. Similarly, if an employee knows that they will have to catch up on work they missed while on leave (sick or other) they may be less likely to take days off when they need to and will therefore present at work and underperformed instead.

 

More information

For more information on workplace health including office ergonomics series, useful tips on avoiding injuries in the workplace and costs on the workforce, see Workplace Health.

 

Reference

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Article Dates:

Modified: 20/10/2010

Created: 9/4/2010

Work Life Balance