Work-Life Balance Around the World

An unhealthy work-life balance (WLB) in today's world can be a cause of stress and may also be an indicator of bullying with employees working ever longer hours through fear of losing their jobs. Here is a look at what WLB is and how it is understood and managed in different countries around the world. If you know of any new studies or information from other countries, please let us know.

See also Eric Hearn's article on Getting the Work-Life Balance Right

More information:
An introduction to WLB
What are the benefits?
Latest research links

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UK Ireland Sweden
US Canada Australia New Zealand

A survey carried out by the DTI Work-Life Balance campaign found that 8 out of 10 employees would like to spend more time with friends and family in 2004 if they could balance their work and lives more effectively, followed by 7 out of 10 wishing to experience more cultural pursuits.

Despite 87% of those surveyed thinking that having interests and commitments outside the workplace helps to achieve a more fulfilling work-life balance, 38% (between the ages of 35 and 55) feel they spend too much time at work although overall 38% have changed their working hours to fit in with their commitments and interests outside work.

More information:
The Government's Work-Life Balance campaign;
The National Work-Life Forum;
Work-life Balance Literature and Research Review

News:
IT Workers Want More Work-Life Support
They said it would never work...

Monday March 1st, 2004 was the first Irish Work Life Balance Day and follows on from three Family Friendly Workplace days in 2001, 2002 and 2003. The name change recognises that those without children and many other people in the workplace need to balance work and life.

For more information, see Work Life Balance in Ireland or their latest research "Off the Treadmill - Achieving Work/Life Balance".

News: A survey undertaken by the Irish Management Institute has found that 68% of companies have no formal work-life balance policies in operation.

A survey carried out by Sweden's National Institute for Working Life (NIWL) looked at trials and models for reducing working hours (between 2000 and 2003) and found that in general employees felt better for it. Despite the positive effects, trials were often abandoned or not made permanent.

For more information on NIWL or the report (Kartläggning av arbetstidsförkortningar 2000–2003) see (English) National Institute for Working Life or (Svenska) Arbetslivsinstitutet

'Work/Life - A delicate balance', by Mellon Financial Corporation, surveyed policies and practices in more than 600 organizations and selected results were compared with its 1996 survey and found that employers are increasing the provision of Work/Life programs - 81% of employers offer employee assistance programs, compared to 70% in 1996 and 35% of employers now offer domestic partner benefit (6% in 1996).

For employers "they usually provide a cost-effective way to energize and support key performers, especially during periods of economic uncertainty. Our survey found the most commonly cited reasons for offering work/life programs are to enhance recruitment efforts (73%), raise morale (74%), and remain competitive (72%)."

For more information on the report, see HRM Guide

10,000 comments provided by participants in Health Canada's 2001 National Work-Life Conflict Study has resulted in a new report 'Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance'. It explores work-life balance issues and the conflict Canadians face
between the demands of work and home and covered workers in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in a wide range of large organizations across Canada.

For more information, see the full report

Research demonstrates that employees experience considerable stress associated with being unable to effectively balance work and family commitments (AWIRS 1995) and official statistics indicate that Australian organisations are not providing enough flexibility to enable employees to balance competing work and family demands.

Women are not returning from maternity leave or resigning because they are unable to combine work and family demands is expensive for organisations. Only one in ten enterprise agreements contain family friendly measures; only 4% of enterprise agreements include paid personal leave, 3% include job sharing, 3% include paid parental leave and 9% include unpaid personal leave (ACIIRT 1998).

For more information, see Facts on Work/Life Balance in Australia

Research: Work/life balance strategies: progress and problems in Australian Organisations

Company Specific: Body Shop IBM Microsoft

News: Australian Employers, Unions Argue Merits of Flexible Hours Law

Article: Married to the office by Lisa Mitchell
Ten years ago the experts predicted we'd all be working from home and job-sharing by now. So why hasn't it happened?

The Department of Labour's Work-Life Balance Project commissioned a study into New Zealanders' attitudes to work-life balance and found that most people relate to the issue and felt that their lives were out of balance but for many, it takes a crisis to spur them into doing something about it.

Both employers and employees felt that it was largely the responsibility of the individual to do something about it with the key role of the employer to provide a good working environment and the government to focus on education and promoting good practice. While some good initiatives already operate, it was felt that more could be done.

For more information, see the Work-Life Balance website which has information and resources on work life balance issues and you can register to be part of the project.