Work-life balance 'key to employee satisfaction'

As businesses look for ways to cut spending, companies may need to reconsider any plans to scale back employee work-life benefits, according to the Employee Advisory Resource (EAR).

Britons continue to be Europe's hardest-working employees, logging the most hours on the job, yet only 33 per cent of workers say that their employer has any family-friendly practices or personal support services, such as childcare, wellness services or financial consulting, in place.

Many employees are feeling the pressure to work harder than ever in an effort to please managers and ensure job security.

However, as workplace anxieties rise and employees have less time for family and personal commitments, benefits that promote work-life balance play an increasingly important role in morale, productivity and the company's bottom line, according to the EAR.

A recent poll conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) found that three out of four people say they are working very hard, with many saying they are working as hard as they can and could not imagine being able to work any harder.

The survey also found that one in three partners of people who typically work more than 48 hours a week feel their workload has had a negative impact on their personal relationships.

Companies in the UK are increasingly aware of the business case for work-life balance, which is now rated as one of the most important workplace attributes, second only to compensation, according to research by the US-based Corporate Executive Board (CEB).

The CEB poll of more than 50,000 global workers also revealed that employees who feel they have a better work-life balance tend to work 21 per cent harder than those that do not.

The trickle-down benefits of employer-sponsored work-life offerings include increased productivity, improved recruitment and retention, lower rates of absenteeism, reduced overheads, enhanced customer service and a more motivated workforce.

Alan King, president and managing director of the EAR, a provider of employee assistance programmes (EAPs) and integrated work-life services in the UK and internationally, said: 'In order to retain valuable workers and ensure continued productivity, businesses must be attuned to the heightened challenges employees are facing at the intersection of work and life.

'The recession is hitting business hard, but it also affects employees' work quality, home life and even health.

'With a third of Britons working more than 48 hours a week and many of them under high levels of financial and personal stress, companies risk losing employees due to burn-out, stress-induced illness or to a competitor who can offer them a more desirable work-life balance,' he added.

To help employees better manage their work and personal commitments, many employers offer a variety of work-life benefits, including help with finding child and elder care, back-up care for when their regular care plans fall through, wellness counselling and financial and legal consultation.

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