Why Balanced Work Life Is So Critical

Perhaps, the simplest starting point in designing work-life balance strategies is to re-think what constitutes "work." A common mistake made by many organizations is to confuse productivity with hours spent at work. Incidentally, work does not always have to take place "at work". The relationship between how much work gets done and how many hours are spent on the job may not be as strong as many people assume. Emphasizing the number of hours spent in the office or at a workstation, rather than the amount of work completed, can create unnecessary and cumbersome barriers to achieving work-life balance. The key thing to be recognized is that flexible work conditions do not necessarily imply fewer working hours. Instead, providing flexibility should allow individuals to rearrange their work hours to fit with their personal needs and commitments.

In the similar study of Baldiga (2005), work-life issues are an eye-opener for any accounting professional who involved in managing a firm. Research shows that work-life balance is a major concern for the majority of accounting professionals. Many firms have implemented professional development programs and flexible work arrangements that specially designed to support the advancement of women. The survey finding has brought the challenge into focus: Organizations that seek to recruit talented professionals must provide opportunities for advancement and work-life balance in order to retain them.

Professionals in both business and public accounting expressed similar levels of concern about work-life balance: 87% of women and 78% of men. The numbers were even higher among parents with younger children: 91% of women and 83% of men in public accounting had expressed great concern. Evidently, the ability of organizations to achieve work-life balance has an impact on employee retention. The data showed that three main reasons why professionals leaving public accounting were (1) working conditions (schedule, hours and assignments), (2) work-life balance and (3) desire for change. For professionals under age 35, working conditions (81%) and work-life balance (68%) played major roles.

To achieve the desired balance, organizations have implemented flexible work arrangements. Respondents reported that they frequently worked from home in the evenings or on the weekends. Data showed that senior professionals (partners and corporate executives) accessed voice mail, e-mail and the company network frequently from home. These same professionals also reported being able to leave work more frequently to attend family extracurricular events. It appears that while senior professionals frequently report working from home at nights and on the weekends, they also take advantage of their employer's flexibility during workday.

In conclusion, as evident from various researches around the world, balanced work-life indeed is an important factor influencing employee retention in the organization.