How to negotiate the ideal work-life balance

More than one in four employees who work for companies that are not perceived to care about creating a work-life balance plan to leave their job within the next two years. In other findings uncovered in a recent study carried out by employee opinion researcher Hay Group Insight, almost half (49%) of all employees surveyed in the UK said they did not feel properly supported when it comes to achieving a good work-life balance.

Hay’s report reveals that among the proposals companies have looked at in order to address the problem are telecommuting, flexible work schedules, a compressed working week and on-site day care. Other solutions that office workers should consider include the following:

Take a break: schedule a pause at intervals throughout the day to help keep you fresh

Prioritise: decide at the start of the day what your goals are and try not to get side-tracked

Build in downtime: you may be keen to impress at work, but don’t forget to plan activities with family and friends that will help you relax and ultimately make you more productive

Be selective: There simply aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything, so don’t feel guilty about dropping things that sap your energy, such as water cooler catch-ups with the office gossip

The power of no: However eager you are to please the boss, accepting every single task that comes your way will only bog you down and stress you out – learn how to say no when appropriate

Get up and go: regular exercise will not only help you shape up, which will boost your confidence, it will also give you a more positive outlook

See the survey at haygroup.com/downloads/ww/Work-Life%20Balance.pdf