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FedEx Office, an operating company of FedEx Corp.has released the results of its national “Finding Better Balance” survey, a pulse check on full-time, U.S. workers’ views towards work/life balance moving into the New Year. It might seem that personal priorities will suffer as employers cut jobs and pressure mounts for greater workplace productivity in this challenging economy. However, 47 percent of survey respondents say better work/life balance would be even more important to them in 2009, compared to 2008.
The online survey, conducted in late November 2008 with more than 500 full-time, U.S. workers indicates America’s labor force is looking for ways to bring balance back to their daily lives. Respondents’ ages were a significant factor in how they perceived the importance of work/life balance in 2009. A full 58 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds believe it will be more important to find better work/life balance in 2009, compared to 46 percent of those aged 35 to 54, and just 30 percent for the 50-and-over group. In addition, a full 86 percent of survey respondents plan to actively pursue this better balance in 2009.
“As we start a new year, it’s common for employees to take stock of the last 12 months and evaluate their priorities at home and in the office,” says Tracy Brightman, senior vice president of human resources for FedEx Office. “Proper work/life balance is a key factor in employee satisfaction and productivity – and there are lots of easy ways to achieve it this year.”
As with all New Year’s resolutions, the commitment to actively pursue better work/life balance in 2009 needs to be supported with a change in behavior. The full-time, U.S. workers surveyed plan to take simple steps to get the ball rolling, including:
Take advantage of all vacation time (49 percent)Prioritize projects (44 percent)
Create a weekly to-do list (42 percent)
Leave work at a reasonable hour (41 percent)
Take lunch breaks on a consistent basis (36 percent)
Based on her experience working for FedEx, which is an internationally-recognized best place to work, Brightman suggests the following simple strategies to help workers get the New Year started off on the path to achieving better balance: