Jobs are stealing families' time

I got an interesting e-mail a few days ago from Bradley Honan, senior vice president of StrategyOne, a strategic consulting firm with offices in New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta and overseas, with a message that confirms a concern that many of you have shared with me. Many workers, despite being worried about job stability and advancement, are concerned about the balance between work and life.

StrategyOne conducted a survey that showed that many workers feel their families are suffering because of the number of hours and amount of energy they are putting in on the job. And they are feeling it even though many feel their positions are tenuous because of what they perceive as the ever-impending possibility of being laid off, bought out, downsized or fired. 

"With the economy experiencing its worst struggles since the Great Depression, it may be tempting to think that those with jobs 'should be happy and not complain,'" Honan said in the e-mail. "Yet a vast majority of Americans (89%) see work/life balance issues as a problem, including 54% who say it is a "significant problem...Moreover, the 'Great Recession' has made the situation worse for close to [four] in 10 workers: 38%, say their work/life balance has become worse since the recession started, while only 10% say that it has improved."

These findings resulted from a survey of 1,043 American full- and part-time workers. Honan authored the study. It found that one-third of the workforce--and 44 percent of male workers aged 34 to 54--say their work/life balance is off.

Honan said the survey showed that 37 percent of workers feel their family time has suffered while 22 percent said that their personal time suffers the most. Nearly half--43 percent--of the workers surveyed feel "their company is not doing enough to address work/life balance issues," the e-mail said.

"Far from just being happy they have a job, significant numbers of American workers are asking companies to step up to the plate and address this issue more effectively," Honan said. "Workers are being asked to do 'more with less' and the strain on them is clearly showing."

You've read that before, right here. At a time when many people are feeling severely stressed in uncertain and shifting work environments, they are also feeling that to keep the jobs they have to rob their families of valuable time. The lack of personal time is also leading to increasing heath issues, such as hypertension, and emotional problems, like depression, experts have told me.

Here are some of the questions and responses:

1. In your opinion, how much of a problem are work/life balance issues in America today?

TOTAL PROBLEM 89%
Significant problem 54%
Minor problem 35%

TOTAL NOT A PROBLEM 11%
Not really a problem 9%
Not a problem at all 2%

2. Do you believe that you have an adequate work/life balance?*

Yes 69%
No 31%
* Asked of those who are employed (either full time or part time).

3. Has the economic downturn made your work/life balance...*

Better 10%
Worse 38%
No change 51%
* Asked of those who are employed (either full time or part time)

4. What is the first thing that suffers when your work/life balance become out of whack?*

Time with family 37%
Personal time 22%
Chores/errands 14%
Exercise 10%
Eating healthy 9%
Time with friends 8%
* Asked of those who said they do not have an adequate work/ life balance.

5. Do you believe that your company is doing enough to address work/life balance issues?*

Yes 57%
No 43%
* Asked of those who are employed (either full time or part time).

So, quickly, check me out on Facebook and Twitter, then get back to work, finish early and go home to your loved ones. Have dinner as a family, go for a walk, read, watch television. Enjoy life off of work.

There is such a thing.

By

Avis Thomas-Lester

 |  September 2, 2010; 6:42 AM ET Save & Share:                 
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