Results of a recent survey indicate that work-life balance is less important to executives than in the past.
Respondents ranked it at seventh out of 19 different motivating factors, Human Resource Executive Online reports, when it was fourth in 2006. Researchers say that it has been losing ground while executives focused more on other considerations, such as the financial stability of their companies.
Additionally, recession years have made more people concerned about having a job. Amid high unemployment, balancing work and life is something fewer people feel they can afford to focus on. HREO notes that productivity has increased recently despite the challenges facing businesses, suggesting that executives are doing more with fewer resources.
WorldatWork told the news source that upper-level employees are typically less likely to be interested in work-life balance programs and that these initiatives are unlikely to decline in general. Regardless of what top personnel think, employees retain some concern with the balance between their work and their lives.
With executives focusing less on them, HR management systems and personnel may need to devote more attention to work-life balance programs in order to help employees function at their best and remain healthy.
