What employees are thinking

Is work-life balance a mere illusion? Here are some comments garnered from a study of 30,000 workers in Canada. They encompass a large range of subjects, but the bulk of the comments relate to the challenge workers face in balancing work and life. Only one out of 10 comments were positive in tone. The study, Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance, was funded by Human Resources Development Canada.

Workload problems due to downsizing

“Downsizing has resulted in overworked staff with unreasonable workloads. When a company has undergone so much restructuring, one does not feel that one is able to say no to workloads or overtime. ‘Flexible hours’ to me these days means you can come in earlier and leave later and you can work through lunch.”

Workload problems due to unrealistic expectations

“Corporate objectives and expectations continue to increase faster than the resources allocated to support the expected growth. The result is that you must work longer hours to do the same job as the year before.”

Workload problems associated with being a manager

“I manage a group which was cut from 65-plus people to nine. Workload has tripled. In the last six months, one employee died, one collapsed, one out on stress (one in fact was out 12 months ago for three months). I am completely overloaded and afraid someone in my group will collapse or take a heart attack.”

Immediate manager acts as a barrier to the use of supportive policies

“Technically speaking, we have flex hours and compressed days — but when we ask for them our manager always uses ‘operational requirements’ as an excuse for turning us down.”

Disconnected culture: good policies, poor practice, poor role models at the top

“Although our employer claims to be caring, flexible and accommodating of employee needs, the reality is dramatically different. Either our executive is so far detached from their employees’ reality that they cannot meet their true needs, or they are merely being hypocritical. Balancing work and family may be a goal of the HR department, but it is clearly not a goal shared by the entire executive.”

Management culture

“Capable individuals, high performers, are inundated with work and responsibilities, while the lower performers have no problems with work-life balance. I work hard and am responsive to increased work demands , which means I have less personal time. My children pay the price. I often feel trapped by the financial dependence on my job. I am the major wage earner with the major responsibilities at home, too. I see that it is much easier for my male colleagues who have stay-at-home wives.”

Culture based on the myth of separate worlds (work or family)

“The only people who climb this corporate ladder are men or childless women. (The organization) is not family- oriented. There are no days off for sick kids (must use vacation), three days compassionate leave if your spouse dies, and after that they dock your pay. No such thing as mental health day or a family day for unexpected emergencies.”

Strategy of putting family ahead of work hurts career

“My colleague who does the same job as me is single with no dependants. She is very competitive and constantly strives to make herself look more valuable to the company than I am. I therefore feel pressured to put in extra time and effort — at the expense of myself and my family — to keep up with her. If I don’t do this, I believe I will not get competitive raises and will be at risk of some day losing my job.”

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