Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial to both physical and mental well-being. As such, it is unfortunate that in this day and age many of us are not paying sufficient attention to how much free time we have per week. Luckily, many are realizing that overtime can be a slippery slope, and are starting to prioritize family life and personal interests, whether it be hiking or simply relaxing with a good book, over working those extra hours to make their bosses happy. So how do we measure up as a country when it comes to work-life balance?
According to The Better Life Index, by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States came in 14th of the countries surveyed when it comes to work-life balance. In the United States, the average work week consists of 40 office hours, with an expectation to take work home, claims Justlanded.com. Worse still, in the United States workers are not guaranteed paid vacation or parental leave. While on the lower end of the scale, we are certainly not the worst when it comes to work-life balance. Colombia, Mexico and Turkey took first, second and third places when it comes to overworking their employees.
On the other side of the coin, the Netherlands took the title of the most liberal country when it comes to work-life balance. “As opposed to the United States where 11.1 percent of employees work over 50 hours per week, in the Netherlands only 0.4 percent of employees works such long hours. This has severe consequences when it comes to the general happiness level in both countries,” says Gerritt Bakker from ADVIESJAGERS. The second two countries that distinguishes themselves for giving their employees ample social time are Italy and Denmark.
It is not hard to see that maintaining a good work-life balance has a multitude of benefits. Overall, employees who take time to enjoy their personal lives are less stressed and reduce their risk of workplace burnout. Stress is linked to hypertension, heart problems and digestive issues, as well as anxiety and depression. According to the Harvard Business Review, in United States, employee burnout accounts for around $125 billion to $190 billion a year in healthcare spending. As such, it is not surprising that making time for the activities we love is ultra-important.
It is not just the employees that can reap the rewards of a better work-life balance. Companies are also benefiting from happy employees. Workers with a good work-life balance are not just less stressed but also more productive at the office—something that is bound to be music to every employer’s ears. More positive employees are also less likely to take sick days, and are more loyal to their company, which in turn reduces staff turnover and recruitment costs. Good employee morale is also likely to ensure that a company gains the reputation of a place that people want to work for, making it easier for employers to attract talent.
