What is Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is about life, and how we live it.

On this website, you'll find a host of practical solutions and useful suggestions to help you get the balance right. Answers to frequently-asked questions, case histories, guides for employers and employees, useful links. Get our lives and businesses in order - a few minutes browsing the site could free up hours of your time.

More of us are in work than ever before. We're working more hours too. The Welsh working week is one of the longest in Europe. While we appreciate the financial rewards, they shouldn't come at the expense of our social life, or our health. It's neither efficient, sustainable, or desirable. We should work to live, and not live to work. Work smarter, not longer; put full effort into work but not neglect our pleasures and enjoyment outside of work.

Employer or employee, student or job-seeker, work-life balance is important for us all. As we juggle the demands of the job with our responsibilities at home. It's about personal development working, and business effectiveness. Studying, having time for family and friends, enjoying sport, art, culture. Making time for our enthusiasms. Having fun.

We all know there are obvious ways we could improve the balance. Simple ways, that don't cost much, but can reap huge benefits. Allowing us to meet our career ambitions, without neglecting our personal and social needs. It's about finding practical solutions to everyday problems:

If I started and finished work earlier, I'd beat two rush hours
If I was home at the same time as the kids, I'd save a fortune in childminding
Working from home one day a week means I get much more done

Companies that commit to good work-life balance policies find productivity improves, absenteeism falls - and people like them.

Employers and employees should both have a say in introducing better working patterns
Life is a series of changes and working life needs to be flexible enough to cope with that.
Everyone should have the opportunity
It makes sense to monitor and evaluate.
Lecturing doesn't change attitudes. Top management must address their own work-life balance and lead by example to achieve the necessary organisational culture shift.

Pilot Project Executive Summary 2002-2005

Last Updated: 31/10/2007 10:37:21 By Sian Baird Murray