Demands of the job destroying family life

EMPLOYMENT

One in four workers do not believe it is possible to have a good family life and get ahead in their current job, according to a new MORI poll.

The ability to balance work with their personal life is the key factor in determining their commitment to their employer by the vast majority of employees, with one in five now saying that they would accept a cut in pay to have more free time. Those under the age of 35 were most concerned about this and men were marginally more worried than women about having enough time for their families. "We are experiencing twin revolutions in our society and they are affecting all areas of our lives," said Liz Bargh, chief executive of WFD, a consultancy specialising in work/life issues which commissioned the poll. "Changes in business have led to greater job insecurity and as a result employees feel a loosened sense of identity with their employers. Add to this more women in the workplace an ageing population, increasing numbers of lone parents and the loss of the extended family support network and you can see why work/life balance is emerging as a key issue for the employee and employer alike."