Why leaders should aim for  Work-Life Integration Over Work-Life Balance

Why leaders should aim for Work-Life Integration Over Work-Life Balance

Are you juggling multiple responsibilities inside and outside of work? Struggling to find the perfect balance? It’s time to rethink how we approach it.

The traditional concept of work-life balance often falls short because:
 It implies that work and life are entirely separate, and
 It suggests that a perfect balance is achievable—something many of us have found unrealistic.

Introducing work-life integration—a more holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of our personal and professional lives. In this exclusive webinar, two esteemed academics, a seasoned practitioner in work-life integration, and a woman leader from the corporate world joined for an insightful discussion on how this model can unlock potential in today’s fast-paced world.

Remote Work Tips: How Couples Can Be a Team at Home to be Great at Work

Remote Work Tips: How Couples Can Be a Team at Home to be Great at Work

Gallup surveyed 21,543 U.S. employees and compared their well-being across three primary work environments: remote, hybrid, or on-site, and their findings are worthless.

Gallup missed the mark because they failed to ask a single question about the support they receive at home. How can we expect a complete picture of the quality of a remote or hybrid employee work environment without understanding the home environment? The world of work has changed since Covid. We need to rethink how we support our modern world, including considerations of the home environment.
With this as background, here is how couples can be a team at home so they can be great at work.

There is a motherhood penalty in job quality.

There is a motherhood penalty in job quality.

Whilst pay is an important marker of a ‘good’ job, other aspects of work – such as the demands it places on workers, the level of control they have, working hours, flexibility and job security – also impact employees’ wellbeing significantly.(Green et al, 2024) This is known as ‘job quality’. Our research shows that mothers, particularly those with young children, face multiple disadvantages when it comes to job quality. We have termed this the ‘motherhood penalty in job quality’.

The urgency of rethinking work-life balance as integration

The urgency of rethinking work-life balance as integration

On 23 March 2023, on the occasion of Work-Life Balance Day, the results of the Infojobs survey on the work-life balance were published. The data came as a surprise to many: only 35% of workers claim to be able to reconcile work and family life. These results reveal a setback compared to previous years and invite us to reflect deeply on the current situation.
Why is work-life balance getting worse?

Midlife collision of the sandwich generation

Midlife collision of the sandwich generation

Midlife collision” is a complex and stressful period often experienced by women of what has become known as the Sandwich Generation.
The “sandwich generation” refers to adults, often in their forties or fifties, who find themselves simultaneously caring for children who are still at home or financially dependent, and elderly parents in need of care or support.
This generation is thus “sandwiched” between their obligations to their children and their parents, hence the term “sandwich”.