Companies that regularly support work-life balance for their employees increase productivity by 19% and make employees feel four times more committed to their company and less willing to change jobs, according to the 2012 Edenred-IESE Work-Life Balance Barometer, a study based on a sample of more than 7,000 surveys of male and female workers from 23 countries, with different family situations, levels of responsibility, and ages.
According to this study, the youngest workers, up to age 28, are the only ones who prioritize keeping their jobs in environments that do not support work-life balance.
In Spain, female bosses are generally rated more highly by their employees, who feel better understood, listened to, and valued than when their boss is a man.
The study shows that 40% of workers worldwide are not committed to their company, although 95% of those working in environments that support work-life balance are committed, compared with 60% of those working for companies that do not.
In general, employee dissatisfaction in a work environment that does not support work-life balance is seven times higher than in environments that do.
The barometer also shows greater commitment to their company among employees with children. In fact, when the company regularly supports work-life balance, employees with children show total commitment, at 100%, while under the same circumstances, employees without children show 84% commitment. However, when the company does not support work-life balance, employee commitment falls to 23% and 22%, respectively.
In general, women are more engaged than men. 80% of women feel engaged when they have a female boss, compared with just 57% when their boss is a man. Among female employees with children, these figures rise to 84% and 66%, respectively.
