An article in The Guardian on 5th July 2017 discusses ‘How to achieve the perfect work-life fit‘ and looks at the different ways that employees can get a better balance between what is expected from them by their employer and their home life.
Of the different recommendations in the article, the one that stands out is to “Say ‘no’ to your employer” to ensure that there are boundaries that prevent your workload seeping in to your evenings and weekends.
While being clear on boundaries and managing expectations definitely has benefits, it is far easier said than done. It’s not easy to say no to your superiors, and sometimes it’s not the best thing to do at all. There is a worry that refusing work, even if it means that you are expected to go beyond what you would consider to be your normal day-to-day workload, may have negative consequences in the long term.
But the needs of the employee in regard to workload is an important factor when a Candidate accepts a new role. A modern workplace often has flexible working options which allows for a better work-life balance, whether because of family, religious or other commitments.
This is something we feel strongly about at MERJE, and we will always work with Candidates and their new employers to understand and agree flexibility and benefits prior to a contract being signed. The amount of flexibility will differ between organisations, as well as the specific job and seniority of the role, but we will always strive to ensure that both the needs of our Candidates and Clients are met as closely as possible.
Sam Elvin, Principle Consultant for MERJE’s Customer Contact team, says, “The work-life fit has now become a pivotal factor for Candidates when they are considering their next career move. Location, flexibility in working hours and working-from-home days have now become just as important if not more important than getting a pay rise.
“At MERJE we have a deep understanding of the work-life balance offered by the organisations that we work with so we can help Candidates find a role that best aligns with their personal circumstances. It also prevents Candidates from having to ask the ‘awkward’ questions in an interview and saves both Candidates and Clients time by having this information for the start of the process. More and more of our Clients now understand that trends are moving towards embracing flexible work as a way of attracting Candidates and ensuring they have a forward-thinking culture.”
