22 Apr 2016

Work-life balance. Why promote work-life harmony?

Ever wondered how Singapore, a country with no resources, can obtain a high Human Development Index of 0.912 and ranks amongst the most developed nations in the world?

Human Capital is the answer. It is our only resource as a nation and has been the key driver for our success.

Singapore has a talented workforce that is ranked among the best in the world for productivity and work attitude (BERI Report, 2014). However, Singapore also has the longest working hours in the world. A whopping 2389.4 working hours on average, as compared to other Asian countries such as South Korea (2,193 hours), Taiwan (2,163 hours), Japan (1,735 hours), as reported in the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s second quarterly Labour Market report in 2015.

It's no surprise that participants of the Survey on Social Attitudes of Singaporeans in 2013 reported that 55 per cent of respondents said their job keeps them from spending the amount of time they would like with their family.

Seeing how common it is for Singaporeans to overwork, let us explore what happens when work-life balance is not achieved and work-family conflict arises.

As a result of Work-Family conflict:

• Employee easily distracted from work
• Employee in a bad mood during work
• Other employees feel the vibe and in turn their moods are affected
• When family problems take a serious turn, time off from work is needed to address it
• Company has to spend more to hire an additional helper to relieve his duties momentarily
• Helper is less experienced and quality of work produced will not be as good

Employees are a company’s resource! In that aspect, the company is like a community and every employee has a role to play and their actions will directly or indirectly affect one another. Maintaining work-life harmony is therefore important for all employees regardless of rank or status. The benefits of work-life harmony are as follows:

For Employees

• Less work-family conflict
• Full support of the family
• Reduced stress

For Employers

• Motivated workforce, productivity can rise to its peak
• Stress-related health complications can be reduced, expenditure on medical coverage by the company can be saved
• Turnover rates are also likely to be lowered and employee referral increased
• Reputable image which aids the company’s branding

In summary, when employees manage to achieve work life balance, it is a win-win situation for both the company and the employees. Every company survives on its employees. Start improving your employees’ work life and gain more in return! Be the dream boss of your employees. There are more reasons to do so now.

Visit Office Expo Asia (OEA) 2016, from 29 June till 1 July at Marina Bay Sands, Hall A, and our knowledgeable exhibitors and seminar speakers will be glad to share their tips on work-life harmony. Plus, reward your employees and incentivise them with gifts! Concurrent event, Singapore Gifts & Premiums Fair will be THE place for you to get ideas and source for suitable gifts for your employees.