Work-life Balance More Important Than Pay for Employees | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G

Before we begin our last story tonight, let me ask you this. What is your biggest priority at work? Is it the paycheck? Is it career growth? Or maybe a healthy work environment? It could be anything. We ask because recently a global survey was held. It was conducted by the world's largest employment agency. It asked people what they prioritize at work. What motivates them at their current workplace? And how do they choose the right job? This survey has been conducted for more than two decades now. But this year's findings may surprise you. For the first time, this is the top motivator for people. Work-life balance. In recent years, it has soared in importance. But this year, it outranks pay. Work-life balance has replaced salary as the leading motivator. Look at the data. 83% workers say that work-life balance is the most important to them. And this is compared to 82% workers who choose pay over all else. Now, the margin is not huge. But the data shows a shift in mindset. That yes, compensation is still very, very important. But people have other expectations as well. They increasingly want work to be part of their life and not their whole life. And they're willing to fight for it. Almost half have asked for better conditions at work. They have opted for flexible work. And almost a third have quit their job when their expectations were not met. Now, such demands are more common among the young, but not limited to them. According to the survey, this is a side effect of the pandemic. It came years ago, but it brought along a corporate revolution of sorts, which has more or less stuck around. Now, there is a new baseline in the world of work. Global talent is looking beyond the paycheck, seeking flexible hours, wanting to spend more time with family, prioritizing health and hobbies. And this is the new age of work, or what many call the age of anti-ambition. With this shift, critics are slamming the loss of productivity. Executives are railing against remote work. Bigwigs are calling for 70-, 80-, 90-hour work weeks. And they have a point too. If you want the corner office, you have to go above and beyond. Your job description cannot be the finish line. You have to put in the work. And sometimes, or often, your work has to be the center of your life. But one thing is worth keeping in mind. Careers are not linear graphs. People rev up or rev down at various points in their life. And work-life balance is all about that. It is not about shirking responsibility or pulling a Joe Biden and spending much of your time on vacation. It is about creating reasonable boundaries at work and at home. Study after study proves that this has benefits. It is good for us and for companies. It is linked to a healthy lifestyle. And this does not mean less profit or loss of productivity at work. In fact, there is a boost, because ultimately, it is not the number of hours, but the quality of work that really matters. So workers are on the right track. They're trying to strike that balance. And if you want to jump on the bandwagon, experts have a thought experiment for you. This is a two-step formula. The first step, grab a pen and paper and jot down the things that you value, like career progression, or health, parenting, friendship, whatever it is that you want. How important is each of these to you? Rate them out of 10. Then rate them again. This time, score yourself on each of these. The numbers show what matters to you and what you need to work on. So you will know where the balance is off. That is the first step. Now, the second step. Think about the cost of this imbalance, like burnout or poor health or debt. This is the price that you pay. Sometimes circumstances are to blame for it. Not everyone can afford a perfect balance, but some things must be in your control. Figure out what they are, then push it where it moves. So get back to the drawing board, this time to redraw the line between your work life and your life life. Catch it all on Spotlight at 6 p.m. India time and 1230 GMT. Only on First Post.