The elusive quest for work-life balance has come into greater focus in the past few years as technology makes it possible for us to work away from the office -- and for us to work around the clock.
Jobs website Glassdoor, which regularly surveys workers on their work-life balance satisfaction, finds that it’s declining. On a scale of 1 to 5, current worker satisfaction rates a 3.2, down from 3.4 in 2012 and 3.5 in 2009.
SLIDESHOW: Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance
An Ernst & Young report issued earlier this year found that about half of managers worldwide work more than 40 hours a week, and 40 percent said their hours have increased over the past five years. Changes in technology and the “always on” work culture reflect lingering effects of the recession that have left fewer employees handling larger workloads.
The balancing act is particularly difficult for millennials, who are becoming managers just as they enter parenthood. U.S. millennial parents are the most likely to have a spouse that’s also working at least part-time, and they’re less likely than older generations to take a career break when they have kids.
Geography is a big factor when it comes to finding work-life balance, as companies in big cities tend to demand more of their workers (though they tend to pay them more). A study by Nerdwallet last year found that college towns rank the best for work-life balance. Bloomington, Ind., topped the list, followed by Provo, Utah and Gainesville, Fla.
The type of work you do, of course, is an important factor, too. Click here for the jobs workers tell Glassdoor they’re happiest with for work-life balance.
