Work-Life Balance in the USA: Are we doing it right?

“You know how it is!” -all of us have complained about our work environment at least once in our lifetime. Micromanaging bosses, coworkers who hold personal grudges, competition, tattletales- these are all a part of the American office experience.

And so are good things, like office birthday celebrations, going out for drinks after work, managers who listen to your ideas, friendly supervisors, etc. All of these things are what we call ‘work culture’. In simple words, work culture is how people in an organization treat each other, how they perceive relationships between equals, supervisors, subordinates, etc.

In this article, we will take a look at what is work culture and work life balance, and how it differs across countries. Finally, we will look at how USA fares on work life balance- what is good, and what can be improved.

Work culture: The Harvard Business Review Study

Each country has a dominant work culture that is influenced by the overall norms, practices and attitudes of the people. For example, in 2020, Harvard Business Review published an article about different work cultures in the world.

They found that there are 8 styles of company culture, depending on various factors like independence vs interdependence, and stability vs flexibility. They found that firms in Europe and Middle East were big on safety and stability, while those in Africa were flexible and more open to new ideas.

What is work life balance?

A full time or part time job requires employees to work for a certain number of hours. Outside those work hours, employees should be free to spend their time however they like. That’s the basic principle of work life balance!

This should be an intuitive, implicit, unsaid understanding. But unfortunately, many companies overwork their employees and expect them to volunteer their personal time for work related tasks. So, it is important to have conversations about work life balance, to prevent burnouts and exploitation.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, human beings have different kinds of needs, and they exist on a hierarchy, like a pyramid. Only when the lower-level needs are fulfilled, we can think about higher level needs.

Why do people work hard in the office, why do they care about productivity? According to this theory, they are motivated by a need for self-esteem. When they achieve new goals and get praise and recognition, it boosts their self-esteem.

Going a step ahead, some people are motivated to work regardless of any recognition or validation from other. They don’t care what their boss thinks, they come to work because they are passionate about what they do.

They are intrinsically motivated- the work itself gives them pleasure. In this case, they are motivated by a need for ‘self-actualization’, which means being one’s best self. Their work helps them realize their true potential.

As you can see, both these needs- self-esteem and self-actualization, make employees productive. But these are both higher level needs, they are on the top of the pyramid. People can’t think about these needs, until the lower-level needs are fulfilled. The lower level needs are physiological needs like hunger, thirst, rest, and physical safety, and also psychological needs, like love and belonging.

Now, let’s apply this model to the workplace. Let’s walk through a checklist of needs, and slowly move up the pyramid. First up, physiological needs. Are the employees paid enough to buy groceries and essentials, pay rent, invest in health insurance, etc.?

Secondly, do they have enough time to pursue romantic relationships or spend time with their family and friends? If not, then they will be stuck on the ‘love and belongingness’ level. Only when they are happy on these levels, we can expect them to move up to self-esteem.

The Scandinavian model

Scandinavian, or Nordic countries, include Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. According to the World Happiness Report (2017-19), these countries have some of the highest ranks.

These countries are also known for having a healthy work culture that promotes work life balance. Equal employment opportunities, affordable childcare and parental leave regardless of gender, daycare services in the office, are some features of this type of work culture.

These provisions help employees maintain a good work life balance, meaning that they are able to give adequate time to both work and personal tasks. As a result, employees are healthier and happier. As you can see, when their lower-level needs are fulfilled, they can move up the hierarchy of needs and be their best selves!

Work life balance in USA

According to a 2018 report by Statista, 72% of Americans believe that work life balance is very important. But according to YouGov’s 2022 Workplace Insights Survey, 43% said that their work life balance is disturbed, with more time being spent on work, and less on personal life.

Clearly, most of us want work life balance, and many of us are not getting it. In fact, a 2023 article by Forbes mentioned a term called ‘work life blur’ to describe how Americans are compelled to stay in touch with work even on a vacation.

How to achieve better work life balance?

Maintaining work life balance requires a two-way effort by both employers and employees. Unless organizations decide to proactively improve their workplace practices, it is not possible to strike a good work life balance on your own.

But there are a few simple ways in which you can make things easier for yourself.

• Taking frequent breaks helps. Especially if you are chained to your computer all day, make sure you get up at least once every hour.
• Better time management. Try to finish your tasks during work hours, so that you don’t have to stay back late. Work hard, play hard.
• Plan vacation days in advance. Make sure that you get your leaves approved beforehand, so that you are not forced to participate in projects that require your presence during your vacation days.
• Learn to be assertive. Assess how much leverage you have in terms of your skills and contribution to the company. Use that leverage to be assertive- don’t work after hours without pay, don’t take calls and respond to emails on holidays, don’t be afraid to ask for leaves that you are entitled to. One step closer to making sure people treat you right!

If you find yourself struggling with work life balance, know that you are not alone! Many of us go through the same issues, and feel helpless at times. The first step is recognizing the role of organizations in keeping their employees happy, and assessing whether you are being treated right. The next is to support each other in being assertive and moving toward a more egalitarian, fair and equal work culture!