Work-life Balance for Students Entering the Workforce
An introduction to psychological safety for the most vulnerable members of the labour market
By: Lucas Saito
Nowadays, it feels like “Work-life balance” is the catchphrase of HR departments and corporate LinkedIn posts. Workers feel empowered and dedicated to finding jobs that respect and value their time, more so than ever before. How did we get here?
In 2021, The Great Resignation occurred as a reaction to the Covid-19 pandemic, where employee dissatisfaction and burnout resulted in millions of workers leaving their jobs and seeking better working conditions. Statistics Canada reported a disproportionate increase in voluntary turnover rates in the Canadian labour force from 2021 to 2022, but notably these rates were corrected back to historical averages by mid-2022. Similarly in the US, as many as 47 million American workers across sectors and fields began quitting their jobs voluntarily, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Reasons for participating in this unprecedented and voluntary turnover event varied from person to person, but it is widely accepted that the pandemic gave people a new perspective for their lives, as many began noticing that the jobs they were dedicating themselves to weren’t nearly as important to them as they previously imagined.
Enter work-life balance, defined as the intersection between the two most important aspects of most adults’ identities; their relationship with their employer, and their private lives outside of work. The benefits and importance of a healthy relationship with your employer have already been defined. For decades, research has consistently proven that long working hours are detrimental to employees’ health, both physically and mentally, without actually increasing their productivity and effectiveness in a meaningful manner. A Harvard Business Review article cited research that office managers could not differentiate the work output conducted by employees who actually worked 80 hours a week and by those who solely pretended to do so. Further studies found that overworked employees suffered from worsened interpersonal relations, communication, decision making, and mental health. Other studies demonstrated the effects of sleep deprivation on working individuals, although students may already be familiar with the importance of the “8 hours of sleep”.
How can employees achieve a healthier work-life balance?
This is a question that largely relies on the introspection of the employee and the analysis of what they consider to be their values. Similar to how the pandemic jump-started a mass-resignation movement, it is usually highly traumatic or impactful events that cause individuals to reconsider their actions and gain new perspectives. This does not have to be the case. A quick cost-benefit analysis of the individual’s time spent at work and the resulting financial or otherwise personal gains may cause an epiphany, a realization that their current situation are unsustainable or simply not worth it. This realization is the most crucial step that signifies a change must be made in the worker’s life. Subsequent decisions, such as changing roles or responsibilities, or even changing fields entirely, depend on the worker’s resolve and their courage to change the course of their lives.
For students who wish to learn more about psychological safety, I would recommend IRE260 (Organizational Behaviour), or IRE378 (Employment Health); both courses introduce and discuss topics regarding mental health initiatives in the workplace, and how both employees and employers should navigate situations regarding this issue.
Furthermore, this Friday, March 1st, the IRHRSA will be hosting a Human Centered Workplace Panel, to open discussions regarding work-life balance and psychological safety in the workplace. Our panelists include Ph.D student Milad Moghaddas, who currently researches how to establish work-life balances in organizations, and senior management consulting analyst Katherine Ye, who helps her organization design motivational and psychologically safe workplaces.
Exec tip:
Work-life balance greatly resonates with me, as this was my first year where I held a job and took a full load of courses concurrently. While I was very fortunate to find an internship last semester, at the time I was incredibly worried about my time management and handling all of my commitments. I would be working part time, taking 5 courses, studying, tending to club responsibilities, and juggling my social life. Overtime, I learned that the only way that I would be able to proceed was through compromising. Sometimes, I’d have to compromise on my spare time, time I would spend with friends or hobbies. Other times, I found it more valuable to compromise on my school work, reducing the amount of studying or effort placed in an assignment. This would often result in worse grades, but I’ve learned to accept that.
Sources:
https://hbr.org/2015/08/the-research-is-clear-long-hours-backfire-for-people-and-for-companies
https://hbr.org/2021/01/work-life-balance-is-a-cycle-not-an-achievement