Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of U.S. employees would choose better work-life balance over better pay, compared to 31 per cent who said the opposite or six per cent who were unsure, according to a new survey by FlexJobs.
The survey, which polled 4,000 workers from generation Z, millennials, generation X, baby boomers and the silent generation, found a majority (87 per cent) said they believe a remote or hybrid work arrangement would, or already has, improved their work-life balance, compared to just three per cent who are looking to go back to in-office working 100 per cent of the time.
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In addition, 65 per cent of respondents expressed a preference for a 100 per cent remote working arrangement, while 32 per cent would prefer a hybrid workplace. More than half (57 per cent) said they’d look for a new job if they couldn’t continue to work remotely. And while nearly half (45 per cent) estimated they’ve saved at least $5,000 a year by working remotely, one in five said they’ve saved more than $10,000 per year and 29 per cent estimated they’ve saved at least $2,600 a year.
A majority (84 per cent) of respondents said having a remote or hybrid job would make them a happier person in general and another three-quarters (77 per cent) said having a remote or hybrid job has, or would help them, manage their mental-health issues.
“From time and financial savings to increased productivity, remote work provides many valuable benefits for employees — but work-life balance is king,” said Sara Sutton, FlexJobs’ founder and chief executive officer, in a press release. “Healthy work-life balance can be instrumental to the success and longevity of an organization and, as reaffirmed in our latest report, a top priority for today’s workers and jobseekers.”
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