The Future of Work-Life Balance (Integration)

Over a 76-year lifespan, the average person will spend 35% of their waking hours working — so work and life are not separate. What kind of life do you want to have, combined with your work? Based on research by several companies mentioned below, The Future of Work: “Work-Life Balance Integration” is explained, including the impact of ‘The Great Resignation’ — and how working as a freelance consultant can create a better work-life balance, by integrating both for the better.

Work-Life Balance VS Work-Life Balance Integration

The Salary Survey and The Sentiment Report of Technologists (Dice) has shown a view into what changed since COVID-19. Sentiment data of 2021 has been compared to 2020, measuring what “technologists” make them stay or leave their $current jobs. Perhaps the most interesting insights focus on what’s changed in people’s needs and wants in their roles and overall professional life; a higher salary and more remote/flexible work.

Over the past year, many people have tried to figure out how to maintain an optimal work-life balance. The pressure on work-life balance is partially attributed to the unique nature of the pandemic; with schools closed, the need to juggle at-home schooling, childcare, and other family concerns along with their workplace responsibilities. ​​24 percent of the respondents felt their work-life balance is worse than pre-pandemic, due to increased demand.

Happiness Through Work? The Science of Work-Life Balance (since COVID-19)

Finding the right work-life balance is one of the things most people worry about throughout their career. But since the pandemic, the tension between them has increased. Employees increasingly dwell over the future of their work, its meaning and purpose, and how these affect their happiness in life.

Studies have shown that people are leaving or planning to leave their employers in record numbers since last year – a "great resignation" that followed after these conclusions. But if we're all reconsidering how work should fit into our lives, don’t you think it’s time to take action?

It's easy to believe that if only we didn't need to work, or we could work far fewer hours, we'd be happier. But this fails to explain why some retirees choose freelance (consultancy) jobs and some lottery winners go straight back to work. Aiming towards the perfect work-life balance — if there is such a thing ​​—  is an answer to the question of why we work. And that means understanding your sources of happiness that might not be so obvious.

Attempts to find a better work-life balance are worthy. Work is consistently and positively related to our wellbeing and constitutes a large part of our identity. When someone asks you who you are, there’s a great chance you’ll tell them what you do for a living.

What Makes People Leave Their Jobs VS. What Makes Them Stay

The Salary Survey and The Sentiment Report of Technologists (Dice) has shown a view into what changed since COVID-19. Sentiment data of 2021 has been compared to 2020, measuring what “technologists” make them stay or leave their current jobs. Perhaps the most interesting insights focus on what’s changed in people’s needs and wants in their roles and overall professional life; a higher salary and more remote or flexible work.

Over the past year, many people have tried to figure out how to maintain an optimal work-life balance. The pressure on work-life balance is partially attributed to the unique nature of the pandemic; with schools closed, the need to juggle at-home schooling, childcare, and other family concerns along with their workplace responsibilities. ​​24 percent of the respondents felt their work-life balance is worse than pre-pandemic, due to increased demands, workforce shortages, and no set boundaries between home and work.

How ‘The Great Resignation’ changes The Future of Worek

Organizational psychologist Anthony Klotz predicted in May 2021 that the Covid-19 pandemic would lead to pent-up resignations. Since that time, millions of Americans have quit their jobs; a record 4.5 million workers walked away in March alone.

“Because these work arrangements give us more flexibility and control over our lives, and more autonomy and freedom in how we structure our lives, I don’t think most people are willing to go back to a traditional work environment. The new changes are here to stay,” said Klotz.

There’s no turning back from the workplace changes brought about by the Great Resignation. It turns out, what job-seekers want most is work-life balance according to LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends report. A total of 63% called it “a top priority” when picking a new job. In comparison, 60% cited compensation and benefits, and 40% pointed to colleagues and culture.

People also opted to look for a new type of work, while others became their own bosses and started businesses. In fact, there was a surge in new business formation last year, with applications hitting 5.4 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We’re entering into a period when much of the resignation activity we’re seeing consists of employees moving toward companies that have made this shift, that have embraced The Future of Work, rather than resisted it,” Klotz said.

Is Your Employer Holding You Back From Your Work-Life Balance (Integration)

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to work for yourself ? Or what it would be like to determine how you integrate your work with your personal life? At Startup Accelerator, we see freelance (Data & AI) consultants as The Future of Work.

The World Economic Forum indicates the changing nature of work and higher demand for flexible (freelance) work, which creates opportunities for autonomy and entrepreneurship. In other words, the boundaries between full-time equivalent (internal FTE) and "contingent talent" (freelance consultants) are beginning to blur. The notion of this "blended workforce" has become a reality, forcing organizations around the world to adopt more forward-thinking approaches to prepare for The Future of Work.

Due to the growing hybrid nature of the workforce, employees on the payroll, flexworkers and self-employed (freelancers) are combined. At Startup Accelerator webelieve autonomy is the core tenet of future career pathways, which could be in the form of entrepreneurship as a freelance consultant.

Freelance (Data & AI) Consultancy: The Future of Work-Life Balance Integration

Startup Accelerator helps you take your first steps to autonomy as a freelancer. We connect you to your first customer, guide you on your journey to entrepreneurship and work as a freelance Data & AI consultant.

We believe the only type of job security that exists is the work you create for yourself. We give you the security, resources, and inspiration you need to grow at work and in life. You determine your own work-life-balance. The Future of Work, it's up to you.

Interested in exploring more about freelance consultancy?

Still not sure if you’re ready to take the freelance leap? Answer a few questions on the following form to find out if independent consultancy is a better fit for you than your current employed position. It only takes 2 minutes.

In short: Why Startup Accelerator?

 

Independence

Imagine the freedom to startup your own company. After one year you’re free to fly on your own, without limits.
You’re in control.

Doing what you like

Startup Accelerator helps you become a freelance consultant, so you can do the projects you like to do, with no worries.
It’s up to you.

Work-life balance

You’ll earn 75% of the hourly consultancy rate — around €12,000 per month, or adjust your time for a better work-life balance.
It’s your company.

Sources

The sources for this article presented a simple and actionable model for people and businesses to respond to the growing concern of employees` lost meaningfulness since COVID-19. The studies refer to leadership, employee development, and work-life-balance as core areas of focus for (personal) growth.

It helps to build a sense of meaning and purpose in work that appears to vanish due to uncertainties, faced by most businesses and people worldwide. It not only refers to the basis for addressing and responding to the concept of meaningful work, but also a way forward affecting someone’s sense of well-being, and the relationship between work and life.

Appropriate credit to the license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode) and sources mentioned below, also indicating some changes have been made to the original source articles. Specific sources used for this article have been listed below;

  • Annals of Contemporary Developments in Management & HR - International Association for Educators and Researchers: http://acdmhr.theiaer.org/archive/v2/v2n4/p4.html

  • Dice - Workforce Sentiment Report:

    https://marketing.dice.com/pdf/2021/Workforce_Sentiment_Report.pdf

  • The Great Resignation:

    https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/10/-the-great-resignation-has-changed-the-workplace-for-good-.html

  • Work-Life Balance Integration:

    https://www.sciencealert.com/happiness-through-work-the-science-of-work-life-balance-might-surprise-you

  • The Future of Work - Jacob Morgan:

  • https://medium.com/jacob-morgan/work-is-life-and-life-is-work-ac6cb8b318c0

- The Future of Work-Life Balance - Startup Accelerator

https://www.startupaccelerator.nl/freelance-data-and-ai-consultancy