Staff voice serious concerns about their poor work-life balance
A third of employees said their bosses believe the most productive workers put their job before their family, according to a survey about relationships by counseling service Relate.
The research also revealed the difficulties many staff have balancing work and family life with more than a fifth thinking their employers would prefer them to be available 24 hours a day.
However, almost a quarter of people who believed their bosses thought the most productive employees were those who put work before family life rarely or never felt good about themselves.
Given the amount of time we spend at work, it’s unsurprising that the quality of our relationships with colleagues has a substantial influence on our mental well-being, Relate said.
The survey showed that the balancing act between work and family life continues to be a concern for a significant number of workers as the lines between work and home are increasingly blurred.
And seven in 10 of the service’s counsellors agreed, “the couple relationship suffers if one or both partners work long hours”.
Worryingly, 42 per cent of people in work didn’t count any colleague or a boss as a close friend, although the majority of people (58 per cent) had at least one close friend at work. More than two-thirds (70 per cent) described their relationships with colleagues as good or very good, while 59 per cent described their relationship with their boss as good or very good.
Professor Sir Cary Cooper, president of Relate, said: "It’s great to see that almost 60 per cent of us have good relationships with our bosses, as we spend a significant portion of our life working.
“However, it’s very concerning that so many people believe that work has to come before family to be well regarded by our bosses. This is not the message employers should be sending out, and it could lead to strain on family relationships, especially at a time when money worries are still a reality for many people."