Young workers want it all!

[Jman888]

Work-life balance: Young workers want it all

Zuraidah Ibrahim The Straits Times

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

When interviewing fresh graduates, one thing that always stumps me is their desire to achieve work-life balance from Day One while pursuing what they describe to be their passion. A surprising number also say they wish they did not have to work on weekends.

I'm evidently not alone in noticing something novel here. A chief executive of a government-linked company told some of us recently that when he asked his children what he should talk about in a commencement speech at a tertiary institution, his son answered without hesitation: work-life balance.

Last December, in his regular "Sunday e-mail" dispatches to his staff, corporate chief Liew Mun Leong wrote about a student who had asked him how he'd managed his work-life balance all these years. This was a National University of Singapore engineering undergraduate in the "high potential" group.

Mr Liew wrote: "Wow, I thought, this young man hasn't even graduated or worked a single day and he is asking about work-life balance! I jokingly replied that such controversial questions are often asked by people who don't wish to exert themselves in work or by those who seek only pleasure in life and not work."

Before you think these are the archaic views of a generation two or three times the age of fresh graduates, I should add that even an ex- colleague in her mid-30s was struck by this trend. She lamented to me about her charges in their 20s: "They want to go home on the dot at 6 and get very stressed when they get just a bit more work."

I know her to be a caring manager. If even she is facing such issues, what more the slave-drivers among us, I wonder.

A 2014 Randstad World of Work Report found that Singaporean workers place increasing importance on achieving work-life balance. The proportion of those who ranked it as one of the main reasons to stay with their organisation jumped from 15 per cent in 2012 to 50 per cent last year.

For some, the goal may be simply to work less because the job is sheer drudgery. For them, the solution might be to change the nature of the work, or quit. Experts such as Nigel Marsh note that some jobs by nature truly require you to put in a huge number of hours, such that the work rules your life.

In many cases, though, workplace experts are increasingly calling on employers and employees not to look at work and life as being in a binary, zero-sum relationship. Some have called for a better work-life blend as the more relevant approach. But that makes it sound horribly unclear where work ends and life begins.

Whichever way you cut it, one thing is clear: There is a need for harmony in our lives. And employers should support that because finding such harmony probably makes us more productive workers over the long term.

Typically, the issue of work-life balance is especially salient to those raising young children or taking care of elderly parents. As Singapore's families shrink in size, there are fewer members of the extended family available to help. Employers cannot ignore this fact if they want workers to stay on the job. Arrangements such as flexi-work hours or job-sharing are gaining popularity and they should be welcomed by those who need them most.

Work-life balance is also acknowledged to be a key requirement for leaders of organisations. Countless business gurus dispense advice on cultivating happy, holistic lives that can actually make you a more rounded, smarter leader.

However, young graduates do not fall into either of these categories. Well before they are in leadership or parenthood, many want a balanced life that an older generation found too impertinent to ask for.

Those who grew up relishing their first pay cheques must be baffled at how young people can go on extended graduation trips or take time out before securing their first job. The older cohort assumed that the first few years of working life would be like bootcamp, an apprenticeship where one picked up experience and proved one's reliability and diligence. It is difficult to identify with millennials who talk about the need for job satisfaction and the time to meet their friends regularly on weekday nights, let alone their sacrosanct weekends.

All of this determination to lead a full life even before finding one's feet as a self-reliant adult is enviable, I suppose. Sometimes I wish I had had the gumption in my 20s to say no when my boss waylaid me with yet another assignment as I was about to leave for the day. I might have been marked down a notch or two in my appraisal, but what the heck, maybe I might have had more fun. I will never know.

In a way, the priority that the younger set places on work-life balance is a mark of our success as a society. After all, we should be worried if we became a First World society where the young only saw themselves as mere cogs for the economic machine. Young people's definition of the good life has evolved just as our society has evolved.

Many of them are more likely to have post-materialist values compared to the older generation, emphasising autonomy and self-expression on top of economic security. "In Asia, the Western countries and Africa there is a tendency that younger cohorts swear on post-materialist happiness, compared to older ones," according to the World Values survey group, which captures Singapore.

Hence, one would hope that as young people have a fuller, more rounded sense of what life is about, they would become good parents and would not pressure their children the way an earlier generation did. Similarly, one would hope too that as they develop these other aspirations, they become more tolerant of diversity and other people's life choices, be it in career, race, religion or relationships.

Unfortunately, though, these shifts in values are coinciding with another global trend, which may not give the young the luxury of a post-materialist lifestyle. In an earlier era in many developed countries, and in Singapore, being a university graduate was the ticket to a secure, well-paying job. Many Singaporeans in their 40s to 60s had this relatively smooth move from school to workplace.

But it should be painfully clear that those days are over. In an open economy, with or without immigration, young Singaporeans must compete with their peers from Asia who still have their parents' and grandparents' attitude towards work: Long hours and deferred gratification are prized over instant rewards and a fuller life in the short term. The competition will be especially difficult for Singaporeans for whom post-materialism has not meant the end of consumerism - when young graduates leave the office for their real lives, most still want to be seen in designer accoutrements and with the latest gadgets.

To their seniors, this desire to deprioritise work without downgrading their First World standard of living smacks of a sense of entitlement.

Just how a new generation reconciles the kind of life they want with the exertions they are prepared to make will be one of the major questions facing Singapore in the coming years. If they succeed, they could teach the older generation a few life lessons. If they fail, their parents or their inherited wealth might provide them a soft landing. But for how long, is the question they may want to mull over, as they bask in the pleasure of their fifth straight early weekday evening off.

[email protected]

 

 

work life balance is good if you can balance it in a fulfilling way. Not the entitlement that you want to leave on the dot, no weekend, good appraisal, high increment, and fair promotion opportunities. some may say the old days were over when people work late and weekend, and the older generation is outdated on what productivity means.

Nevertheless, my concern was what has stated, instead of advocating too much on this until your kids seeing it as an entitlement (yah try telling them to do housework and they start giving you the same excuse of what you advocate), rather parents should teach their kids about hard work, perseverance, endurance and tolerant and not take things for granted.

Not asking you to clock 60 hours a week with no life (but why not if you are single and work hard for the money!), I understand many will argue that there are still people working hard today, which i agree and it was also mentioned in the article even for someone in the 30s, different background groom different people. So when you have the balance but other is putting double effort, do not blame others who worker harder getting a better chance of promoting (including FW/FT) or things in life and you just sit there and whine THIS IS UNFAIR! (life is unfair that people dun have to work so hard yet get to enjoy but that is not an entitlement, probably luck!)

This is just an old man view.

[Whathefish]

 

 

work life balance is good if you can balance it in a fulfilling way. Not the entitlement that you want to leave on the dot, no weekend, good appraisal, high increment, and fair promotion opportunities. some may say the old days were over when people work late and weekend, and the older generation is outdated on what productivity means.

Nevertheless, my concern was what has stated, instead of advocating too much on this until your kids seeing it as an entitlement (yah try telling them to do housework and they start giving you the same excuse of what you advocate), rather parents should teach their kids about hard work, perseverance, endurance and tolerant and not take things for granted.

Not asking you to clock 60 hours a week with no life (but why not if you are single and work hard for the money!), I understand many will argue that there are still people working hard today, which i agree and it was also mentioned in the article even for someone in the 30s, different background groom different people. So when you have the balance but other is putting double effort, do not blame others who worker harder getting a better chance of promoting (including FW/FT) or things in life and you just sit there and whine THIS IS UNFAIR! (life is unfair that people dun have to work so hard yet get to enjoy but that is not an entitlement, probably luck!)

This is just an old man view.

 

today u power!! no wonder no picture no sound from u at the other channel

[Kangadrool]

This is problem of social engineering.....

 

One moment, two child is enough, one moment two is not enough.....

 

One moment, work hard 'cos our neighours are hungry and catching up fast, one moment we were told to have "work-life balance" 'cos people comprain no GF/BF, no piak piak, no children, no time with children...................................................

 

We keep flip-flopping.....

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2014 by Kangadrool

[Wyfitms]

very simple issue

 

99% of the workforce is working for money to spend. For this group, work-life balance is important. Of course, you do not normally expect to earn millions a year if you are in this group.

 

1% are entrepreneurs or people who really love their job/ have a calling or people with no life except to immerse themselves in the drudgery of work. For this group, they can work 24/7. They will be rewarded by immense amount of money, or feel like they have done something great with their life through their work.

[Whathefish]

All boils down to what u want in life...$ or life...

 

For most singaporean males, we still need to go reservist ok..how to fight with FT

[Jman888]

This is problem of social engineering.....

 

One moment, two child is enough, one moment two is not enough.....

 

One moment, work hard 'cos our neighours are hungry and catching up fast, one moment we were told to have "work-life balance" 'cos people comprain no GF/BF, no piak piak, no children, no time with children...................................................

 

We keep flip-flopping.....

 

 

 

 

 

i don't see that as an issue, the policy was called for at time and it is good for one generation. Which govt can foresee thing beyond a generation of 50-60 years when technologies can be replaced in less than 5 years in today's world?

[Mustank]

It is natural for people to seek value whether it is employer or employee or buyer or seller

 

Asking people to provide more value is errrr hypocritical

Who doesn't want more value?

[Chowyunfatt]

Work Life Balance is a Luxury, not everyone can afford in Singapore ... Period!

[Kangadrool]

Singapore has one of the highest working hours in the world. Needless to say, most of it are unproductive hours going by our productivity figures.

 

Something is wrong.

 

It's not wrong that young workers want work life balance. Everyone deserves it. But just need to be realistic as you'd mentioned. It's not about clocking 9-5 and fleeing on the dot. However, if someone has to consistently work long hours, then something MUST be done by the management and worker himself/herself.

 

Further, mindset change from top management to bottom on those reporting work much earlier and going home earlier (on some days). Of course, we don't expect them to go off eary everyday, but if they are expected (by peer pressure or whatsnot) to stay back until official hours, then this is bad.

 

On the other hand, I am impressed with some of our (local) young workers, the amount of passion and dedication put into their work.

 

 

 

i don't see that as an issue, the policy was called for at time and it is good for one generation. Which govt can foresee thing beyond a generation of 50-60 years when technologies can be replaced in less than 5 years in today's world?

 

[Whathefish]

we singaporeans mostly are actually confuse bunch...gahmen say this we follow, they say that we follow....they say yes , we KPKB behind but we never really stand firmly and say no.......

 

gahmen now say want work life balance...so we try to follow...cannot follow KPKB lor

[Coolad]

Maybe efficiency would be a more appropriate way to address this... using time to measure is single dimensional and not accurate...

 

Some company cultures like clocking long hours for no apparent productivity increase... in fact some staff do "nothing" in the day and start to work only during OT period.

 

Good companies always question their staff is there a need to work OT. Going back on time is a testament of one's efficiency and time management skill.

 

Of coz when one is new to the job... naturally will spend more time.. but if 1year down the road and you are still spending the same time.. something maybe wrong...

 

Lastly clocking long hours is a very Asian/Chinese thing... you dun see this very common in US/Europe... and most of the top businesses are from there loh...says alot rite...

[Jman888]

Singapore has one of the highest working hours in the world. Needless to say, most of it are unproductive hours going by our productivity figures.

 

Something is wrong.

 

It's not wrong that young workers want work life balance. Everyone deserves it. But just need to be realistic as you'd mentioned. It's not about clocking 9-5 and fleeing on the dot. However, if someone has to consistently work long hours, then something MUST be done by the management and worker himself/herself.

 

Further, mindset change from top management to bottom on those reporting work much earlier and going home earlier (on some days). Of course, we don't expect them to go off eary everyday, but if they are expected (by peer pressure or whatsnot) to stay back until official hours, then this is bad.

 

On the other hand, I am impressed with some of our (local) young workers, the amount of passion and dedication put into their work.

 

 

 

i do agree that many are still hard working like i say especially in accounting line.

 

However there is a group who call for the balance even before they start work or first day on work. i believe this strawberry group has nothing to worry about and their parents has load of money to back them up. they can quit anytime they want and their parents fully support them, and it is always other people fault that they can't get what they want.

[Watwheels]

I think young ppl want work-life-balance and rewards all at once. Whether they work hard or not I dunno but highly unlikely. They can keep dreaming. LoL...

 

With this kinda mentality, just how far can they go?

[Knoobie]

Meanwhile.. other countries made it illegal for bosses to send email after office hours.

[GongJiaoWei]

Singapore has one of the highest working hours in the world. Needless to say, most of it are unproductive hours going by our productivity figures.

 

Something is wrong.

 

It's not wrong that young workers want work life balance. Everyone deserves it. But just need to be realistic as you'd mentioned. It's not about clocking 9-5 and fleeing on the dot. However, if someone has to consistently work long hours, then something MUST be done by the management and worker himself/herself.

 

Further, mindset change from top management to bottom on those reporting work much earlier and going home earlier (on some days). Of course, we don't expect them to go off eary everyday, but if they are expected (by peer pressure or whatsnot) to stay back until official hours, then this is bad.

 

On the other hand, I am impressed with some of our (local) young workers, the amount of passion and dedication put into their work.

 

 

 

Bro.. Strongly agree with your point of unproductive hours...

 

Cos' the calculation is based on start work time and end work time.

 

Never minus

- Skype / group chat timing (1 hr)

- FBing (0.5hr)

- Extended lunch hour (0.5hr)

- Coffee break / toilet break (0.75 hr)

- Surfing net / Tabao or gmarket shopping (0.5 hr)

- Surfing MCF (example now) (0.25 to 1.25 hr - depending)

 

If take consideration of the above, I only work 3.5 hr daily.....

 

 

[Ryu]

The word "work life balance" already states work first life second then finally got balance.

[Jman888]

Maybe efficiency would be a more appropriate way to address this... using time to measure is single dimensional and not accurate...

 

Some company cultures like clocking long hours for no apparent productivity increase... in fact some staff do "nothing" in the day and start to work only during OT period.

 

Good companies always question their staff is there a need to work OT. Going back on time is a testament of one's efficiency and time management skill.

 

Of coz when one is new to the job... naturally will spend more time.. but if 1year down the road and you are still spending the same time.. something maybe wrong...

 

Lastly clocking long hours is a very Asian/Chinese thing... you dun see this very common in US/Europe... and most of the top businesses are from there loh...says alot rite...

 

 

actually i was referring more on the mindset, unless you are expose to the working culture of the west, it is hard to escape the asian way. Having said, we are becoming westernize which explain things has slowly changed.

[Coolad]

 

 

actually i was referring more on the mindset, unless you are expose to the working culture of the west, it is hard to escape the asian way. Having said, we are becoming westernize which explain things has slowly changed.

 

Understood on tat.. mindset is critical... very fine line separates "work life balance" and "skiving mentality" ...