Forget work-life balance. The new standard is work-life blend

In today's digital age, where connectivity is 24/7, it can be challenging to disconnect from work

Forget work-life balance. The new standard is work-life blend

In today’s digital age, where connectivity is 24/7, it can be challenging to disconnect from work. Many of us actively choose not to. Is that a bad thing?

The adage of work-life balance—the unrealistic expectation that we should keep our work and home lives separated—is fading away. In its place, a new standard is emerging: the work-life blend.

A recent whitepaper authored by Ultimate Software details the benefits of work-life blend and offers examples of how to encourage this new, more practical approach. Hint: Start by setting an example from the top, down.

As we navigate COVID-19 and potential future outbreaks, it’s becoming more apparent that employees are merging their work lives and personal lives. This new fluid way of working allows a healthy, un-forced, balance—allowing us all to reap the advantages of both sides.

Work-life blend offers a kind of flexibility that employees have seemingly been craving. A recent report from Regus Canada investigated the rise of flexible working arrangements. The study found that 54% of employees work remotely 2.5 days of the week, while a staggering 27% agree that their daily commutes into the office are a waste of time.

With the number of remote workers on the rise, it stands to reason that this new, fully incorporated work-life blend is set to define the new normal in many workplaces.

Furthermore, when it comes to attracting new talent, the flexibility of work-life blend is a huge perk for Gen X and Gen Z. A report from Ernst & Young found that job flexibility was the most in-demand benefit for young workers. The same employees even cited a lack of flexibility as their main reason to quit.

The question isn’t really can you afford to adopt this new mode of work—it’s whether you can afford not to.

Learn four ways to mix work, home, and everything in between, in Ultimate’s guide to work-life blend.

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