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  • Nationwide Survey Reveals Today's Men Agree With Women: Life Outside of Work is Just as Important, or More So, Than Their Jobs

Nationwide Survey Reveals Today's Men Agree With Women: Life Outside of Work is Just as Important, or More So, Than Their Jobs

Survey Spotlights New Workforce Realities

BOSTON (July 11, 2005) — In a new national survey that may shatter commonly held perceptions about men's attitudes towards work, the vast majority of men say they agree with women that life outside of work is of equal or more importance to them than their jobs.

Ninety-five percent of more than 2,000 adults surveyed across the country say that life outside of work is just as important to them, or more so, than their work. There were no statistically significant differences in priorities between men and women. Workforce experts say the data may shatter commonly held perceptions that work-life integration is primarily a woman's issue.

"The New Workforce Reality," a study by the Simmons School of Management in Boston and Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc., was designed to understand the motivation of today's workforce and likely priorities in the future, as employers brace for an upcoming shortage of workers in the next decade. According to federal statistics, in a few years there will be 151 million jobs in the United States but only 141 million people to fill them.

"Organizations may not be recognizing enough the extent to which life outside of work plays an important role today for men as well as women," says Fiona Wilson, Simmons School of Management professor and study co-author. "Employers need to embrace that reality rather than fear it. They need to be flexible and adaptable in terms of creating programs, policies and cultures which support work-life integration."

Having a balanced approached to work and life doesn't necessarily mean workers are less productive or committed, according to the survey. Ninety-one percent of the respondents who place equal importance on personal life and work--the so called "dual-centric" individuals--say that they are "frequently or always" focused on work when they are at work, compared to 83 percent of those who are not dual-centric.

And eighty-two percent of the dual-centric individuals say they feel fulfilled at work, compared to 64 percent of those who place greater importance on either home or work.

"The days of work and life integration as a 'women's issue' are over," said Bright Horizons Chief Executive Officer David Lissy. "This study makes clear that men are looking for the same work/life considerations from their employers as women.

"There is a looming war for talent, and to be prepared, the best employers will be those who recognize all their employees — men and women — as whole people with family and personal responsibilities that rival their desire for success in the workplace."

For a detailed look at the work/life survey results, and other employee priorities and motivations, download the full report at here, or for more information or to request a hard copy, contact the Simmons School of Management at somdean@simmons.edu, or Bright Horizons Family Solutions at clientservices@brighthorizons.com.

The Simmons School of Management in Boston is the only business school in the world designed for women.

Bright Horizon Family Solutions is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored early care, education, and work/life solutions.

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