‘Uncooperative bosses’ cited as hurdle to work-life balance

PETALING JAYA: A new study by job portal Monster.com shows that Malaysian professionals in general say it is difficult to achieve a work-life balance due to unsupportive office environments and a lack of flexible work policies.

The survey, released today, found that 39% of Malaysians identify uncooperative bosses and colleagues as a barrier to achieving work-life balance.

Thirty-seven percent meanwhile say their workplace does not provide them with the necessary tools to work from home.

Forty percent of local professionals said their managers are “somewhat supportive” of work-life balance but are not consistent in helping employees find a practical balance which works for them as well as the company.

Others meanwhile said their bosses believe work-life balance is a “fad”.

Nearly half of respondents said they can “sometimes” balance work and life, while 42% say they worry about work outside the office.

Another 38% say they work long hours on weekends.

About half of them (49%) rated their current work-life balance situation as “average” and in need of improvement, while 81% believe organisational support for a better balance is key to enhancing productivity.

More than 1,000 professionals across Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines took part in the survey, which was part of Monster.com’s #WorkLifeBalance campaign. -FMT