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Read about our latest research, including results from our ongoing surveys of senior managers and workers, and company announcements.

Wellness at work

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Canadian Professionals Feel Support from Managers for Work-Life Balance, Reveal Favourite Company Perks

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2016 /CNW/ - Are employers and workers on the same page about juggling personal and professional priorities? Apparently so. More than one-third of senior managers (34 per cent) surveyed by staffing firm OfficeTeam said their company is very supportive of its employees' efforts to achieve work-life balance, and a similar number (30 per cent) of staff agree.

Managers and workers were asked, "How supportive is your company of its employees' efforts to achieve work-life balance?" Their responses:


Managers

Workers

Very supportive

34%

30%

Somewhat supportive

62%

49%

Somewhat unsupportive

4%

15%

Not supportive at all

0%

5%


100%

99%*

*Responses do not total 100 per cent due to rounding.

 

Which Perks Do Employees Value Most?
Flexible work schedules (42 per cent) and generous vacation time or sabbaticals (21 per cent) topped the list. This differed slightly from what staff said are the most common work-life benefits at their organizations: 46 per cent noted their company offers paid parental leave, followed by 37 per cent who reported having options for flexible schedules.


What Helps Employees Best Achieve Work-Life Balance

What's Offered at Companies*

Flexible work schedules

42%

37%

Generous vacation time or sabbaticals

21%

32%

Telecommuting or work from home options

18%

22%

Health and wellness tools or programs

7%

32%

On-site services (e.g., daycare, food, dry cleaning, gym)

6%

14%

Subsidized transportation or carpools/shuttles

3%

8%

Paid parental leave

2%

46%

*Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.

 

What Helps Workers Stay Healthy
When asked about health and wellness benefits, employees cited ergonomic evaluations and equipment, such as standing desks (26 per cent), and access to fitness facilities or programs (25 per cent), as the most valuable.

"Standards of work-life balance and health benefits are evolving, and companies need to recognize the changing expectations of their employees," said Koula Vasilopoulos, a district president for OfficeTeam. "Balancing personal and professional demands are a challenge and have increasingly become a priority for today's workforce." 

Vasilopoulos emphasized how offering a good variety of wellness options benefits both employers and employees. "Providing your teams the resources and tools to enhance their wellbeing in and out of the office positively impacts productivity, loyalty and overall happiness at work."

To learn more about the secrets of the happiest employees and companies, visit roberthalf.ca/its-time-we-all-work-happy.

About the Research
The surveys of senior managers and workers were developed by OfficeTeam. They were conducted by independent research firms and include responses from more than 300 senior managers at Canadian companies with 20 or more employees, and more than 300 Canadian workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.

About OfficeTeam
OfficeTeam, a Robert Half company, is the nation's leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled office and administrative support professionals. The company has 300 locations worldwide. For more information, including job search services, visit roberthalf.ca/officeteam. Follow @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter and the OfficeTeam Take Note® blog at roberthalf.com/officeteam/blog for career and management advice.

Contact: Naz Araghian
416.865.2140
naz.araghian@roberthalf.com

SOURCE OfficeTeam

Image with caption: "Wellness in the works. (CNW Group/OfficeTeam)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161117_C2521_PHOTO_EN_821042.jpg