‘Work to live, not live to work’ is a popular mantra for those who prefer a job they are comfortable with, and allows them to maintain an enjoyable lifestyle without too much career pressure and too many hours.
While the phrase is nothing new, it now transpires that people in the UK are possibly the least likely to say work should always come first.
According to a study by King’s College London’s Policy Institute, 73% of people in the UK say work is “very or rather important in their life” – the lowest of the 24 countries researched. However, there is a marked age split in attitudes: millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) were much more likely to see work as less important than older generations for whom work must come first.
According to the World Values Survey, 73% of people in the UK think work is “very or rather important in their life” – the lowest of 24 countries.
Other European nations rank much higher than the UK on this measure, with 96% of people in Italy and Spain agreeing, and 94% in France.
And further afield, countries like the Philippines and Indonesia scored 99%.
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People in Canada, however, held a similar view to those in the UK: 75% of people agreed with the statement.
Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, said the findings suggested a “steady drift towards a greater focus on getting work-life balance right” in the UK, with “people less likely to think work should be prioritised over spare time, that hard work leads to success, or that not working makes people lazy”.
The survey suggests that this attitude has increased over time in the UK.
Between 1981 and 2022, the share of the UK’s public who said it would be a good thing if less importance was placed on work rose from 26% to 43%, the study stated.
This opinion has gradually become more widespread in several other Western nations too. For example, over a similar period, the proportion holding this view rose from 25% to 41% in Canada and from 30% to 45% in Germany.
Generation split
Prof Duffy said there are “very different views between generations in the UK, with older generations more likely to say work should be prioritised, even as it becomes less important in their own lives as they move into retirement.
“Millennials, in contrast, have become much more sceptical about prioritising work as they’ve made their way through their career.”
According to the survey, more than half of UK millennials say it would be better if there was less emphasis on career and work in their lives. But older generations are not as likely to share this view, with just over a third of baby boomers agreeing.
The survey was evidence that a health work-life balance was now “non-negotiable” for UK workers, according to Vicky Walker, director of people at Westfield Health. She added: “This is reflected in the recent workplace trends we’ve been seeing, where employees push back against ‘always on’ culture. Last year, for example, we saw a 600% year-on-year increase in searches for ‘soft living’ – a lifestyle designed around minimal stress, self-care and easy living.
“Work-life balance is only going to get higher on the HR agenda this year, particularly as the government increases its focus on getting people back into the workplace. To support employees with their mental wellbeing, and to help them maintain a better work-life balance, business and HR leaders should invest their time trying to create a wellbeing culture in the workplace that allows employees to thrive.”
Social mobility and burnout
Meanwhile, with news that social mobility in the UK is worse than at any point in the past 50 years, questions arise over whether younger people see the point in pursuing an ambitious career – many may assume that the top positions are reserved for those belonging to more privileged groups in society.
A further deterrent to prioritisation of work over other areas of one’s life, is the fear of burnout. A TUC survey has found that more than half of workers (55%) report that work has become more intense and demanding. Three in five (61%) say they feel exhausted at the end of most working days.
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