Work Life Balance

The Role of Work-Life Balance

Executive Summary

In today's fast pace competitive society, there is a significant underlying issue in every industry across all staffing levels which surround the issues of work life integration. This paper focuses primarily on how today’s top law firms can create a company culture that is conducive to a more work-life balanced approach. It is not uncommon for associates in today’s top law firms to feel intense pressure to work upwards of 60 hours per week in order to stay competitive in the “rat race”. As junior lawyers compete against each other to eventually obtain the status of partner within the firm, lawyers face conflicting pressures between billable hour requirements and a personal/family life. A well-balanced life can lead to greater productivity as greater satisfaction outside of work can lead to sharper focus in the office. Working longer and harder beyond a certain tipping point increases stress, which in turn can be counterproductive. In order to retain and attract the best and the brightest, firms need to change their company’s over worked “billable hour” culture and adopt a more flexible environment that allows associates to better manage their own career paths instead of following the typical linear path to partnership.

The Role of Work Life Balance

The boundary between work and home has become increasingly blurred for many American workers. Technology has made it possible for off-the-job employees to connect to their workplaces at all hours from almost any venue. Whether at home or out to dinner, the mass use of mobile phones, emails, and the internet has made it possible to work just about anywhere. Globalization has put corporations under intense pressure to remain competitive. This has lead to an increase in intensity as organizations put additional pressure on their employees to work harder: which often translates into longer hours and increased accountability for one’s work through the...