Four out of every 10 New Zealand workers say they are struggling to get the work-life balance they want.
A new Labour Department report polled 2,000 employees and over 1,000 employers to find out what New Zealanders want most from work.
The report shows that workers are asking for more job flexibility. Forty percent of employees polled work extra hours in their own time to get their jobs done. Twenty percent work more than 50 hours a week.
At mail order giant Ezibuy, workers have flexi time, more part-time opportunities and staggered shift times to fit work around the differing demands of its staff - alternatives which strongly appeal to both parents and students.
"They do give you the flexibility that you need, like using the shift swap to be able to compromise uni and work so I can work full-time and study part time at UCOL," says Ezibuy call centre employee Renee Reilly.
Not only are workers demanding flexibility, but companies are now having to adapt to keep skilled staff - and the improved work-life balance is something the government says business cannot ignore.
"What we have to explore is ... how to make it business as usual where we have quality flexible work options delivered to all New Zealanders," says Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson.
And it seems that businesses already implementing greater flexibility in working conditions say productivity improves and their staff are less likely to move on.
