Work and life. Most of us work so we can live, but for many, the scale tips in the other direction. In a 2002 study, Work-Family Spillover and Daily Reports of Work and Family Stress in the Adult Labor Force, researchers found evidence of an imbalance between the two, with an increasing amount of negative ‘spillover’ from work to family life. In such cases, the likelihood of stress within the family increased by 74 percent.
In addition to these findings, a survey conducted by the National Life Insurance Company found 40 percent of U.S. employees considered their jobs “very” or “extremely” stressful. Unfortunately, the American workplace is saturated with the sentiment that simply “working hard” is inadequate.
Extra hours for work are often carved out of hours spent with family, friends, leisure time, or sleep. The produce industry, with demanding hours and deadlines, certainly presents these challenges. Employers and employees have a real issue on their hands—one that needs to be actively managed for happiness at home and productivity in the workplace.
Defining ‘Work-Life’ Balance
In general terms, “work-life” balance refers to the stability between the amount of time and energy consistently spent on either work responsibilities or home life. According to Dr. Gustavo Grodnitzky, a trained clinical psychologist, the concept was first introduced by Generation X individuals (those currently between the ages of 33 and 49) as an attempt to separate work and life.
The original idea revolved around thinking that both professional and personal development were of equal importance, yet should occupy completely separate spheres. The majority of Dr. Grodnitzky’s research, however, found profound differences between how such a balance was defined, particularly by age.
Baby Boomers created the 70- to 80-hour work week and often measured success with monetary gain. Most CEOs of this generation tend to have the same expectations of their employees—who may be of a different mindset. With many Baby Boomers aging out of the workforce, leaders are looking to the next generations to carry on their legacy.
Members of Generation X, as well as Generation Y (called ‘millennials’ and born since 1981), care less about materialistic gain and much more about work-life balance or what they perceive as a “blended life.” These groups, especially millennials, look for meaningful employment, promoting “big picture” causes; many also prefer not to be tied to a desk or office, using technology to perform work duties anywhere, day or night. Employers, however, may find such flexibility presents a challenge.
Other complexities affecting a work-life balance include caregiver roles. As employees grapple with balancing personal career aspirations with family priorities, conventional roles have fallen by the wayside with flex-time, job sharing, and the creation of at-home offices to accommodate these needs. The latter, of course, creates its own hazards as the workplace and home become one and the same, obscuring the line between personal and professional.
Work and life. Most of us work so we can live, but for many, the scale tips in the other direction. In a 2002 study, Work-Family Spillover and Daily Reports of Work and Family Stress in the Adult Labor Force, researchers found evidence of an imbalance between the two, with an increasing amount of negative ‘spillover’ from work to family life. In such cases, the likelihood of stress within the family increased by 74 percent.
In addition to these findings, a survey conducted by the National Life Insurance Company found 40 percent of U.S. employees considered their jobs “very” or “extremely” stressful. Unfortunately, the American workplace is saturated with the sentiment that simply “working hard” is inadequate.
Extra hours for work are often carved out of hours spent with family, friends, leisure time, or sleep. The produce industry, with demanding hours and deadlines, certainly presents these challenges. Employers and employees have a real issue on their hands—one that needs to be actively managed for happiness at home and productivity in the workplace.
Defining ‘Work-Life’ Balance
In general terms, “work-life” balance refers to the stability between the amount of time and energy consistently spent on either work responsibilities or home life. According to Dr. Gustavo Grodnitzky, a trained clinical psychologist, the concept was first introduced by Generation X individuals (those currently between the ages of 33 and 49) as an attempt to separate work and life.
The original idea revolved around thinking that both professional and personal development were of equal importance, yet should occupy completely separate spheres. The majority of Dr. Grodnitzky’s research, however, found profound differences between how such a balance was defined, particularly by age.
Baby Boomers created the 70- to 80-hour work week and often measured success with monetary gain. Most CEOs of this generation tend to have the same expectations of their employees—who may be of a different mindset. With many Baby Boomers aging out of the workforce, leaders are looking to the next generations to carry on their legacy.
Members of Generation X, as well as Generation Y (called ‘millennials’ and born since 1981), care less about materialistic gain and much more about work-life balance or what they perceive as a “blended life.” These groups, especially millennials, look for meaningful employment, promoting “big picture” causes; many also prefer not to be tied to a desk or office, using technology to perform work duties anywhere, day or night. Employers, however, may find such flexibility presents a challenge.
Other complexities affecting a work-life balance include caregiver roles. As employees grapple with balancing personal career aspirations with family priorities, conventional roles have fallen by the wayside with flex-time, job sharing, and the creation of at-home offices to accommodate these needs. The latter, of course, creates its own hazards as the workplace and home become one and the same, obscuring the line between personal and professional.
Creating Balance
Since individuals have limited waking hours, extra minutes spent at work or thinking about work and not enjoying life, often lead to guilt and dissatisfaction. Building positive work-life balance necessitates preventative and proactive measures on both the individual and company levels.
Dr. Grodnitzky believes the most important thing employers can offer is flexibility. By allowing employees to manage their own time, to a degree, certain stressors are alleviated and individuals feel more control over their own lives. Some positions may also offer the opportunity to work from home on occasion, granting a modicum of freedom.
According to Kriss Zerr, chief financial officer at Domex Superfresh Growers in Yakima, WA, “each person (employee) has to be treated as an individual regardless of his/her role in the company or job title. When we can’t allow flexibility in its perfect form, we try to provide alternatives that accomplish the same thing.”
As an example, Domex Superfresh helped fund a walking trail around the facility, as well as bringing in a trainer to hold group exercise classes during lunch hours. This gives employees an opportunity to exercise even when schedules are tight, while still respecting time in the evening allotted for family. “The trick is being creative and trying to find a way to accomplish both the desires of the staff and the goals of the company concurrently.”
Positivity, too, can influence the general culture of a workplace. Scheduling a few company-sponsored excursions or in-house activities goes a long way to increase contentment and decrease stress. When most employees feel their stress level is manageable, others in the office may adopt similar attitudes.
Conversely, just one or two individuals handling stress poorly can undermine an entire organization. Such instances may have nothing to do with workload at all, or can be caused by a worker ill-equipped to handle a particular job. For employers, this can be an equally stressful situation, to provide relief through counseling, guidance, or further training, or to find another position within the company for the employee.
Balance & Perishables
Though it may seem elusive and certainly takes effort, Rod Sbragia, director of sales and marketing for Tricar Sales, Inc. in Nogales, AZ, firmly believes a “work-life balance is possible in our industry. We as individuals, and leaders, need to commit to providing opportunities for staff and ourselves to unwind and refresh our minds.”
Due to the very nature of the produce industry and its required level of engagement, Sbragia finds most buyers and sellers have good friends among their industry peers. Such spillover can be both beneficial and detrimental. “We take time away from work with our colleagues from the industry,” he notes, “but never really get away from business. While I always enjoy spending time with my friends within the industry, I try to spend as much leisure time with friends outside the industry for a fresh break.”
Larry Davidson, vice president of sales and procurement of North American Produce Buyers Ltd. in Toronto, ON, offers another perspective. He joined the family business in his twenties, at a time when the enterprise was struggling financially. To help the company survive, he put in long hours, six days a week.
“It wasn’t a great life, but it was an investment I needed to make,” he explains. Though the extended hours eventually led to success, it was nevertheless a sacrifice all too familiar for men and women entering the workforce in certain highly-demanding careers. A similar example is the field of medicine; aspiring physicians and surgeons go through extensive dawn-to-dusk training and back-to-back shifts, finally emerging to a more stable workday. The sacrifice may claim years of long hours and dedication, but the payoff eventually arrives, allowing workers to enjoy the fruits of their labor and more time for friends and family.
Davidson says he has a fairly normal schedule these days and makes a point to spend more money on staff to support the business, allowing him to spend additional time with his family. In terms of priorities, Davidson says it is hard to choose between business and family, because his business has always been a means to support his family.
Stress Takes Its Toll
Certainly not all tales of sacrifice and long hours end in success. And in addition to work-related stress, there are also the usual stressors from family, friends, and home life. All can take their toll on the body. Stress-related disability claims are on the rise, and according to the Employee Assistance Professionals Association of Arlington, VA, from 75 to 90 percent of physician visits are related to stress. Further, the American Institute of Stress finds the cost of such medical claims to corporate America has been estimated at $200 to $300 billion a year.
Stress, of course, has both direct and indirect impacts on health, which can affect daily life on many levels. Long- and short-term stressors activate responses in the body, but because certain functions are not considered “essential” to survival, studies have found continual, longstanding stress factors can decrease immune function and cause digestion, intestinal, and even reproductive problems.
In addition, heart rate elevation can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues. Indirect consequences of high stress levels also play a role; for example, demanding work schedules limit time for exercise, healthy meal preparation, and sleep. Consequently, highly-stressed men and women often turn to unhealthy choices to cope—which then affect health and job performance—a vicious cycle.
Future Trends
In terms of the future trends, the rapid advance of technology will continue to influence both our personal and professional lives. “As technology has developed in the workplace,” Zerr contends, “work-life balance has become easier in some ways to manage, but more difficult in others.”
It all comes down to setting boundaries, allowing quality, productive time for both work and nonwork activities. The two are not mutually exclusive but of equal importance: jobs pay the bills so workers can enjoy their homes, entertainment, and vacations. For most employees, fair wages and some flexibility in the workplace will foster both fulfillment and success—and influence productivity.
While the definition of work-life balance is neither clear cut nor simple, many variables—from age, sex, and career choice—complicate its implementation and success. The dynamic between work and leisure time will continue to challenge both employees and employers, but balance is achievable if both sides are mindful of the benefits.
