Whether it’s working from home or flexible hours, work-life balance is an important part of the modern office landscape. Many workers across Canada are finding it easier today to balance the needs of their work and home lives, and management is often supportive of employees’ work-life balance, according to a new survey from Toronto-based staffing agency Robert Half Management Resources.

The company hired an independent research firm to survey more than 400 adult workers in office environments across Canada, according to a media release that Robert Half sent out on June 13. About 37 per cent of the survey respondents said that their work-life balance had improved over the previous three years; 24 per cent of the total said that the improvement had been significant, while the other 13 per cent said their work-life balance had “improved somewhat.” Forty per cent reported no change at all.

“Professional environments that reap the benefits of work-life balance are the ones that consider evolving worker preferences and trends,” Robert Half director David King said in a press statement upon the release of the study results, “while actively promoting these opportunities to attract potential employees and keep current teams motivated.”

The survey also asked workers how supportive their managers were of work-life balance and what kinds of examples managers were setting. Forty-three per cent of respondents called their managers “very supportive,” and 44 per cent said their managers were “somewhat supportive.” About one-fifth of respondents said that their managers were setting excellent examples of work-life balance, while 44 per cent called their managers’ examples “good.”

“To underscore how valuable work-life balance is to the company, managers must personally demonstrate their commitment,” said King. “Leading by example is an imperative; when staff witness their managers taking the opportunity to unplug and recharge, they’re likelier to follow suit – which supports a more productive and engaged workforce.”

In the release, the company offered tips for office managers to help their workers achieve better work-life balance:

• Learn about employees’ needs by discussing their objectives with them and offering to help;
• Set helpful examples through one’s own behaviour;
• Hire a consultant to help employees with time management if work falls behind;
• Make sure current and prospective employees are aware of their options; and
• Keep up with current and emerging trends on workplace benefits and work-life balance.

Robert Half was founded in 1948 and was Canada’s first staffing company to provide services specifically for accounting and finance professionals, according to information from its website. The company has eight locations across Canada and other offices around the world.