Why Helping Employees Achieve a Work-Life Balance Powers Business Success

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is increasingly important worldwide. To attract and retain the best talent, companies must ensure workers’ ambitions are supported and their home lives respected.

Achieving a happy work–life balance is a struggle for employees of every generation around the world. Advances in technology are blurring the lines between home and work life, at the same time as economic pressures intensify. Our research shows that employers who support their workers by offering flexible working arrangements and resources that relieve financial pressures – such as reliable health insurance – will reap significant dividends.

According to the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, “a good work–life balance is achieved when an individual’s right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm – to the mutual benefit of the individual, business and society”.[1]

It sounds simple, but increasingly it appears that people are failing to achieve a healthy balance between work and their outside lives. For example, 78% of employed individuals worldwide reported stress of some kind in 2025, and 12% globally attributed their stress to an ‘always on’ work environment, according to our Cigna Healthcare International Health 2025 report[2].

Our survey also showed that workers in the US and countries in the Middle East and Africa report the best work–life balance, while Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan have the lowest scores. In terms of manager support, Switzerland, Kenya and the US score highest, while employees in South Korea and Japan are the least supported. The study also indicated that 70% of the participants surveyed worldwide work more than 40 hours a week. Only 30% work less than 40 hours.

The Work-Life Balance is Now the Top Motivator for Today’s Workforce

Achieving a healthy work–life balance is becoming ever more important to employees around the world. Indeed, it’s their top motivation, overtaking pay, according to the international recruitment company Randstad’s annual review of the world of work.[3] This is the first time in the survey’s 22-year history that work–life balance has surpassed pay as the leading motivator.[4]

That finding alone should impress on employers the need to support staff in balancing the demands (and satisfactions) of the workplace with their desire to lead a happy life outside work.  If companies want to attract and retain the best talent, ensuring workers’ ambitions are supported, along with ensuring their home lives are respected, are clearly an imperative.

How Employers Can Help Staff Achieve Work-Life Balance

The main actions employers can take to support employees, according to Sage, the enterprise software business, include:

• Offering flexible and remote working.
• Encouraging managers to focus on productivity rather than working hours.
• Encouraging staff to take periodic breaks away from their desks.
• Regularly review staff workloads to ensure they are achievable. [5]

At Cigna Healthcare, we have long understood that workers are more productive when they feel they’re able to bring their best selves to work. Our recommendations include:

• Foster a culture of purpose and connection: Create opportunities for employees to find meaning in their work and connect with colleagues, which research shows is key to long-term satisfaction and vitality.
• Support mental health openly: Provide access to mental health resources, normalize conversations around emotional well-being, and train leaders to recognize signs of burnout and stress.
• Promote whole-person health: Integrate programs that support physical, emotional, and social health. This demonstrates to employees that their employer is supportive of their well-being inside and outside of work.

Why Helping Employees Find Work-Life Balance Can Boost the Top Line

There are strong reasons why employers should focus on this area. We believe that vitality, an individual’s ability to pursue life with health, strength and energy, is a key determinant of the contribution they make in the workplace.

Quite simply, workers with high vitality are more willing to work harder to help their workplace succeed and are more enthusiastic about their job. Around 86% of those who were categorized as having ‘high vitality’ responded that they were willing to work harder to help their workplace succeed according to our 2025 study. Low vitality in the workplace, on the other hand, is connected to lower engagement and productivity. Employees with low vitality are more prone to experience stress at work and are less motivated to contribute to the success of their organization.

Our study shows that work-life balance correlates with high vitality. When employees feel that they cannot take care of themselves, their families, or other obligations due to work-life balance, this impacts their vitality.

A plethora of research has shown that the most fulfilling jobs are those that offer a strong sense of autonomy, rather than high pay or prestige. Research from Estonia, for example, reveals that those in jobs which offer a sense of achievement and autonomy – such as clergy, medical professionals, and writers – tend to be the most satisfied.[6] One element of Vitality is how individuals feel about their autonomy. Employers should consider how to provide employees more independence, whether it be flexible work environments or the ability to dedicate work hours to a side project that they are interested in. When individuals have the freedom to pursue meaningful goals and contribute creatively, they’re more likely to experience job satisfaction and long-term engagement.

How Hybrid Working Arrangements Can Bring the Best Out of Employees

Offering employees flexible working arrangements can have a significant impact on their vitality and their perception of their employer. Critically, it gives them more control over balancing both work and personal life. Employees can dedicate their time at home to independent tasks while using their time in an office for collaboration. This allows individuals to use their time in a way that prevents burnout.

In summary, there are many – often interlinking – factors that can help employees feel respected and rewarded by their employers and in control of their lives. By adopting far-reaching approaches such as flexible working arrangements, well-being-oriented organizational cultures, and targeted support for vulnerable groups, companies can benefit from their workforce’s greater vitality, motivation and productivity.

To find out more about how we can help your employees achieve an optimal work–life balance, visit Global Health Benefits from Cigna Healthcare.

 

Sources:

1. https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/topics/work-life-balance
2. Cigna Healthcare International Health 2025 report
3. https://www.randstad.com/workmonitor/
4. https://workforceinsights.randstad.com/en/download-the-workmonitor-2025-report
5. https://www.sage.com/en-gb/blog/hr-support-better-work-life-balance-workplace/
6. https://workplaceinsight.net/clergy-doctors-and-writers-have-the-most-job-satisfaction-major-study-finds/