Has anyone got experience or tips for looking for jobs with work-life balance?

[MattF]

In my opinion, if the job & work style suit you, you like the job, & you earn enough from it, that's as much as you can want from a job.

Anything over & above is a bonus.

 

[TechnicAl]

I've only got a life balance. No work!

Me too.....I get 7 days a week off and someone puts money in my bank account.......Id call that a good deal

 

[Bobupndown]

Me too.....I get 7 days a week off and someone puts money in my bank account.......Id call that a good deal

You've earned it, enjoy it!

 

[Moose McAlpine]

They have rules and requirements I can't meet. For example they deploy me on my own to work with their clients but their rules say one of their own people have to see my work to move up a grade.

So what's stopping that happening? They just won't do it because you're worth more to them in your current position?

Can you give them the ultimatum of allowing you to progress internally or you'll get a job elsewhere, rather than just leaving?

 

[8ob]

I am a bit confused ( easily done) Title says looking for jobs with a work life balance, does that mean a different job/trade with a change of direction ?

Bob

 

[Bullet2012]

I am a bit confused ( easily done) Title says looking for jobs with a work life balance, does that mean a different job/trade with a change of direction ?

Bob

No it means , when is MY Stolly arriving at my place

 

[skotl]

I gave up my tech business a few years ago and was lucky to be recruited by a large consultancy that offers excellent work life balance. Their policy is that if someone is continuously doing overtime then theat project needs another resource. Overtime is pretty much optional and I've done no more than 2 hours in two years. They also offer 10 days optional (unpaid) leave meaning I get 37 days off, so plenty of family time. My productivity is still very high and they are happy with my work.

I'm now looking for a new job now but figuring out which companies offer work life balance is proving difficult. I just asked one potential employer if they optional leave and got a nasty response, basically asking me to justify it.

I'm considering contracting, so short contracts during which I can work hard and take breaks in between contracts. Apparently the contract market is booming again. Glassdoor gives some insight as well.

What are your experiences and tips?

I'm also having difficulty understanding exactly what the gripe is. If it's about being billed out at 2-3 times what your salary is then I'm afraid you need a bit of a reality check as that's exactly what happens in IT and related industries, and always has done so. When a company charges for someone they employ then they also have to cover: employers NI, employment and IT overheads, ancillary functions, downtime and holidays, replacements and VAT. And make a profit. Chargeout at 100% salary probably doesn't begin to make a decent profit for the business, hence why 2.5 or 3 times isn't unusual.
The solution if you don't like that approach is to go contracting, but that's no picnic especially now that IR35 is being applied to all businesses.

If the issue is being paid the market rate then that's different, and the solution is nearly always the same: make a case that your boss accepts, or leave and join another company.

I'm a bit confused about your title on work/life balance though - sounds like you have it pretty good there. You'll be hard pushed to find a job with that much flexibility and that pays top dollar.
But, to your original question, have a look at the Ovo Energy Group of companies - they take individual empowerment and work/life balance very seriously, however their entry requirements and interview processes are pretty tough.

 

[Bullet2012]

Jeff Bezos has retired from Amazon ! give them a call say I told you to call

 

[ChrisBailey]

If you have excellent work life balance, don't change a thing.

I would take that over money or techincal exposure every time.

Atleast in my experience, the tech industry has boomed during the pandemic and employers want more of your time, not less.
We have the benefit of work from home now if your lucky.

 

[rcx132]

Can you give them the ultimatum of allowing you to progress internally or you'll get a job elsewhere, rather than just leaving?

That's was my manager told me to do.. off the record, he told me to find another job and that then I'll get an offer from them to make me stay as they're desperately short.

@skotl I waited to see what happens with the contract market to let it stabilise after IR35 and Covid. Now it's just gone nutty, go online and check what they're offering anyone with cloud, data, security, integration, solution, business or enterprise architect experience. My brother works in recruitment in the city and confirms what I'm seeing.

 

[RWD3M]

Joking aside, I improved my work/life balance by simply reducing my hours. Initially going down to a four day week, than a couple of years later to a three day week, which ultimately Covid put an end to. This too was working for a consultancy (systems engineering) and being billed out at about 1.8 x my salary (margins were incredibly tight!).

 

[ChrisBailey]

Compensation and work life balance are generally inverse in all industries.

A quote from my brothers ceo to another company director. "I pay you 80k, you get a phone call at 2am you will f+=(ing answer it".

 

[RWD3M]

Compensation and work life balance are generally inverse in all industries.

A quote from my brothers ceo to another company director. "I pay you 80k, you get a phone call at 2am you will f+=(ing answer it".

With respect, I'd have needed to be on a f***'s sight more than £80k to answer the phone at that time of the night!

 

[rcx132]

Joking aside, I improved my work/life balance by simply reducing my hours. Initially going down to a four day week, than a couple of years later to a three day week, which ultimately Covid put an end to. This too was working for a consultancy (systems engineering) and being billed out at about 1.8 x my salary (margins were incredibly tight!).

A lot of research recently showing that a four day week results in higher productivity. Here's one recent article, there have been others: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57724779.amp

 

[skotl]

That's was my manager told me to do.. off the record, he told me to find another job and that then I'll get an offer from them to make me stay as they're desperately short.

@skotl I waited to see what happens with the contract market to let it stabilise after IR35 and Covid. Now it's just gone nutty, go online and check what they're offering anyone with cloud, data, security, integration, solution, business or enterprise architect experience. My brother works in recruitment in the city and confirms what I'm seeing.

I'm not doubting that it's picking up at all - I was a contractor until 1st April, and I employ several dozen in my current place.
What I said was that contracting is not a picnic. There are numerous reasons why I took on a permanent role from this financial year, IR35 being one of them - if I had stayed as a contractor and got a role inside IR35 then my effective earnings would have been 30-40% lower than they were before April 2021.

Contracting suits many people but you need to go into it with your eyes open, leave aside enough cash for tax, VAT (if your earnings are over the VAT threshold), holidays, sickness, pension and the breaks between contracts.
Plus you're looking for work/life balance - contractors are expected to work every single minute that they are charging for edit: and they don't get training, aren't eligible for promotion and are instantly expendable.

 

[RWD3M]

Contracting suits many people but you need to go into it with your eyes open, leave aside enough cash for tax, VAT (if your earnings are over the VAT threshold), holidays, sickness, pension and the breaks between contracts.
Plus you're looking for work/life balance - contractors are expected to work every single minute that they are charging for.

You're absolutely right and not forgetting indemnity, insurance, accountants...

It's scary how it all mounts up.

 

[rcx132]

I'm not doubting that it's picking up at all - I was a contractor until 1st April, and I employ several dozen in my current place.
What I said was that contracting is not a picnic. There are numerous reasons why I took on a permanent role from this financial year, IR35 being one of them - if I had stayed as a contractor and got a role inside IR35 then my effective earnings would have been 30-40% lower than they were before April 2021.

Contracting suits many people but you need to go into it with your eyes open, leave aside enough cash for tax, VAT (if your earnings are over the VAT threshold), holidays, sickness, pension and the breaks between contracts.
Plus you're looking for work/life balance - contractors are expected to work every single minute that they are charging for.

Maybe that's why rates have gone up, to offset the tax that contractors are paying? Businesses still need contractors to stand up temp teams to deliver short term needs, IR35 meant contractors pay more tax, supply dropped, demand didnt, market had to readjust.

 

[James1979]

Scandi countries, and Norway in particular, are the world leaders in this. They have laws that protect time off. Shift work more so. Working away even more so. Offshore in the Norwegian sector they do less time on than off. Uk sector is equal time of your lucky, 3 on / 2 off if you aren’t.

 

[skotl]

Maybe that's why rates have gone up, to offset the tax that contractors are paying? Businesses still need contractors to stand up temp teams to deliver short term needs, IR35 meant contractors pay more tax, supply dropped, demand didnt, market had to readjust.

Sure - I'm still not sure I can reconcile your original desire to work for a great company with a decent work/life balance, against a desire to go contracting. IMO (and I've been wrong before) these aren't compatible.
The panacea of taking a few weeks off between contracts is a bit of a pipe dream, too - you either spend all that time fretting about the next contract or grab the very first one that lands in your lap.

I don't intend to put you off contracting, but if you're considering it then please make sure you've weighed up all of the costs and downsides compared to permanent employment.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Pete.]

Scandi countries, and Norway in particular, are the world leaders in this. They have laws that protect time off. Shift work more so. Working away even more so. Offshore in the Norwegian sector they do less time on than off. Uk sector is equal time of your lucky, 3 on / 2 off if you aren’t.

You wouldn't want to pay their taxes though...