Strengths and Struggles of Work Life Balance for Millennials

With the average American employees working 1,787 hours a year (Samuelson, 2013), and happiness studies showing careers as only one of many factors that determine happiness (Kessel & Hughes, 2018; Ortiz-Ospina & Roser, 2017), American employees are not maintaining a work-life balance (WLB) to satisfy their overall well-being. Instead, employees work longer hours to sustain a high-intensity, fast-producing performance pace thought to be necessary for the demands of 2019. Millennials understand the struggle to maintain WLB better than previous generations; technological advances and workplace flexibility demand higher dedication from millennial employees, working them around the clock. They can no longer disconnect from work communication and enjoy an evening at home. This generation, comprised of 21-36 year olds, views WLB as a long-term solution to an integrated life that engages their work and personal lives in fluid ways, all the while maintaining the healthy balance necessary for life satisfaction (Jenkins, 2018). WLB offers myriad benefits, including reduced stress, improved health, increased quality of work, and decreased susceptibility to burnout. This study employed qualitative research processes including interviews with six Millennials to examine WLB and strategies employed by these individuals.https://encompass.eku.edu/swps_graduategallery/1104/thumbnail.jp