Barriers to Balance

Barriers to achieving work-life balance have been raised in a number of work-life balance reports and inquiries and include:

• lack of awareness about existing flexible work options and leave entitlements
• the inability to access flexible work arrangements
• lack of understanding of the benefits of work-life balance
• lack of services and resources to support staff and managers in making flexible work arrangements
• poor management of staff before, during and after prolonged leave
• lack of effective communications between employees and their stakeholders in terms of expectations, workflow and career opportunities when undertaking flexible work arrangements.

However, one of the biggest stumbling blocks to developing a workplace culture that acknowledges and values the importance of work-life balance are the common misconceptions held by both workers and the broader community.