According to a new study, more workers are reporting a better work/life balance than they were two years ago. Captivate’s Office Pulse surveyed over 4,000 “white-collar” workers across North America, and found an 11% increase in the number of people reporting a health balance since 2011.
“Though workers report working longer hours, they’re happier due to ‘homing from work,’ or taking care of personal and family needs during the work day,” a spokesperson for Captivate tells WebProNews. “It’s making workers happier.”
The survey also found a 30% increase in respondents reporting working more than nine hours a day, making the findings even more interesting. They’re working more, but also claiming to have a better work/life balance.
As many as 93% of respondents reported “homing from work”.
“People seem to be getting more comfortable with putting in longer hours,” said Scott Marden, research director at Captivate Network. “Part of that appears to come from the growing ability to take care of personal business during the workday… It’s a definite shift and it’s impacting not only the way people work but also the types of issues and activities that are on their minds during the workday.”
“What ‘Homing from Work’ says to me is that the channels that reach people during the workday should be used for more than B2B brands,” said Dan Levi, Captivate’s chief marketing officer. “This research points to new opportunities for reaching consumers when they are researching and purchasing products and services for themselves and their families.”
The fastest growing “homing from work” activities, according to the firm, are entertainment (up 80% from 2011), surfing and shopping online (up 63%), running errands (up 31%), and shopping in retail stores (up 34%). Here’s a look at the types of products and services people are engaging with during the work day:
“The workplace presents an under-utilized advertising opportunity,” said Levi. “People are researching and purchasing products, they are stepping out to take care of personal business and highly-targeted media channels like Captivate Network can effectively educate them on their options and alternatives. This study reinforces that there is an opportunity for marketers to make the phenomenon of ‘Homing from Work’, work for them.”
You can find the full report here.