VoIP Solutions Help Maintain Good Work-Life Balance for Employees

According to new research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) (PwC), an industry-focused firm that provides advisory services for clients, the millennial generation born between 1980 and 2000 believes that work-life balance is far more important than financial rewards in staying motivated as employees.

For readers of this survey, this is not new news. In fact, PwC conducted a report in 2010 on how “[e]mployees rate work-life balance over bonus.” The results of the survey recognized the importance of work-life balance in service industries.

Similarly, both PwC surveys identified that work flexibility is the most valued benefit of employees. Findings show that of those surveyed, the majority favored work-life flexibility over an increased salary, pay packets and bonuses. There were even workers who reported they “would be willing to forgo pay rises and promotions for greater flexibility.”

Indeed, these surveys find that “flexibility [is] a priority for millennial workers” and “has been cited as a key feature of modern working by many employees.”

As per the new research, of the 44,000 workers surveyed, “21 per cent of females and 15 per cent of males said they would be happy to give up some of their salary in exchange for more flexibility.”

Gaenor Bagley, head of people at PwC, concluded that flexibility and work-life balance are fundamental to keeping employees happy and for employers to sustain business success.

The studies carried out by PwC present fresh perspectives on work aspirations, expectations and people’s attitudes regarding the impact of the work-life clash. Employers are asked to consider endorsing a happy work environment by promoting this work-life balance.

Poor work-life balance could lead to inferior employee performance and, ultimately, cause an employee to resign or, worse still, affect his or her mental state. It’s thought that adopting a more flexible approach can help improve work life balance, whilst increasing business productivity.

A suitable tool that can be used is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, like that from Telappliant, a U.K. Internet telephony specialist, to keep people in touch at all times and save on the associated costs of calls too, wherever employees are and whenever they are working remotely outside the office.

VoIP is an apt business solution that can provide a better work-life balance as it offers benefits to telecommuters as well. This technology that utilizes the IP network (Internet or intranets) for telephone conversations can break employees free of the old 9-to-5 mentality and offering greater flexibility to employees who find themselves working more and having less time for family and activities outside of work.

VoIP can be used to meet working arrangements, or else achieve balance of work and life commitments with minimal disruption to carry out some or all of one’s work.

In sum, the move to VoIP may just be what’s needed to secure a better future for both the industry and its employees. It appears to be an appropriate solution that carries both a financial incentive to employers, and an appeal to employees who are motivated by such technology that can provide a means at the end of the day to enhance their work-life balance.