Men Happier With Work-Life Balance Than Women: Captivate Network [GRAPHIC]

Turns out men are happier than women in the office, at least according to a recent survey by digital media company Captivate Network. After polling 673 white-collar professionals, men reported being 25 percent happier at work and generally more satsified with their work-life balance than women, despite working longer days on average.

Although Captivate Network's poll may have focused on those with a desk job, the importance of a balanced working and personal life is proving to be just as important for blue collar workers. Miller-McCune reports on a growing body of research that shows providing part-time and low-wage employees with perks, such as flexible hours and time off when needed, can improve employee retention, productivity and morale. That often makes for a more successful business.

Here is the infographic showing the results of Captivate Network's work-life balance survey:

Comments

[gssamar]

11:37 PM on 09/09/2011

I live in Israel, on a kibbutz, so my work-life issues are much different from most people's. But we spent a year in the US in 2006-7, when our 3 children were aged 4, 9, and 14. We found the US (or at least the NY metropolitan area) to be incredibly family-unfriendly. We are used to dividing home and work responsibilities according to the needs at the moment: when my youngest was an infant and often sick, I spent less time at work and more time at home to nurse him. When I took a job with more responsibility, longer hours and travel, my husband took more responsibility for the family. In the US, we saw that either you are in a "Mommy track" job with more flexibility and less professional potential, or you are expected to put work above family in all but extreme cases. Since we each have both a right and a responsibility to raise our children, and a right and responsibility to earn a living and develop professionally, this either-or business was just not for us.

[cheo]

04:18 PM on 09/09/2011

Duh. Like women needed a study to tell them what they already knew. In too many cases the majority of the housework and childcare is still left to the woman. And guess who is generally expected to be able to miss work if called to school or the kids are sick?

Yes I know there are plenty of exceptions, and my guy is one of them--though it didn't happen by magic. We had to work it out and it wasn't always easy.

[gssamar]

11:29 PM on 09/09/2011

The exception is not "your guy" but your relationship. You said it -- "we had to work it out."
A good friend tells a story: a few days after she came back from the hospital with her first son, her husband came home from work, eager to spend time with the baby. When he picked him up, she started saying "how are you holding him!?" Suddenly she realized that she had to choose: either she would be the responsible parent, in which case she would have the right to tell her husband what to do with the children - but she would also have to bear the responsibility, or they would be equal partners, which means she would have to let him be a father the way he wants to, not the way she wants him to.

I hear too many women saying "he just can't handle the house," meaning he won't clean the house or care for the children by her standards.

[cheo]

04:06 AM on 09/10/2011

He is special. I met him when I was living in a log cabin in CO I helped rebuild. I skied to it in winter. I cut my own firewood in the forest. I had an art studio in town where I did a lot of carpentry, taught skiing winters. My guy was clay artist/guitar repairman. We had both finished with college.

I had had 3 much younger brothers, a sick mother; I was used to taking care of babies. My husband became great at bathing, changing, feeding our son. After birth, my husband cooked. Still does. Communication and flexibility is everything. Early on I had to decide: perfect house, or some help. Control freak me chose latter.

We moved to NW for access to good schools, community&friends.

It's important to teach a son to help out. Either he kept his room clean or lived with mess. When older he could do his laundry or have friends tell him he smelled--once. (THAT was hard for me). He worked during H.S. (At restaurants, so knows how to cook.)

If I did a little more first few years, my husband's more than making up for it. I have MS and can't do all I used to. We'll get back to clay when he's done with this job. We have a great son. He was best man at our City Hall wedding a few years ago. It's been 38 yrs.

[KymmiKatt]

02:30 PM on 09/08/2011

All this says to me is that maybe women would be happier if men helped out at home more. And should be treated and paid equally to men at work

[kokotye157]

05:56 PM on 09/08/2011

agreed

[Cheshirekat02]

08:04 AM on 09/09/2011

Yep you hit the nail on the head!

[time1910]

02:30 PM on 09/08/2011

Wow interesting. My profile is similar to the profile of the happiest person :)