The Millennial's Mindset: Work-Life Integration Vs. Work-Life Balance

As one of the most influential generations of our time, Millennials have initiated a significant shift in today’s work-life environment.

I am not just saying that because I come from that generation.

These days, the big question isn’t about how we obtain work-life balance. Rather it is how we integrate our work with our families, friends, hobbies, and personal goals. Drawing a distinct line between our personal lives and our work lives has become something of the past. This is all thanks to things like technology and our constant ability to plug-in at work.

Instead, Millennials like me are more concerned with work-life integration.

It makes sense, doesn’t it?

With the constant rise in technological advances across the workforce everywhere, people are literally carrying their job around in their pockets. We receive emails on our cell phones, we attend meetings via Skype, and we’re constantly plugged into our social media platforms. Combine this non-stop work awareness with our increased responsibilities at home. It’s no wonder we desire the flexible schedule that comes with work-life integration.Nearly one-third of millennials say managing their work, family, and personal responsibilities have become more difficult in the last five years in 2015 study by Ernst & Young.

The Work-Life Balance vs. Work-Life Integration Debate

Work-Life Balance

Is the concept that focuses on the division between work (career and ambition) and lifestyle (health, pleasure, leisure, family). Where when you leave the office at 5 p.m., you actually leave every aspect of your job at the office. No work is to come home, ever. You check-in to the office at 8 a.m. and you leave at 5 p.m. As you are paid for those hours only or with a fixed yearly salary.

As Millennials are mostly the children of Baby Boomers. Who was a generation was consumed by their careers and mostly falling short of the worklife balance. Millenials experienced the downside of that trend and are not eager to repeat their parent’s habits. They long for a healthier work-life relationship, one that promotes flexibility, company trust, and the ability to work from anywhere.

With makes the Work-Life Balance mindset less popular with Millennial employees.

Work-life Integration

Meanwhile suggests incorporating our work and life into one fulfilling life aspiration. It means having more flexibility with your schedule. For example, if you need to leave early to pick up your sick kid from school you can. You can make up the missed work hours later that night or the next day.

With the work-life integration philosophy, companies must trust their employees to get their work done. So regardless of where of the work is getting done and how many hours logged in at the office. As 75% of millennials want the ability to work flexibly and still be on track for promotion this is the way to go.

Work-life Integration really can work. The first step for success is for the company to have trust in their employees. Secondly and most importantly, employees need to be committed to meeting the company’s expectations. If these steps are meet then a flexible schedule should never get in the way of promotion or advancement.

This mindset is essential for successful entreprenuers that work and live all round the world.

Why is Integration Not Yet Embraced?

Not all companies or employees embrace work-life integration because earlier generations continue to occupy the most management positions.

As they hold more traditional values and are in charge of employee schedules they influence the overall work environment. Baby Boomers have seldom experienced a work environment that tolerates flexible schedules and telecommuting. So they are typically less inclined to jump on board the integration train.

Putting into action Work-life Integration can have a negative impact when everyone is not on board. In fact, one in six employees said they experienced negative consequences after requesting their employer permit them to have a flexible schedule, according to the Ernst & Young Survey.

It does not matter whether you side with work-life balance or work-life integration. As there’s no denying that my generation is creating a shift in today’s work philosophy.

Why the Shift in Mindset Now?

Things are changing!

As the earlier generation’s working lives come to an end it give’s Millennials more power in the workforce.

By 2025 it is estimated that 75% of the workforce will be comprised of Millennials.

Balance

So it would be wise for companies to start tailoring their rules and regulations to the desires and expectations of the upcoming millennial-talent. In ten years, millennials will be the ones in charge, and companies might want them on their side.

I can’t help but feel grateful that I can work from anywhere with a company that promotes the concept of Work-life Integration.

You can too can have a laptop lifestyle where you work from anywhere in the world, click here to learn about the done-for-you system.

Millennial Nicky