Work-life blending: why you should really switch off

Too much work on your plate? You are not alone. According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), people in Germany are working more than ever before. In 2023, employees worked a total of around 55 billion hours - despite the economic downturn. Anyone who works so much should be able to switch off on vacation. But it's precisely here that employees with a high level of responsibility find it difficult. In our article, we take a closer look at ever-increasing stress levels, a good work-life balance and how good, automated solutions ensure that even those in positions of responsibility, such as those responsible for training, can finally switch off.

Work-life blending: fluid boundaries between work and leisure time

Nowadays, many people identify more strongly with their work than they used to. This often means that employees find it difficult to really switch off and take a break from their work. Work is not just a job, but an essential part of life and identity. Thanks to smartphones and modern technologies such as messaging and email applications, we are always available, even when we are on vacation. How can we make a clear distinction between professional and private time? The boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. This phenomenon is known as work-life blending.

20 x "Friends" or "How much do we actually work?"

In a typical working week with five working days and eight hours per day, the annual working time is approximately 1,680 hours. That's quite a lot. If we had this time available as vacation time, we would have a lot of time to use. To make it easier to imagine, here's a little thought experiment: if you were to watch the 90s series "Friends" as a series marathon, it would be easy with a time budget of 1,680 hours: you could watch all seasons (a total of 10 seasons with almost 236 episodes!) just under 20 times.

Why work-life balance is so important

every has the right to rest. Especially those who are entrusted with responsibility for other employees in the company on a daily basis. However, this doesn't just apply to managers. HR developers, training officers and compliance officers, for example, carry an immense burden on their shoulders. They are responsible for training and instruction and continuously implement the necessary measures within the company. Above all, they keep an eye on the safety, well-being and needs of employees . But what about their own work-life balance?

Compliance officers: Great responsibility, great stress

Compliance managers have a great responsibility: they ensure that companies comply with legal requirements and maintain ethical standards. Training and instruction are indispensable elements with a high impact. This important task entails a great deal of stress.

Stress due to new roles

The risk of stress among employees is currently high. Almost half of those surveyed in a study conducted by PwC report that their workload has increased significantly in the last 12 months (by 45%). In addition, they have had to learn new technologies to manage their tasks. These changes in roles and responsibilities can quickly lead to overwork and burnout.
(Source: Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024, study by PwC).

Typical compliance issues include exceeding working hours, data privacy and occupational safety. Overwork is widespread here - as in many other areas of the company - because it is easy to get lost in the daily tasks and neglect your own recovery. Compliance officers often find themselves tilting at windmills, as training obligations have to be fulfilled and are not voluntary like other development programs.

A one-off round of further training is often not enough: compliance officers must keep an eye on repeat cycles and also ensure correct implementation and process reliability . In practice, this is a major challenge. Resistance among employees must be overcome and at the same time the importance and relevance of compliance must be made visible - a mammoth task.

Stress due to constant availability and pressure to perform

Laptop closed, rest on? It's not that easy for many employees on vacation. Because the way many companies are organized, employees often work a heavier workload - after all, the long to-do lists should be completed before the vacation if possible. And even if there is no obligation to be available on vacation, colleagues continue to write emails. Just knowing that your inbox is filling up can be stressful and interfere with much-needed relaxation. The thought of unanswered messages and tasks means that many people can't really switch off. All this comes at a price: relaxation? Not a chance.

Employees in standby mode

Only 41% of employees manage to completely ignore work while on vacation. Over a third (35%) have already worked on vacation at least once, and 13% even do so regularly. Particularly popular: emails and administrative tasks. So for many, vacation only means switching off to a limited extent.
(Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2024)

In many companies, high performers are often those who regularly work overtime and put vacation on the back burner. This behavior not only increases their own stress levels, but also puts pressure on other colleagues to make similar sacrifices. However, a culture that rewards overwork can be detrimental to the entire workforce in the long term.

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