A majority of the American public believes that most people can find a way to balance the demands of work, family and contributions to community, according to the 21st Allstate/National Journal Heartland Monitor Poll.
Fifty-four percent of those surveyed believe that “most people can succeed at work, make a good living, and contribute to their family and their community if they manage their time well and set the right priorities.” That number goes up slightly for younger adults, with 59 percent of those aged 18-33 believing that people can succeed in all three facets of modern life: work, family and civic commitments.
Split by gender, 61 percent of men said work/life balance is attainable compared to 48 percent of women, with similar splits recorded among fathers and mothers.
Among adults in their prime working years—those aged 30-49—45 percent agree that “it’s not possible for most people to succeed at work…and have enough time to contribute to their family and their community.” Sixty-eight percent believe that “employers could make it a priority to give workers much more flexibility in their schedules and that happier workers would be more productive and better for business.”
In line with previous Heartland Monitor polls, respondents also expressed belief in individual responsibility when it comes to making life better. Sixty percent said that “more Americans taking responsibility to work hard, improve their skills and education, and provide for their families” would make life a lot better.
With regard to civic and community activity, two-thirds of participants called for greater contributions of time and money to charity and community groups: 36 percent said that volunteering and donation to nonprofits from other citizens would make life a lot better, while 33 percent said such actions would make life somewhat better.
“The poll results present an opportunity to understand what’s at the heart of Americans living a ‘good life’ and the challenges they face in achieving it,” said Stacy Sharpe, senior vice president of corporate relations at Allstate. “Americans believe in themselves and their ability to achieve a work/life balance. Family, health, giving back to the community, and earning enough to pay for education and retirement are all incredibly important to Americans’ ability to live the good life.”
Source: Allstate Corp.