Any successful manager, entrepreneur or business person works hard. Workers in Great Britain put in an average of 1652 hours per year, compared to 1309 hours in The Netherlands, but less than the average of 1777 hours by workers in the United States (Source: OECD).

And it’s no wonder these figures are growing; as the thirst for a good standard of living and economic growth in difficult times increases, employees are putting more and more time into their work.

But where does that leave us in terms of our personal development outside of our employment? Having a suitable work / life balance ethic is not only healthy for the individual, but for their organisation and society a whole.

Some managers mistakenly presume that an employee that arrives for their contractual start time, and leaves promptly in the early evening are not as committed as those that come in to the office at the crack of dawn, and leave well into the dark night.

It’s important to look at the employee’s contribution to the organisation whilst they are working and consider that perhaps their personal/familial commitments or even personal preference in limiting their additional time in the office is to be respected. Employees should be challenged and judged by their results, not just their effort.