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Think You’re the Only One with a Work/Life Balance Problem?

Think again. Most Small-business owners are working 24/7.

Almost half of U.S. small business managers work during time meant for family and admit to making business calls and checking e-mail while driving, according to a national survey exposing the unusual lengths taken by today’s workers to manage increasingly 24/7 jobs.

Conducted on behalf of Staples, Inc., the telephone poll explored the balance between work and personal time for 300 leaders of companies with fewer than 20 employees, a group representing nearly 90 percent of all U.S. businesses, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. Overall, respondents reported long hours, diminished vacation and an ever-blurring line separating work from time-off.

“Time is a critical resource for companies of all sizes, but it’s of even greater importance to small business managers, who possess a larger stake in their company’s success and often lack the support infrastructure of bigger businesses,” said John Giusti, vice president of Staples Business Delivery, a division of Staples that delivers to small businesses. “The results from this survey reflect what we regularly hear from our small business customers, who say a lack of time is a constant challenge.”

The survey revealed some startling work habits, such as nearly one in five managers (18 percent) admit to reading work-related e-mail and documents while in the bathroom and nearly half (49 percent) work while driving.

For most of the managers surveyed, the standard 40-hour work week does not apply. Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) work well beyond a 40-hour week, and one in five (21 percent) work a double week, logging an extra 40 or more on-the-job hours. Participants cited business growth (9 percent) added responsibility (7 percent) and “trying to keep up” (5 percent) for their heavy workloads. Some managers have compensated for these increased work demands by letting work trespass into once-sacred personal time.

For instance:
— One in five (21 percent) work while eating dinner at least 4–5 times per week;
— More than a third (37 percent) could not readily remember their last vacation. Of those who did vacation, nearly half admit to working during some portion of it.

Additionally, the pervasiveness of mobile phones and hand-held e-mail devices has only contributed to these long hours at untraditional times.

— More than two-thirds (68 percent) work on days off, checking e-mail, voicemail or making work-related calls;
— Two-thirds (66 percent) work after hours and at night;
— Half (51 percent) work on holidays;
— And almost half (47 percent) work during what is supposed to be family time.

Generally, surveyed leaders of younger companies and those with fewer employees expressed the most lopsided work-life balance, and the vast majority (92 percent) characterized their workload as about the same or heavier than from a year ago.

“Companies wishing to serve small businesses must recognize their critical need for time,” said Giusti.