Striking the Balance Between Work and Life
Fighting Against the Sands of Time

What IESE alumni value over fruit baskets and frequent flyer programs is the one thing that many employers are loathe to grant them: a healthy equilibrium between the working day and life outside the office.

A number of blue-chip companies enjoyed positive PR when Fortune magazine included them in its first annual ranking, “100 Best Companies to Work For,” in 1998. Yet, over the past six years, employees have reassessed which perks they value most.

One financial institution boasted amenities such as on-site hairdressers, a dry cleaning service and company gyms. After all, it does make commercial sense for an investment bank to ensure that its salespeople are well turned-out. If they can get a haircut in the office, there is no need for them to wander off at lunchtime. In short, if a company provides everything its employees need, the busy worker will never have to leave the building.

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