Work-Life Balance Is Broken (HR BREW)
A New Approach HR Can Actually Deliver — Work-Life Harmony
Originally published by HR Brew on July 30, 2025.
Work-life balance is broken — and telling employees to “just get more balance” is doing more harm than good. The latest from HR Brew argues that balance is a myth in today’s fluid work world. Instead, what companies really need to promote is work-life harmony. Dive in to see why HR leaders should reconsider how they support people — and how building happier workplaces starts with redefining what “work-life” even means.
In this HR Brew feature, Jennifer Moss weighs in on why the old idea of “work-life balance” is failing today’s workforce — and what HR needs to rethink.
A recent national survey shows that 83% of employees now cite work-life balance as their top motivator when deciding whether to stay in a job. But as Jennifer explains, balance has become a mythic ideal that doesn’t fit the way we work today. Hybrid schedules, flexible hours, and blurred boundaries make it impossible to draw clean lines between “work” and “life.”
Instead of pushing balance as the benchmark, Jennifer argues that HR leaders should support work-life harmony — a more adaptive, humane approach that allows people to flex their energy, time, and responsibilities in healthier, more realistic ways.
This shift matters: organizations that embrace harmony over perfection see stronger engagement, better retention, and healthier teams overall.
Want research-backed strategies for building healthier, happier teams? Explore Jennifer’s book Unlocking Happiness at Work for actionable insights grounded in science.
This article echoes many of the themes Jennifer explores in her work on burnout, belonging, and workplace well-being.
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These clusters help establish a more realistic and sustainable framework for work — one rooted in autonomy, care, and meaningful connection.
Bring Jennifer to your next event to help leaders rethink work-life harmony and build cultures where people actually thrive.