By Suzie Coen
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When about it comes to work, do you want it completely separated from your personal life (as brilliantly demonstrated in the TV show ‘Severance’), or do you prefer mixing your work tasks and personal time throughout the day?
Your answer lets you know whether you're a splitter (the former) or a blender (the latter).
According to 2022 research from Gallup, there is about a 50/50 split between splitters and blenders among the working population.
Gallup’s research found that Gen Z and young Millennials are fairly evenly divided between splitters and blenders. Older Millennials favour blending (56 percent) and Baby Boomers prefer splitting (55 percent).
Of course, it’s not unimaginable that different work styles could potentially be a source of workplace tension.
Splitters may irritate blenders when they refuse to answer work emails or phone calls outside of work hours. Blenders may drive splitters mad when they pop out to run errands during the working day.
But it’s been proven that both sides can be engaged at work and productive once leaders promote open communication, offer flexible scheduling, and set up clear expectations.
Why you need to know
If companies are deciding when and where people work, it’s imperative they know which of their employees are splitters and which are blenders.
When employees are mismatched with their preferred work style, they’re less likely to be engaged and feel treated with respect, and more likely to be burnt out and looking for a new job.
It’s well known that most people today desire flexibility and autonomy in their work, but there’s a large share of employees who want clear boundaries, too.
Preferring remote work doesn't necessarily mean you're a blender, and with a shift away from purely remote work opportunities, many workers in hybrid positions still desire boundaries and focus time.
Communication matters
If there’s a disconnect between what workers want and what bosses think they want, the solution is simple: talk about it.
It’s clear most employees have probably never been asked how they prefer to work.
Managers of course should be asking this question to better learn how to support their employees, and then allow them to work in whichever way makes them the most productive.
Minor tweaks and accommodations could make all the difference. Now that so many teams are hybrid, questions of boundaries, focus time and productivity are a necessary conversation.
In our new era of work, the right strategy boils down to increased communication and more engaged managers who are actually equipped to lead remote and hybrid teams.
If you’re aiming to thrive in 2024, it makes sense to seek out opportunities with organisations that help employees find their version of balance.
Your first stop? Head to the Euronews Job Board where you can browse a wide selection of open roles right now. Here are three hiring this week.
Business Development Analyst (SEPA), EBA Clearing
EBA Clearing is looking to recruit a Business Development Analyst in Paris to support its work on new initiatives and projects for the SEPA Services. You will manage project teams; liaise with customers/banks and service providers and represent the company in community groups and industry bodies.
To apply, you’ll need a requisite university/business school qualification and possess experience with IT project management and with the European payment industry.
It’s worth noting that EBA Clearing promotes happy workplace initiatives and employee engagement policies - including mobility between units and across locations and a flexible work environment with WFH options.
Software Developer Financial Products, L-Bank
L-Bank, the development bank for Baden-Württemberg, has an open position for a Software Developer to join its team in Karlsruhe.
The focus of the work will be on derivatives processing – the design of new features and continuous development of new technologies.
The ideal candidate will have a degree in computer science, business, or media informatics, and have several years of experience in application development. A good knowledge of Java, C++ and SQL plus experience with current UI frameworks is preferable.
L-Bank’s agile project management framework (self-organised Scrum team) encourages employee-independent development, and its flexible flexitime work model offers excellent work-life balance.
Python/PL/SQL Developer, Atos
Eviden (as part of Atos), is a key player in next-generation digital technology and a world leader in cloud, advanced computing, and security.
It is currently recruiting for a Software Engineer in Grenoble to help build sustainable, clean, and resilient energy systems.
Your main responsibilities will include designing and developing new applications; carrying out technical tests; contributing to performance goals and application security. You must have extensive knowledge of systems (Linux, OpenShift); databases (Oracle); language (Python/PL SQL), and tools (Jira, Git, Jenkins, DevOps).
Note that hybrid telework options are offered with this role. Also the company operates an agile management style (Scrum), which aims to ensure individual teams can structure and manage their work effectively and efficiently.
Discover hundreds more opportunities on the Euronews Job Board today
