Adults 40+ favor flexible jobs for work-life balance: AARP survey

Adults aged 40 or more years are looking to find professional/personal life balance on the job, rather than just a means to a paycheck, according to the results of a recent AARP survey.

“During the pandemic, many people took time to re-examine their personal goals and how their job fits into their life,” stated Carly Roszkowski, vice president of financial resilience programming at the AARP. “Given the high level of burnout that so many older workers experienced during the pandemic, especially those who are caregivers, it should come as no surprise that work-life balance has emerged as not just a priority but a requirement.”

Seventy-nine percent of the workers surveyed said that flexible work hours are now a job requirement, and 66% of the respondents said they would only accept a new job if they are able to work remotely at least some of the time. The gross majority (90%) also indicated that they require a job that provides meaningful work.

Respondents indicated that they prefer flexibility via hybrid and remote work arrangements, with 44% already working remotely.  

“In fact, one of the top reasons for working independently was the flexibility to decide when and how much they work. The autonomy of being one’s own boss was also high on the list,” according to the AARP.

Respondents aged 40 to 49 (32%) were more likely than those aged 50-plus (26%) to have an outside gig, with both groups most likely to earn extra money through contract or freelance work (14%), according to the data.

Gig and independent work has become increasingly common in the quest for professional/personal life balance. More than a fourth (27%) of the workers responding said that they are doing freelance or gig work; the percentage was higher (32%) for those aged 40 to 49. 

“While 89% of gig workers say making extra money is their primary motivation, flexible work hours are a close second at 87%,” AARP said.

The Value of Experience survey, the AARP multicultural work and jobs study, is conducted every five years. The sample included 2,000 respondents aged 40-plus who are in the labor force working full-time or part-time and or not working but looking for work. The survey was fielded online Sept. 15 to Oct. 12 in all 50 states and Washington, DC.