9 jobs with top work-life balance
The 40-hour work week might seem like a fantasy to many Americans, who are either putting in late nights and weekends or working two or more jobs to make ends meet.
But there are some jobs that earn top points for balancing the demands of work and life, according to a new survey from employment site Glassdoor, which based its tabulation on reviews from workers. Glassdoor said the current average work-life balance reported for all jobs is a rating of 3.2 points out of a maximum rating of 5. Work-life balance has been declining since 2009, when the average rating was 3.5.
Many of the jobs that score well for work-life balance are in demanding tech roles, but long hours don't necessarily jibe with low happiness. Workplace policies that help create an engaging job environment can help overcome long hours, according to a 2014 Gallup survey, which found that about half of all American salaried employees work more than 50 hours a week. And what "work-life" balance means to an employee depends on what that person values, which could range from flexible hours to free gym passes.
"Work-life balance can mean a lot of different things to different people, and we saw that on this list," said Allison Berry, a career trends analyst at Glassdoor. "For some people, it can mean 40 hours a week, a 9-to-5 schedule or not checking email at night. For others it can mean a flexible schedule, or it can mean a generous vacation policy."
Many of the jobs also pay salaries that are far above the typical American household income of $56,516. Tech jobs dominate the top of the list, perhaps because companies are offering more perks and benefits, such as unlimited vacation time, to lure in-demand talent.
Read on to learn more.
9. DevOps engineer: $110,000
A mix of the words "development" and "operations," DevOps tends to mean a developer or coder who gets involved in network operations, or system administrators who can code. The role tends to pay well, with a median salary of $110,000, and people who are employed as DevOps engineers give their work-life balance a 4.0 rating.
There are currently more than 1,500 jobs available for these types of engineers, according to Glassdoor.
8. Mobile developer: $101,318
Mobile developers give their jobs a 4.0 rating on the work-life balance scale. The job, which pays a median salary of $101,318, involves developing apps for mobile devices such as smartphones. App developers are in high demand, given that consumers are increasingly using their mobile devices for everything from banking to shopping.
There are currently 2,074 jobs open on Glassdoor for mobile developers.
7. Technical account manager: $75,000
Technical account managers bridge the sales and tech side of a business, helping clients with technical support. The median annual salary is $75,000, and people employed in the role give it a 4.0 for work-life balance.
There are 1,035 jobs for technical account managers listed on Glassdoor.
6. Recruiting coordinator: $48,000
The lowest paying job among the top 9, recruiting coordinators help HR professionals work with job candidates and recruiters to handle tasks such as scheduling and coordinating interviews.
Recruiting coordinators give their occupation a 4.0 rating for work-life balance. There are 604 job openings currently on Glassdoor.
5. UI Designer: $84,500
UI designers -- short for user interface -- design what consumers see when they use software, a website or an app. UI designers earn a median salary of $84,500.
Workers in this field give their jobs a 4.0 rating for work-life balance. There are currently about 615 job openings on Glassdoor.
4. Strategy manager: $110,487
Strategy managers are executives who help their companies determine and set goals, ranging from business strategies to financial goals.
One of the higher-paying jobs on the list, strategy managers earn a median salary of $110,487. Workers in the field give their jobs a 4.0 rating for work-life balance. Currently, there are 595 openings for strategy managers on Glassdoor.
3. Data scientist: $112,000
The highest-paying job on the list, data scientists are in huge demand because of the amount of data that's now generated from websites, apps, and software. Companies hire data scientists to analyze and interpret the information for trends, opportunities and insights.
Because data scientists are in demand, they have more flexibility in negotiating hours and benefits. They also tend to have flexibility in when and where they can work, such as working from home or coming into the office later in the morning.
The median pay for a data scientist is $112,000, and people in the role give it a 4.0 rating for work-life balance. There are currently 2,106 job openings for data scientists on Glassdoor.
2. UX Designer: $95,000
Short for user experience, UX designers approach how software or tech products feel to users, such as whether navigation is logical or if there are stumbling blocks for users when they try out a product.
The median salary is $95,000, and, like data scientists, UX designers have flexibility in their hours and leverage in negotiating benefits, Glassdoor said.
UX designers give their jobs a 4.1 work-life balance rating. There are currently 1,139 job openings on Glassdoor.
1. Corporate recruiter: $65,000
The top job for work-life balance earns high marks because corporate recruiters have more flexibility with their hours than the typical 9-5 worker may have. Because recruiters are working to develop new contacts, they often work a flex schedule. They can also work from almost anywhere, as long as they have their smartphone, laptop and internet access at hand.
The median salary for a corporate recruiter is $65,000. They give their jobs a work-life balance of 4.1, and Glassdoor says there are currently 1,269 job openings for the role.