‘Work-life balance matters more than pay’ according to Welsh business leader

Nation Cymru staff

Leading Welsh business voice Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE has said that employers must recognise that employee expectations around work have “changed permanently”, as new research reveals work-life balance is now valued more highly than pay.

Robert, who is Director for Wales at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), and also chairs the Wales Productivity Forum, said organisations across Wales are increasingly facing pressure to rethink traditional workplace culture as employees prioritise flexibility, wellbeing and trust alongside financial reward.

He added: “The relationship people have with work has fundamentally shifted. Employees still want rewarding careers, fair pay and financial security, but they are no longer willing to sacrifice wellbeing and personal life in the way previous generations often accepted.

“The organisations succeeding in attracting and retaining good people are the ones creating cultures built on trust, flexibility and strong leadership.

“But flexibility works best when it is supported properly. People still want to feel valued, fairly rewarded and able to progress in their careers. High pay and flexibility are not competing priorities – the most productive workplaces increasingly understand that employees expect both.

“This is not simply about working from home. It’s about how people experience work, how valued they feel and whether leaders understand the realities of modern life.”

It comes as new research commissioned by Call of the Wild through OnePoll found that work-life balance is now the single biggest motivator for UK employees in 2026.

The study of 2,000 employed adults found:

• 47% rank work-life balance as their top workplace priority
• 44% place salary and financial reward first
• 28% prioritise job security
• 19% place career progression first
• More than 60% now prefer hybrid or flexible working models
• 65% still value face-to-face communication with leaders
• Fairness, communication and trust are now the most valued leadership behaviours

The findings suggest the shift is consistent across generations, sectors and age groups, challenging assumptions that flexible working is primarily driven by younger employees.

Robert added: “What’s particularly interesting is how consistent these findings are across generations. Older workers increasingly want flexibility and autonomy too.

“This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for employers in Wales. Organisations that adapt successfully are likely to see benefits not just in recruitment and retention, but also in engagement, wellbeing and productivity.”

The research also highlights growing expectations around hybrid working, with employees increasingly viewing flexibility as a standard part of working life rather than a workplace perk.

Call of the Wild says the findings reflect wider changes in leadership expectations, with workers placing greater importance on empathy, communication and trust.

Lynda Campbell, Facilitator – Transformational Leader and Culture Specialist at Call of the Wild, said: “We work with organisations across Wales and the UK, and we see these challenges first-hand.

“There’s a real opportunity for Welsh organisations to lead the way by developing leaders who are adaptable, emotionally intelligent and grounded in real experience.

“This research shows that people don’t expect perfection from leaders, but they do expect them to understand their world.

Leadership that reflects people and their lived experience is what builds trust, engagement and long-term success.”

Catrefi Cymru Cooperative, one of Wales’ largest providers of support for people with learning disabilities, says flexible and hybrid working has helped create a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture across its central services teams.

The organisation, which operates across Wales, introduced a hybrid working framework following the pandemic, supported by leadership development work with mid Wales-based specialists Call of the Wild.

Nia Coates, Assistant Director of People at Catrefi Cymru Cooperative, said: “For our colleagues, having that flexibility removes a huge amount of pressure. Whether it’s school runs, caring responsibilities or health needs, people can work in a way that helps them balance life and work without feeling stressed about clock-watching or making up hours.

“It’s helped us become more flexible, more responsive and more people focused as an organisation.”

As Welsh organisations continue to navigate economic pressures and workforce change, the research highlights the importance of leadership that is rooted in place, people and purpose.

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