LESS than half of the county’s business leaders believe they do not have the right work/life balance, according to Business Link Kent’s latest Kent Business Barometer Survey.

The new research shows that 48 per cent say they have the balance right, 50 per cent think they spend too much time doing work and two per cent feel they devote too much attention to domestic concerns.

East Kent (Thanet, Canterbury and Dover) has the highest proportion (56 per cent) of those who think they have struck the right balance compared with just 43 per cent in the Channel Corridor (Maidstone, Shepway and Ashford) and Thames Gateway (Dartford, Gravesend, Medway and Swale).

The highest percentage (61 per cent) of those who feel they spend too much time at work is in businesses employing between six and nine staff.

Deryck Banks, business services manager at Business Link Kent, said: "Getting the wrong balance between home and work can have serious implications for small businesses.

"An organisation that has a 'work hard' culture often suffers from high staff turnover, meaning it loses not only expertise and continuity but has to pay the cost of replacement employees – which averages around £4,000 per vacancy.

"Business owners and managers also suffer from spending too much time at work. They arrive early, spend all day firefighting and then get home late and tired, which can damage their personal relationships."

Business Link Kent offers a number of services to help employers tackle workplace problems.

Mr Banks added: "Bosses need to delegate more and identify the skills and training that their staff need so that they can take on more responsible roles.

"The people in charge should also lead by example and make sure they go home at a sensible time and encourage their colleagues to do likewise.

“Many steps are just commonsense and needn’t cost any money to implement. More flexible working hours or allowing staff to work from home, for example, can have a dramatic impact on an employee’s quality of life."

The Kent Business Barometer is a quarterly survey designed to map business confidence, track trends and build knowledge of the needs of local businesses and the issues they face.

For further advice on achieving a healthy work/life balance, or for information on the Kent Business Barometer, contact Business Link Kent on 08457 226655, info@businesslinkkent.com or visit www.businesslinkkent.com/worklifebalance