Job burnout, terrorism, competing responsibilities at home and work and recent deadly natural disasters are all factors that have contributed to a change in work priorities. Seeking greater balance between their jobs and personal lives, workers today want more flexible employment options.

According to a recent Spherion^® Emerging Workforce^® Study, time and flexibility—or work/life balance— is a top career priority for 86% of workers surveyed. Yet, only 32% are satisfied with their ability to maintain an acceptable balance between work and personal life. Here’s some advice on how to approach your boss about striking a better balance.

When it comes to implementing formal work/life balance programs, employers fall far short according to the Study. In fact, they ranked time and flexibility last on the list of factors that influence their ability to keep employees—compared to 86% of employees ranking it first on the list! In addition, when work/life balance programs are offered by their employers, nearly half of the workers (42%) aren’t satisfied with them.

If your employer isn’t doing enough to address your work/life balance needs, consider these tips before you approach your supervisor about striking a better balance:

1. Think it through.
   Before you ask, formulate a clear idea of what you need and how you propose to achieve it (through flexible hours, job sharing, telecommuting or volunteer programs, for example).
2. Do your research.
   Make sure you know what policies already exist as well as what programs may have failed in the past. Have a few examples of successful work/life balance programs at other companies. Your boss will be more open-minded if they see the idea working elsewhere.
3. Think like your boss. 
   Plan to address the business implications that may result from your proposal, such as how it might affect productivity or employee morale. Studies are available that illustrate the financial benefit to companies who implement work/life balance programs. 
4. Pick the right time.
   Don’t barge in on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend to present your case. Instead, look for natural opportunities such as regular meetings or annual reviews, or schedule a formal meeting with your supervisor for this purpose.
5. Suggest a trial period.
   If your boss appears hesitant after you have presented your proposal, suggest a trial period. Agree on a start and end date during which you can try out your new arrangement. If you are both happy with the results, then make it permanent.

Remember, even if work/life balance programs don’t exist at your company right now, your supervisor may be very willing to consider such an arrangement as long as the work gets done. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!