ABSTRACT
This chapter explores why work is important and strategies to identify, integrate and maintain a healthy work-life balance. For a man who came from a working-class background and climbed to the top of his profession to commit suicide sadly reinforces the immense vulnerability and responsibility executive's face in managing the pressure attached to their work and personal lives. Though well-being programmes have many merits, employers, industry bodies and governments have a strong duty of care to ensure that employees are not taking on too much work. Successful executives understand that optimum performance is not the result of intellectual horsepower or longer hours in the office, as everyone is very smart and working hard. As employees get a bit older and more experienced, in their middle years they probably define themselves to a large extent in terms of their professional responsibilities and achievements, but many of them are fulfilling roles outside of work as spouses, parents or carers.
