77% of employees would sacrifice their personal life for career success

As HR leaders, what’s your role in helping employees achieve an ideal work-life balance?

BY Dexter Tilo 24 Jun 2022

Success is both personal- and career-related, according to a new report, but this doesn't mean people won't sacrifice one or the other to attain their idea of happiness. In a new report from My Perfect Resume, 77% of respondents said they would be willing to sacrifice their personal life in exchange for success in their careers.

On the other hand, 83% of respondents said they are willing to sacrifice their career for success in their personal lives. But what does success look like? In the professional side of things, 81% of the respondents said the top sign of success is having a stable job. Other signs include:

High earnings (80%)
Being an expert (80%)
Achieving a high position (80%)
Being happy at work and getting satisfaction from it (79%)
Running own business (76%)
Doing socially useful work (76%)
Prestige and recognition from colleagues and the business environment (76%)
Fame (71%)

In terms of personal success, 83% of the respondents said the top sign is being able to pursue their dreams. Other signs include:

Having a family (80%)
Satisfaction and fulfillment in family life (80%)
Graduation from college (80%)
Having a purpose in life (79%)
Having an apartment or house (76%)
Prestige and recognition from family and friends (75%)

Overall, these respondents said that the top ingredient of success in life is on the personal aspect, particularly having a family (34%). Others include:

Having a stable job (30%)
Having purpose in life (29%)
Satisfaction and fulfillment with everyday life (29%)
Being able to fulfill dreams (26%)
High income (25%)

Based on these parameters, 90% of the respondents said they consider themselves as successful in life. They also think women (52%) are more successful than men (48%).

For the most successful personalities out there, they named Kamala Harris (37%), Angelina Jolie (32%), and Serena Williams (30%). For men, the respondents voted for Joe Biden (38%), Abraham Lincoln (30%), and Elon Musk (30%).