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THE FUTURE OF WORK-LIFE HARMONY: TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE

By  Mostafa Sleem updated on July 24, 2024

“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend” – Theophrastus. 

Once lost, it can never be retrieved. With time comes wisdom on how to spend it, but in today’s world, money seems to speak louder. Achieving work-life balance has become a universal challenge, where equilibrium between professional demands and personal well-being is essential for maintaining mental and physical health, productivity, and overall satisfaction.

In a competitive world where everyone strives to be number one, the pressure to work has intensified, especially after the global disruptions caused by the pandemic and ongoing conflicts. Inflation is soaring, employment rates are plummeting, and remote work has blurred the boundaries between professional and personal lives. Social media and work-related apps invade our personal space, leaving little room for relaxation.

Economic pressures instill fear in people of losing their jobs and failing to meet personal and family ambitions. Employers have set high standards, pushing employees to prioritize work over personal life to boost short-term yield. Yet, this can lead to a decline in workplace culture, increased dissatisfaction, and decreased productivity and creativity over the long-term.

Nonetheless, this dilemma requires both employers, employees and lawmakers to reconsider their approaches. Long hours and high job expectations dominate people’s lives, and the growing reliance on digital connectivity keeps us hitched to work around the clock. As a communications professional, my constant exposure to social media often feels like work rather than relaxation, keeping me in a constant loop. However, I believe that Technology, if not abused, could be an enabler in certain ways, and especially in Africa.

Although some companies created a supportive culture by setting boundaries and organizing activities that foster social interactions and improve overall satisfaction. However, the concept of work-life balance differs significantly in third-world countries, particularly in Africa, due to socio-economic, cultural, and infrastructural challenges.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Work life balance goes down to the little details. Low wages and economic pressures force people to take on multiple jobs and be present at work for longer hours, reducing our time for personal growth.

In addition, poor policies and informal employment limit support and stability, making work-life balance difficult to achieve. 

Even Commuting long hours due to poor infrastructure further disrupts personal time and productivity, resulting in the long term for urban and rural divide.

Employees must also strive for a healthy work-life balance by setting boundaries, prioritizing self-care, and managing their time effectively. It’s about commitment and quality of work, not just long hours. Employers should foster a supportive culture where everyone collaborates to achieve goals while respecting each other’s time.

However, it’s important to recognize that sometimes the challenge lies not in the overall company culture but in the behavior and attitudes of individual managers. Managers play a crucial role in shaping the work environment, and their approach can significantly impact employees’ ability to balance work and personal life. Therefore, managers should also set clear boundaries between work and personal matters, ensuring they promote a balanced approach within their teams.

In 2019, Microsoft Japan experimented with a four-day workweek aimed at improving work-life balance and productivity. The experiment resulted in an increase in productivity of 40% and reduced energy costs by 23%. The Government of UAE has taken similar steps to promote a positive culture in the UAE.

However, a conversation recently caught my attention. A recent breakthrough in AI technology has sparked my curiosity to delve into it. So, can AI enhance our Work-life balance? Can AI be an enabler for the African continent?

As AI continues to integrate into our daily lives, we have a unique opportunity to address various challenges that contribute to work-related stress and inefficiencies. The African continent, home to 1.4 billion people, faces significant employment challenges. These issues are not due to a lack of jobs but rather the limited presence of private companies driving competitive innovation. With minimal competition and few companies offering diverse services and products, Africa has lagged in innovation. The lack of investment in education and connectivity has left the population with limited opportunities to engage in and contribute to innovative sectors.

Despite the government and private sector’s failure to provide widespread education, AI presents a potential solution for improving workplace efficiency in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). AI can automate mundane, repetitive tasks, freeing employees to focus on more meaningful and strategic work, ultimately reducing working hours.

Unilever implemented AI to analyze and optimize employee work patterns. The AI identified stress points and areas for improvement, leading the company to introduce flexible working hours and optimized meeting schedules. This resulted in reduced stress and better work-life balance for employees.

Enhanced productivity tools powered by AI can help people manage their time more effectively, optimizing tasks and scheduling. In agriculture, AI assists farmers with predictive analytics, reducing physical and time burdens and allowing for more personal time.

While AI has the potential to drive significant improvements, it can also pose challenges, especially in regions with poor connectivity infrastructure. Inclusivity remains a concern. Nevertheless, Africa is a young continent with substantial opportunities to mature and establish itself as a key global player. Achieving this vision requires a collective effort from all stakeholders.

Work-life balance may never be perfectly attainable, but it is possible to create a positive working environment through collective efforts, promoting personal growth alongside career development. This approach fosters a healthier and more productive future for everyone.




Africa, the cradle of humanity, a land that stirs the soul with its mystic allure. My soul chose to be born in a land where golden savannahs stretch far and wide. A land where one can witness the plains come alive with the rhythmic footsteps of herds embarking on their breath-taking migration in a timeless display of resilience and unity. A country that holds beauty, that enchants the senses and ignites wonder.

My land, my motherland Kenya. Born into a Kenyan family of Asian descent, a family that has lived and breathed Kenya and Africa for previous 5 generations, I can only identify as a Kenyan, a proud 6th generation African. Brought up in a family where ‘Being Human’ was the main principal belief. We have been raised with values that don’t differ greatly from those of the thousands of tribes that make up Africa – roots, heritage, family, faith, morals, principles and more.

Many years ago, I stood on stage at a speech writing contest in High School, where I described the strategy behind Muhamad Ali’s glorious win where he “floated like a butterfly, and stung like a bee” against George Foreman, in the fight forever known as the ‘Rumble in the Jungle.’ Years later, never even in my wildest imagination, did I imagine I would be living in the very ‘jungle’ itself, and working in the world of strategic storytelling and encouraging the amplification of Congolese voices and narratives far and wide across the globe from the heart of Africa.

Congo or as it was then called Zaire, a land that was stamped in the memory of the World as the place where Ali fought Foreman and caused a mighty Rumble in the boxing world. A battle that was immortalised in the song ‘In Zaire’ sung by Johnny Wakelin. Congo was a land everyone wanted to know about.

A land that is endowed with all the riches known to mankind. A blessed land, with a rich cultural heritage and a teeming, deserving population. A land sadly destroyed by its colonial past. Which, since its independence, is slowly trying to attain its rightful place in the World. It is here that I arrived five years back.

As I look back on my first five years of living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been moments of floating and very often, little stings. I moved to Kinshasa for love. In the beginning, I can honestly admit, it was not love for the city or the country or the people – I didn’t know enough about this 

ginormous country and the 100+ million people that fill its borders – it was personal love. But five years later, I never thought I could love a country and its people as though they were mine. That love comes from the heart that feels the mystic rhythm of the African land, and I couldn’t be prouder to call it home.

You can never shake the ancient dust of Africa off your boots – no matter how far and wide you travel.

Having lived in London for thirteen years followed by a few years in the Middle East, returning to Africa was natural. 

The love for Africa always remains in the soul. Living in the heart and soul of Central Africa, has been an adventure.

The narratives that have filled Western Media have sung a different song for many years, call it geo-politics, strategic positioning, economic control, all things aside, the story of the Congo has never really been told loudly by the Congolese themselves. From the outside looking in, the perceptions are dotted and plagued with negativity, but on the ground, the beating hearts of the Congolese are rumbling a little louder day by day towards progress, and it’s in these slivers of hope, that the true stories are revealed.

The stories that spotlight the young entrepreneur battling to build a viable business, young students carving out their careers currently into untapped and underdeveloped industries, the non-existent middle class that should build the private sector and contribute to its growth and the country’s economy, international investors building projects that create jobs and wealth for the locals as much as it does for the financial interest in the Congo. We can’t talk about changing the narrative of a country when we don’t discuss the positive changes that education, infrastructure developments, economic policies, universal health care, food self sufficiency etc can contribute towards developing Congo.

In Africa, a transformative era is on the horizon as the continent sets its sights on change and development like never before, and country examples like Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya are a testament to these positive changes. A combined drive by the Africans to build an Africa by Africans for a future developed Africa. A daunting task as a fellow African who first arrived in Kinshasa for a two-week trip which quickly extended from month to month and snowballed into creating a business in the field of strategic advisory and communications. It was created around the simple premise – the African narrative needs to be written by the Africans, and the Congolese needed a platform for their voices to be heard as far and wide across the globe.

At the heart of Africa, the center of its soul, the Congolese beats are picking up. Business is quietly picking up, post the first peaceful democratic elections. As the incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi embarks on his second mandate, the world waits with bated breath for the promised change and greater development, the impact of which can be felt across the entire population. Whether its infrastructure, governance reform, education, better health, access to basic needs – there are plenty of conversations to be had. Storytelling, an essential part of Congolese culture, an oral tradition that is filled with narratives, stories, and songs, need to be told from the perceptions and opinions of the Congolese.

In the past, and especially in 2023 the power and bias of the international media came to the forefront.

Geopolitics and powerful Media Houses controlled and amplified the narrative that in their perception was important. It’s only natural to question the visibility of certain global issues over another. This raises the question about the impact of our voices when catastrophes and issues affecting an African country are narrated differently. Whether it’s election, unrest or other catastrophes affecting an African country, sometimes the western media does not consider it newsworthy because they do not have an in-depth understanding and information of the issues and disasters that affects this Continent.

There are a lot of positive changes happening as well, and these news worthy developments need to be made a part of the Global narrative. Positive or negative these conversations need to be had openly and who better than the Africans to be at the forefront of this narrative. The true voices of the Congolese need to be heard from their heart and soul and from their perspective. That’s when the true picture of the reality of their lives, struggles and aspirations emerges.

There is a need for a platform where the Congolese voices and the African voices can be heard, where views can be freely given not as a negative but as a positive approach to help bring the DRC to take its rightful place, not just in Africa but also in the World. Is it not our experiences from around the world when put together with like minded individuals – where greatness begins? Where stories and narratives become the basis for legacies.

DRConversations is the platform created as a gift for all the voices that need to be heard, for all the emotions that need to be expressed and to bring forth the dreams and aspirations of a nation on the cusp of development. Join this journey by sharing openly your knowledge and experience to make DRC a happy, positive and progressive Nation.

It’s time for another rumble in the jungle – Welcome to the conversations from the Congo.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             KS