With Australians working longer and harder than ever before, it comes as no surprise that work life balance was identified as the top priority in 2015.

Recruitment firm Hudson recently released its ‘The Hiring Report: The State of Hiring in Australia 2015’ in which more than 3,000 professionals and hiring managers were polled on what job seekers are looking for.

In recent years, work life balance has become a important topic with initiatives such as hot desking, working from home and flexible hours part and parcel of employment. With today’s candidates expecting these offers, it is up to employers to consider how they create the perfect work life balance.

According to Hudson, 70 per cent of respondents to the poll indicated that it was their number one priority. The other most common answers included higher salary (67 per cent), cultural fit (64 per cent) and career progression/training opportunities (58 per cent).

Hudson Executive General Manager Dean Davidson explained work life balance is one of the keys to a productive workforce.

“No longer just a buzz term or the domain of the working mum, work life balance is now fundamental to all Australian professionals and will be firmly on the agenda as we move throughout 2015,” he said in a January 20 media statement.

Mr Davidson also addressed why cultural fit was so high up the agenda – ranking third in the report.

“The fact that cultural fit – that feeling of belonging – is so far up the value chain, and is actually the most important factor for senior executives, demonstrates that fitting in and feeling valued are also important priorities for Australian job seekers in 2015,” he summarised.

As recruitment efforts ramp up this year, it’s going to be vital that HR departments manage employment concerns head on to ensure you retain your best talent moving forward.