More than half of Canadian women believe they have not achievedthe right work/life balance. And fewer than one-thirdsay their families provide enough support to help them succeed attheir careers.

BMO Financial Group discloses this finding in its thirdannual International Women's Day study. The survey was conducted byPollara with an online sample of 1,002 Canadians 18 years of ageand over, between February 20-23.

The study finds that only 47 percent are properly balancingresponsibilities at work with their personal lives. On a positivenote, nearly 7 in 10 (68 percent) say their employers are takingsteps to ensure they can effectively manage their responsibilitiesat work and at home.

When asked what their families could be doing better or more of,women identify the following:

• Be more helpful around the house (24 percent)

• Be more understanding of their work schedule (15 percent)

• Take on more child care responsibilities (9 percent)

In terms of what employers can do to help women balance theirlives more effectively, women identify:

• Better benefits (27 percent)

• Flexible time (24 percent)

• Sick/family emergency days (21 percent) andvacation time (18 percent)

“Over the last 60 years, women have been entering the workforcein greater numbers. However the reality is that they stillgenerally take on the lion's share of household responsibilities,whether it is acting as primary caregiver for the children, doinghousework or generally playing the role of chief operating officerof the family," says Julie Barker-Merz, President, BMO InvestorLineand Head of BMO's Women in Wealth Committee. "Our study clearlyindicates that many women are struggling with balancing their homeand work lives and are seeking the active support of their spouses,children and employers in helping them do so."

The study also finds that 63 percent of Canadian women feel thatstaying with one employer over the long term (and being promotedfrom within) is preferable to switching employers as a way tofurther their careers. This may be because 74 percent of women (and52 percent of men) report that it is more challenging for women toprove themselves to a new employer than it is for men.

The top challenges women identify when starting with a newemployer include:

• Establishing a comfortable work/life balance (78 percent)

• Perceptions regarding family obligations and/or maternity leave(72 percent)

"Women need to be empowered to seek out new career opportunitiesif they choose to do so and not feel that they face barriersbecause of their gender," says Sandra Henderson, senior vicepresident, personal & commercial banking, BMO Bank of Montrealand Member of the BMO Women and Wealth Committee.

"While it's possible to have a successful 'one employer' career,the reality of the modern employment landscape is that it's oftennecessary to make moves to get promoted and secure morecompensation."

When asked about what would prompt them to change employers, thetop reasons women report include:

• Poor management/bad boss (57 percent)

• Insufficient compensation (54 percent)

• Poor work/life balance (42 percent)