Rethinking Work-Life Balance in M&A and PE: Myth or Achievable Goal?

Few areas of finance carry a reputation for long hours quite like mergers and acquisitions and private equity. The relentless pace of deal cycles, client demands, and competitive pressure has made work life balance feel more like a talking point than a reality. But as 2025 unfolds, that narrative is beginning to shift. With deal volumes and values climbing and firms fighting harder than ever for top talent, the industry is quietly rethinking what a sustainable career actually looks like.

1. The Workload Does Not Disappear

There is a reason this stereotype exists. Deal work is inherently unpredictable. Negotiations stretch, diligence turns into late nights, and deadlines shift without warning. That remains true even in a stronger M&A environment. Global dealmaking has rebounded in 2025, with activity rising year-on-year and large transactions returning across technology, financial services, and industrials.

For junior professionals, this often translates into long evenings, weekend work, and limited control over schedules. Senior bankers and private equity leaders face different but equally persistent pressures. Client availability, travel, and portfolio oversight rarely switch off. As private equity firms increase deployment following a slower period in 2023 and early 2024, intensity during live transactions remains very much part of the job.

2. Talent Expectations Are Changing

What is changing is how professionals view that intensity. Younger talent, particularly early career and mid level professionals, are less willing to accept burnout as an inevitable cost of progression. Compensation still matters, but flexibility, mental health, and sustainability now sit alongside pay in career decision-making.

Alternative paths such as corporate development, strategy roles, and growth equity continue to attract candidates who want exposure to transactions without the same lifestyle trade offs. As hiring conditions normalise and opportunities broaden, firms that ignore these preferences risk higher attrition among high performing associates and vice presidents.

3. Firms Are Testing New Approaches

In response, some firms are experimenting with practical adjustments. Protected weekends during quieter periods, clearer hybrid working policies, and more disciplined expectations around out of hours communication are becoming more common. Others are investing in stronger execution teams, additional project management support, or more structured staffing models to smooth workloads.

Wellbeing initiatives and mental health resources are also receiving greater visibility. While none of these changes remove pressure during active deals, they can materially improve recovery time between transactions and reduce unnecessary strain outside peak periods.

4. Balance as a Competitive Advantage

In 2025, compensation alone is no longer enough to differentiate employers. Candidates increasingly assess culture, predictability, and flexibility alongside bonus potential and exit opportunities. Even modest improvements in how work is planned, communicated, or recognised can influence hiring and retention decisions.

As competition intensifies for experienced deal professionals, a credible commitment to balance is becoming part of a firm’s broader talent strategy rather than a secondary benefit.

Conclusion

Work life balance in M&A and private equity will never mirror that of less transactional industries. The nature of the work guarantees periods of high intensity. But framing balance as a myth understates what is realistically achievable. Firms that address expectations honestly, invest in sustainable practices, and adapt their culture are finding that balance is not only possible in parts, but also a meaningful competitive advantage.

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Glossary of Sources

Reuters
Global M and A activity data indicating a year-on-year increase in deal volumes during 2025, with renewed strength in North America and large transactions across technology, financial services, and industrial sectors.

PwC Private Capital Trends
Analysis highlighting improving private equity deal activity and deployment levels in 2025 following a slower period driven by higher interest rates and valuation gaps.

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