Our lives are shaped by work. Earnings ensure that the lights are on, food is on the table, and the rainy day pot is filled.
In today’s fast-paced, unpredictable business world, it is not easy to find work-life balance. It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep work and personal lives separate as technology and social media make it more complicated. It’s common to check email at all hours, make business calls at the dinner table, and use our laptops on weekends. What is the point?
Employers expect more of their employees, which makes them feel more pressure to achieve higher results. This results in a longer work week and less time at home. You, as a leader of a company, have the responsibility to assist everyone in juggling their personal and professional lives. Even the most passionate employees can still struggle to find balance…
HOW IMPORTANT IS WORK/LIFE BALANCE?
A healthy work-life balance can not only be good for your health and relationships but also increase productivity and improve employee performance. Simply put, if people don’t see work as a chore they will work harder, make less mistakes, and become advocates for your brand.
Companies that encourage work-life balance are more attractive, especially considering how difficult it is to retain and attract younger workers. According to the Oxford Economic, “Replacing a worker costs an average of PS30,000 and can take up to 28 weeks for them to get up to speed.” It might also be a smart idea to keep your current employees happy. It will allow you to attract a pool of talented people and increase retention rates.
There are more reasons why work-life balance matters for you and your employees:
FEWER HELTH PROBLEMS
Stress and overwork can lead to more problems than our social lives. It can also affect our mental and physical health.
Our health can suffer if we are stressed, tired or overworked. Poor work-life balance can cause a host of health problems that can impact our well-being. These symptoms can range from flu-like symptoms to more serious conditions such as strokes or respiratory problems. UCL conducted a study of over 10,000 participants and found that white-collar workers who worked more than the required hours had a 60% greater risk of developing heart-related issues.
You can reduce health problems and absenteeism by encouraging people to take care of themselves and find balance. This will make your organization more efficient and encourage people to become part of the company’s culture and business.
MORE ENGAGEMENT
You can increase employee engagement by helping them find the right balance between work/home. This will have many benefits: According to Tower Perrin’s 2006 worldwide survey “Companies that have high employee engagement saw a 19.2% increase in operating income, while those with lower levels experienced a 32.7% drop in operating income.”
Engaged employees will be loyal advocates for your brand. Temkin Group has shown that employees who are engaged are 2.5 times more likely than others to remain at work late to complete tasks after their normal workday.
LESS “BURNOUTS
Everyone experiences stress from time to another. It’s inevitable. It is possible to avoid workplace burnout. You should try to prevent this from happening to your employees. When we feel overwhelmed or unable to meet our constant demands, burnouts can occur. Burnout can have a negative impact on every area of your life.
Burnout can be greatly increased if you are unable to work from home. Encourage your team to “leave work at the office” and take some time off.
MORE MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is a state of mind that allows us to have greater control over our focus, and allow us to focus on the task at hand. Would you rather have a team that is focused on what they are doing instead of worrying about home/work?
You can encourage your employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance and create an environment that inspires everyone to be dedicated to their task. This will increase retention, productivity, and ultimately profit.
We now know why this is so important. Let’s look at how we can help our people achieve a healthy work-life balance.
TIPS TO IMPROVE THE WORK-LIFE SHAPE
Time off:
Vacations aren’t a luxury; they are a necessity. You will be able to relax and have fun while away from work. It is also a great way to recharge and recuperate. This will help you and your employees improve their productivity and focus upon returning to work.
Numerous studies have shown that vacations can increase productivity in companies and decrease stress. According to the American Sociological Association, a greater number of vacations leads to lower levels of psychological distress.
A “use it or loose it” system is a great way to get your employees to use their time. Any days not used will not be carried forward at the end of the calendar year and can’t be repaid in any way.
Take short breaks throughout your day:
It is important to allow your employees small breaks throughout the day if taking time off is not an option. It is not healthy for the human body to be staring at a screen for long periods of time. It’s not healthy for our health or mental well-being.
You could create a game room for people to socialise and get away from work to combat this problem. Encourage light exercise and encourage walking outside of the office. Even better, you can go together to get a cup of coffee. Leading companies often hire meditation practitioners to calm and de-stress their employees.
These techniques will have a positive impact on your team’s work performance, productivity, and workplace joy.
Ask employees to provide guidance:
Ask your employees if they have any ideas for innovative ways to improve the work-life balance of their employees.
If your team is struggling to find balance, find out what they believe would help. You will gain more insight into your team’s thinking and be better able to collaborate on future strategies.
You can facilitate these discussions by having regular meetings or implementing real time cultural feedback programs to give you data-driven insights. You can then accurately assess how your people feel at any given moment and adjust to make sure they are in the right place.
Do what you preach:
It is crucial to set an example. It is not a good idea to tell your employees to go home at 6pm and not work weekends, but then send them emails during those times. This puts extra pressure on your employees to work the same hours as you. You will see the results of your leadership and how it affects all areas of the business. The law in France is the “Right to Disconnect.” It limits the work that can be done outside of normal office hours. You might consider using something similar in your workplace.
Respect your team’s privacy and balance when they aren’t in the office. To allow your team to switch off and recharge from the daily stresses of work, you should not contact them outside of business hours.
The majority of us will spend a large portion of our time working. It can take over our lives and affect every aspect of our lives. It is important to strike the right balance in your workplace. This will enable you and your team to disconnect from work and allow you to give your personal life equal attention.
You can make great strides in building a productive and engaged team by letting go of the control over work-life balance.