Achieving the right Work-life Balance

In a fast-paced business world, it’s not easy getting the right work-life balance. As we’ve become more reliant on technology it’s also becoming difficult to separate work from our personal lives.

So, how can employers help staff achieve this and boost overall workplace well-being?

Regular Breaks

It’s essential to encourage small breaks throughout the day for your staff. Having a social area or break room is a good idea to encourage regular breaks where your staff can take some time away from their computer screens and work load to break up the day.

A break from work will provide your employees with the chance to switch off and enjoy themselves. They’re a great opportunity to recuperate and recharge and it’s essential you communicate this to your teams, to improve staff productivity and focus when they return to the office.

Overdoing Overtime

Don’t confuse commitment, engagement, and dedication with long hour weeks. It’s okay to expect employees to occasionally work long hours if there is a deadline to work towards. However, employees can’t sustain an extraordinary level of energy and long overtime hours as a constant work expectation. Staff will burn out, and even leave if long hours and extraordinary effort are considered normal.

Communication

Brainstorming ideas for work-life balance within the workplace with your employees is a great way to come up with new suggestions. You can find out what changes they think would improve their situation. Collaborating with teams will provide more insights into the way they think and feel. This way you can accurately gauge how your people are feeling and ensure they have the right balance.

Flexible hours

A flexible schedule does not mean employees can come and go at will, which is usually an employer’s main concern. But it doesn’t need to be complex either. In fact, it can mean something as simple as introducing employee choice when it comes to the start and end times of their working day.

More sophisticated flexible schedules such as a four-day work week or telecommuting require more planning, but flexible work schedules are a cornerstone of work balance, so they may still be worth considering.

Time off

Booking some time off for a holiday or just to ‘recharge’ will enable you to really take a time out from your work. When taking time away, it really does mean, not checking work emails or calling the office for a catch up, unless it is an emergency. You should give yourself enough time with your batteries fully charged, and your brain ready to refocus.