Encouraging a healthy work/life balance

For many people, work isn’t just about the paycheck at the end of the month anymore. Recent research has revealed that 28% of employees now rank their work/life balance as the top priority, even beating compensation (27%).

Over recent years people have started realising the importance of prioritising flexibility, wellbeing and a sustainable workload just as much as their salary.

Forward-thinking businesses are paying attention to and are recognising that protecting their people makes good business sense. By creating environments that support balance and wellbeing, they are able to boost morale and improve retention.

Why it matters

An employee’s work/life balance immediately impacts their productivity and engagement. Those who feel overworked or burnt out are more likely to leave, miss deadlines and struggle to perform at their best. Those with a more balanced workload are more motivated and loyal.

How you can support employees

• Offer flexible working - allow employees to adjust their working hours/schedules where possible. This could include remote work, staggered hours or a hybrid of home and office working. It can help them manage general life and personal commitments while still staying productive. Read our blog post on successfully implementing flexible working here. 

• Set boundaries - ensure employees know that they aren’t expected to respond to emails or messages outside of their normal working hours.

• Encourage time off - make sure employees are taking their annual leave as even a short break can improve focus and overall wellbeing.

• Check in regularly - check-in with your employees on a regular basis to discuss workload and wellbeing. Here you can identify any stress points and be seen as a business that cares.

Lead by example

The best way you can encourage a healthy work/life balance is to model it yourself as a business owner/manager.

When employees see management respecting boundaries and prioritising their own wellbeing, they are more likely to follow suit.

What if an employee isn’t prioritising their work/life balance?

Indicators that an employee isn’t prioritising their work/life balance include working consistently long hours or skipping breaks, difficulty meeting deadlines or declining quality of work, signs of stress, irritability, or disengagement and a reluctance to take annual leave.

In this case it’s a good idea to schedule a catch-up where you can be honest about what you’ve noticed, discuss workloads, ask how they are coping outside of work and what support they might need.

Ultimately, supporting your employees in managing their work/life balance is not only beneficial to them, but it’s beneficial to you and your business too. What business doesn’t want happy and loyal employees working for them?

By fostering a workplace culture that prioritises balance, you’ll reap the rewards in the form of higher productivity, stronger retention and a thriving team.

If you need more help and guidance on this topic or any others, or if you need support with updating policies and putting procedures in place, get in touch and we can help.