In a recent employee survey from flexible workspace provider, Mindspace, “82% of responders expect support from their employers in achieving a work-life balance.” How can employers share in this endeavor with their team?
Here at SSi, we get people and work hard to connect organizations with top tech and engineering talent that will thrive in a cohesive work environment.
Tips: Create a balanced work-life environment
Before applying a few of these ideas, first, we must adjust the mindset that this work-life balance is for the sake of employees and the company! Allowing workers to invest more time in themselves will motivate them to perform better at work. In addition, by actively making an effort as a company to support work-life balance, you can increase morale, reduce turnover, and improve overall productivity.
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Offer flexible work arrangements
Nearly four out of five working Americans– across age, income, and stage in life– want more flexibility at work. Specifically, after the labor shortage experienced in 2022, studies have shown that work flexibility is crucial to maintaining and recruiting loyal employees. A great way to implement this would be through remote work, where employees can work from home or a location other than the office on a full-time or part-time basis. Together management and teams can determine details such as establishing communication and utilizing various remote working monitoring applications to track employees’ productivity digitally with transparency and less paperwork. In addition, apps and software allow employees to tailor a workspace to their interests and productivity styles. According to Indeed, this advantage leads to discovering greater job satisfaction and motivation.
To raise productivity, a company can focus on rewarding employees based on their quality of work rather than the quantity, such as the number of hours on the job, by arranging flex time. This working style allows people to set their schedule as long as the work is completed on time. Essentially, the company might have set work times during the day, but there would be times also left to the employee’s discretion. This can be useful for employees with families and creates an opportunity to set work hours when they are most productive. For instance, if some individuals work better at night, the schedule can shift to later in the day. By offering these arrangements, companies are making it easier for employees to manage their work and personal commitments.
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Set clear boundaries between work and personal life, and respect those boundaries
By setting healthy boundaries at work, we acknowledge that employees have a life beyond their occupation and can help them feel more in control of their time, reducing stress and burnout. Fostering this culture at work by showing how work-life balance is valued and supported within the company makes employees feel more comfortable setting boundaries for themselves. Encourage the use of tools to disconnect from work through the “do not disturb” setting on devices and apps that can block work-related notifications outside of work hours. Establish set work hours by communicating when employees are expected to be available. But remember to respect employees’ time outside of those hours.
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Provide resources for employees to take care of their physical and mental health
The workplace — where most humans spend their hours each week — is one of the most structured environments someone encounters daily. This emphasizes how vital it is for health to be understood and promoted in such a setting. Caring for an employee’s psychological well-being should be more than an expectation and rather an investment. This investment can be tackled with funds as well as just with effort.
If your company has room in its budget, providing counseling sessions and coaching is a more significant mental health initiative that can be launched. However, if funds are an issue, there is always a way to take care of your employees. For example, at one organization, three HR members took a mental health aid course to make themselves available for employees to contact if they needed help. On top of this, the company also has an employee-led group called ‘Hearts and Minds’, which hosts weekly video calls where coworkers can discuss what’s on their minds. This movement highlights that money is not the only course of action; employees can become a resource to each other with the proper training and work culture.
The outlook on career expectations from employees is clear: going back to the way it was when work dominated our schedules is not in the cards. Studies repeatedly prove the overworked schedule is not sustainable in the long run and leads to turnover and business disruption when employees have reached their limit: the team suffers, productivity suffers, and ultimately the business suffers. When we value our teams, investing in their well-being and honoring work-life balance is important. It’s good for them, and it’s good for the organization.
At SSi People, we value our people and live our #peoplefirst mantra. Our employees and consultants have access to roles with flexible schedules as well as exceptional health and wellness benefits. If you are looking for something new, check out our jobs and let us know if we can help you with your work-life balance resolution.
