Work-Life Balance When Working From Home

Do we live to work or work to live? This is a question that many of us ask ourselves. Most work-life balance discussions focus on employees – what they can do to set their own boundaries and priorities. However, if the employer promotes a healthy balance, it will show employees that not only are their performance valued, but they are also respected as people. Read more: Motivation while Working from Home.

Ask employees what they need

The problem cannot be fixed without knowing that it exists. Have employees fill in a questionnaire on various aspects related to this topic – hours worked, flexible schedules, support for working parents, etc. This will help identify specific areas for improvement, allowing a focus on implementing achievable solutions that will help employees.

Educate your team

One of the best ways to promote a healthy work-life balance is to teach employees about it. Offer workshops on what work-life balance is, why it’s important, and the different things they can do to achieve it. Employee training will provide the necessary tools to enable them to deal with it themselves.

Offer a flexible work schedule

81% of Sage’s 3,500 surveyed employees believe that flexible working is important. [1] Offering employees flexible working hours or days is a great way to promote a healthy work-life balance in the company. In many workplaces, it is easy to introduce flexible start and end times. More complex schedules, such as shift work, require more planning, but flexible work schedules are a cornerstone of work-life balance.

Show an example of work-life balance

It is valuable for managers to model an example of work-life balance in order to encourage employees to follow it as well. Employees observe the actions of senior managers. It affects their personal choices about work-life balance. If your employees see that you value your personal time, they will not feel guilty about prioritizing time for themselves.

Encourage efficient work

Working harder and being productive is not always the same thing. Long working hours have been shown to be detrimental to employee morale – The Mental Health Foundation reports that 27% of employees feel depressed, 34% feel restless and 58% irritated when working long hours. [2] Instead of encouraging employees to work longer hours, encourage them to work more efficiently. This will not only require a better quality of work from your employees but will also maintain high morale.

Promote health initiatives

Setting health priorities is an integral part of work-life balance. Long working hours often make employees sacrifice their health. However, employers can do a few things to help employees maintain a healthy lifestyle. For example, offering discounts on gym subscriptions near the office (this way it will be cheaper and convenient for employees) or holding optional classes at work promotes work-life balance and the image of a responsible company at the same time!

The benefits of a healthier work-life balance for your business will be obvious. Not only will employees be happier and more productive, but your company will also become widely known for caring for employees and thus attracting the best talent. Read more: Employee Well-being: a Necessity in the Fight for Talents