Technology has undeniably changed the way we work. It helps us to stay connected. All we need is a steady Internet connection, and we’re ready to work! This is great for when an urgent email comes in after work hours, and your reply is expected immediately. On the flip side, how beneficial is this to our mental wellbeing?
Being easily able to connect to work all the time has killed our work-life balance. It has become a challenge to separate the two. You could be physically present at a family dinner, but how much are you truly present? With your attention split between the conversation in front of you and your work emails, it is no doubt that we need to bring work-life balance back.
Given the positive relationship between work-life balance and improved employee retention, it is up to organisations to ensure they can encourage work-life balance wherever possible. Read on to find out our top 4 tips on how organisations can revive work-life balance!
#1 Office Hours
For many organisations, their standard business hours remain at 9 am to 6 pm. However, in most cases, the employees hardly ever end their workday at 6 pm. While most of this is owing to their tasks, it is also due to management sending emails past 6 pm. Although employees can check these emails the next day, it can be hard to avoid because they assume a prompt reply is expected. The best way to solve this issue altogether is to stop sending non-urgent emails after office hours.
#2 Remote Working
While this was already a rising trend, the pandemic situation pushed many companies to implement remote working immediately. Unfortunately, also due to the situation, remote working in current times means working from home and not merely “any location”. The change can potentially provide a breath of fresh air as it gives employees a new work environment. They do not have to commute to the office and are not under physical supervision. However, all changes must be handled with care, and management must be ready to manage employees remotely.
#3 Work Flexibility
Similar to tip #2, work flexibility is another popular trend in our current workforce. It is known to be able to boost employee motivation as they are granted the trust to work at timings most suited for them. For example, some employees may prefer to start work bright and early, while others may choose to work till late in the night. Other possible schedules include those who prefer to work longer hours in a four-day workweek instead of five. This allows them to practice effective work-life balance as they work in hours that match their individual needs. What is important is that employees continue to deliver results before their deadlines. If this is met, the timing that they choose to work should not matter.
#4 Unique Employee Perks
It is recommended to do an employee survey to find out what unique perks do they feel they would enjoy and benefit from the most. For example, during quarantine, it would be a kind gesture for the company to work with food delivery platforms to get vouchers for their employees. Alternatively, laundry services would also be a perk that employees would appreciate. Such perks show that the organisation is focused on employee wellbeing. They encourage work-life balance as they are dedicated to making the employees’ “free” time stress-free.
And that concludes our top 4 tips for how organisations can revive work-life balance! Employees are the foundation of any company; it is in the organisation’s best interest to ensure they are well taken care of.
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