When it comes to work-life balance, it’s something that most workers will strive to achieve at some point in their life. There’s an expectation that people in their roles cannot achieve that work-life balance until they start a family or later in their career when they’ve earnt the right to do so.
However, this sort of attitude is an unhealthy one. For every worker out there, there should be an opportunity to get a balance between both their work and personal lives from the first day they begin work. It shouldn’t be something that one has to work hard to achieve later on in life or when their lifestyle changes to accommodate a family.
Here are a few ways to help employees gain that work-life balance as a leader.
Ensure breaks are being taken
First and foremost – breaks! They’re often seen as a no-no in some businesses, even though they’re not something that has been openly banned in workplaces. Many staff members will avoid taking breaks and instead, sit at their desks to eat and continue working.
While this might add a bit more productivity to the worker’s day, it’s an unhealthy habit that should be knocked on the head.
Employees should be getting a lunch break to take their break away from the desk. Not only that but when it comes to working at an office desk, there should be at least a five-minute break taken every hour or so to stretch the legs and take a moment away from the screen.
To stay on top of that work-life balance attitude, make sure all employees are taking regular breaks. Any that are not, should be encouraged to do so in order to help keep their health and well-being in good shape. Additionally, managing employee leave efficiently is a key aspect of supporting work-life balance, ensuring that staff can take time off when needed without disrupting workflow.
This is also something that should be practiced by leaders too so they too can be good role models for work-life balance.
Stress the importance of disconnecting and embracing nature
Sometimes, it’s good to switch off from digital life and get out into nature. Having a nature connection can do wonders for the brain and for those who struggle with switching off from their work life.
Encourage this when it comes to the workplace by educating staff on how they too can get more in tune with nature. Incorporate some nature within the office too. It’s a great way to boost mood and clears the air of all the nasties floating around the space. As a result, it’s going to help keep staff feeling good in the space they’re in.
Encourage workers to say no when they’re overwhelmed
It’s common for staff members to become overwhelmed with their workload. It’s important as a business to only provide as much as that individual member can take on. Some employees can easily take on more due to the efficiency within the workplace. Others might only be able to do so much throughout the day.
Our own productivity levels and motivation can also impact the amount of work achieved throughout the day or week. It’s useful to encourage workers to say no to their peers and supervisors/managers when their workload is already too much.
By having this communication on workloads, it can help to ensure every staff member is satisfied and not overworked.
Offer flexible and remote working for those who need it
Flexible and remote working has become the norm for many businesses nowadays. There are a lot more companies in this post-pandemic business world that have created hybrid and remote-working approaches.
It’s worthwhile doing the same where possible and if it doesn’t affect the productivity and performance of the business in general. When it comes to work-life balance, having the ability to work from home, can be greatly appreciated regardless of the employee’s place in life.
Prioritize health with a great company benefits package
Health is an important one, especially as good health means employees are coming to work or the office and working hard. Think about incorporating a great company benefits package to help support them when they need to get help or treatments.
Communicate regularly with employees for feedback
Finally, be sure to communicate with employees when it comes to gathering feedback. A leader can’t know everything that’s going on in the workplace and sometimes having those open conversations with staff members can be effective in getting more information on what may or may not need to change.
Everyone deserves a good balance of work and personal life, which is why it should be encouraged by leaders themselves.
