How companies can encourage a work-life balance for their employees

More than 60% of the Millennial workforce strives for a work-life balance, and that has trickled down to the rest of the workforce.

Yet, only 5% of employees consider themselves thriving with their work-life balance.

Why should you care about this work-life balance? Because, employees with a healthy work-life balance are more productive, happier employees.

To help you create a more positive culture and a more satisfying workplace, let’s look at how companies can encourage a work-life balance for their employees.

Provide flexible work options

One of the most important options for today’s generation is a flexible work schedule.

For many jobs, this is a real possibility, especially due to the Internet. Work is now more portable than ever.

This doesn’t mean you are giving your staff free reign to come and go as they’d like. Here are some of the possible iterations of a flexible schedule:

• Allowing employees to work four 10-hour days instead of the typical five.
• Letting employees set their own hours. For example, you may have employees that work better beginning at 10 am than 8 am. These team members may work from 10 am – 7 pm instead of the traditional 8 am – 5 pm.
• Permitting employees to work one or two days from home. This allows your staff greater flexibility in scheduling appointments outside of work time and attending to family needs. For example, they may end up working late afternoon and evening to accommodate their personal needs.

Whichever route you go, this is the foundation of the work-life balance phenomenon.

Just be sure to spell out your requirements to make sure the work gets completed.

Eliminate the sick day

 Do away with sick leave and vacation time. Instead, just call it paid time off.

This allows your employees the opportunity to take a day off when they need it and not feel guilty for only “being a little sick.”

When you lump it all together, you tell your employees you trust them as adults, and it’s not important to you whether or not it’s vacation or a sickness necessitating the day off.

Model work-life balance

To encourage your employees to create a work-life balance, it’s important that the owners and managers of the company model this behavior.

Tell your employees to turn their work email off during their vacation time, and show them this is important to you by doing the same. Don’t sit on the beach dictating jobs to your staff at home.

If you don’t model this balance, your employees won’t feel comfortable doing it themselves.

Make time for fun

Another aspect of work-life balance is making time for fun.

You can sponsor employee/family events and activities throughout the year to establish a sense of camaraderie among your staff and their families.

Do family events and adult-only events. You can also offer babysitting services to encourage families with young children to attend.

Offer healthy perks

Employees who exercise and eat well are often sick less and more productive.

Either make room for an in-office fitness center or give gym memberships as a perk of employment. Show your employees that being healthy is important to you.

One of the hardest things with exercise is finding time to do it. By adding these benefits, you show your employees it matters, and they can take the time to do it.

Bring in healthy snacks and vending machines with some healthy options. This again shows your staff you care about their well-being.

Final thoughts

The workforce culture is changing, and it’s up to companies to change with it. The benefits for your business of encouraging a work-life balance for your employees are real: more productive employees, higher employee retention rates, and a happier, more satisfied staff.

Be a change-maker and stay ahead of the curve by enhancing your work environment with a work-life balance philosophy.

Understand that your employees have needs beyond those of your company and try to be flexible as long as the work is getting done.

Work-life balance demands are here to stay. The mobile generation demands it. Increase your employee retention rates today by being the catalyst for this balance.

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