First published: June 3, 2022 @ 6:00 pm
In the workforce, the word “balance” is frequently used to describe a happy employee. In a way, this is true. An employee who has enough work and life balance will be happier at work and more productive at home.
However, employees often struggle with work-life balance, so let’s look at what causes this problem and how to fix it.
Why Employees Struggle with Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is balancing between working long hours at the office and getting enough rest at home. Some employees find they need to choose between their job and their family.
As such, many employees find themselves on the edge of burnout or poor health due to long hours and neglecting their family responsibilities.
However, there are ways to make sure your employees have a work-life balance without breaking them too much or losing them altogether.
Photo by Dessidre Fleming on Unsplash.
Tips to Give Employees More Flexibility in Their Work
Here are some tips on how to keep your employees happy while giving them some flexibility in their schedule:
1. Get rid of negative perceptions about flexible work schedules
This one is easy!
People are often afraid of being seen as someone who does not care about their professional life if they ask for flexible working hours. This can lead people to keep working long hours at the office, disregarding their personal lives.
Employees should realize that there is nothing wrong with having a work-life balance. They should also realize that they can still be productive and enjoy their work if they have a flexible schedule.
Employees should simply approach their boss and ask for a more flexible schedule so that they can fulfill their roles and have time to do other things in life.
2. Let employees take vacations whenever they want
It is important to let employees take a vacation whenever they want it, as long as it does not cause too much trouble for the company. People who take too many vacations cannot perform well in their job.
The key is finding the right balance between having leisure activities and being able to work hard during your workdays.
The good news is that employees are no longer expected to work every single day, but it is still important for them to maintain good productivity at all times.
To maintain good productivity, let your employees take some breaks whenever they need it so that they can refresh themselves before returning to work.
If you are a company leader, then you must provide your employees with ample time offs each year to ensure that they can have a good work-life balance.
If you are an employee, then you should let your boss know when you need a vacation so that they can make sure that your time off is planned accordingly.
Photo by Kristin Wilson on Unsplash.
3. Let employees take maternity leave
Maternity leave is a mandatory policy for all companies. Some people have to take maternity leave because they need to take care of their new baby or children.
Employers need to allow employees to take maternity leave when needed so that they can be able to spend time with their new family members and not miss out on the important bonding moments with their children.
For employees to get adequate maternity leave, employers must create flexible working hours and allow employees to work remotely when needed for them to bond with their children and recover from pregnancy as well.
Employees should also ask for flexible working hours if they are having trouble bonding with their children while on maternity leave so that they can take care of them whenever they need it.
4. Allow people some time off during the weekends
Weekends are for resting. It’s not an employee benefit, but a requirement for a healthy balance. However, many companies still require employees to at least reply to work-related messages during the weekends.
This is simply wrong.
Employers need to allow employees to take time off during the weekends so that they can spend time with their family and friends.
If employees want to, they should ask for flexible working hours to do whatever they want.
5. Allow employees to work remotely if needed
Some people like working from home or at a coffee shop instead of being stuck in an office environment. However, many companies still require their employees to come into the office every single day regardless of how much they like working from home or in a coffee shop.
For employees to have a good work-life balance, employers need to allow them to work remotely when needed and only ask them to come into the office if necessary.
This will give them more flexibility and help them be able to have a good work-life balance while also maintaining productivity at all times.
How Employees Can Have Healthy Relationships with Their Jobs
As employers, you must allow your employees to take time off whenever they need it to have a good work-life balance. You must also allow them to work remotely if needed so that they can maintain productivity at all times while still being able to bond with their family and friends.
Once you implement these changes in your company, then you ensure that your employees have personal time while also maintaining productivity at all times.
A healthy work-life balance will lead to happier employees who are more productive at work and are less likely to burn out or become stressed.
Learn more tips on managing a business and being a leader on WorkDeputy.
