Work-life balance is a hot topic in the business world. Employees are looking for ways to achieve a better balance between their professional and personal lives, and many business owners are looking for ways to encourage this. However, encouraging work-life balance in your company also requires you to provide your employees with the tools, resources, assistance, and opportunities to achieve it.
If you’re not providing your employees with the tools they need to achieve work-life balance, you’re setting them up for failure. Overworked and burnt-out employees are less efficient and productive and won’t be happy in your company. They’re also more likely to leave, which can be costly and disruptive for your business.
Business owners must be proactive in ensuring their employees have the necessary resources to maintain a healthy work-life balance. These include flexible scheduling, telecommuting options, subsidies and assistance, and adequate break time.
There are many ways you can encourage and support your employees in achieving work-life balance. Here are some ideas you should consider:
Medical and Dental Assistance
Employee health should be the number one priority of every business owner. By default, you should provide your regular employees with good healthcare. But sometimes, the coverage of these policies can’t always address every health concern of your employees.
Giving your employees other ways to address their specific health concerns, whether by sponsoring medical procedures or providing financial assistance to pay for them, can help your employees tremendously. Medical and dental concerns should always get addressed as soon as they arise so that they don’t get worse and develop into more severe complications.
Replacing a missing tooth, for one, is an expensive dental procedure. Unfortunately, it will not get covered by the health plan. Employees will have to move their finances around to pay for the procedure, which could result in months of financial struggles. As an employer, you can partner with a dental clinic to provide discounts for their replacement tooth. It might feel like taking money out of your own pocket, but you are removing a significant burden on your employee.
By taking care of your employee’s overall health, you’re also indirectly helping them achieve a better work-life balance. Employees can focus more on their work and be productive when they are healthy. They can also avoid taking too much time off from work to address their health concerns.
Flexible Work Arrangements
One of the best ways to encourage work-life balance is to offer flexible work arrangements. These could include flexible hours, working from home, or compressed work weeks. By providing these options, you can show your employees that you value their time outside of work and that you’re willing to work with them to accommodate their needs.
When business owners remind employees that their personal lives are as meaningful as their life at work, it can go a long way in promoting a healthy work-life balance.
Telecommuting Options
In today’s technological age, there’s no reason more employees can’t work from home at least part of the time. With telecommuting options, employees can save time and money on commuting, have more flexible schedules, and take care of personal errands or appointments during the day.
Another advantage of telecommuting is that it allows employees to work in a more relaxed environment, leading to increased productivity. Employees who are comfortable and happy with their work environment are more likely to be engaged and invested in their work.
If you’re not already offering telecommuting options to your employees, now is the time to start. It’s a win-win situation for you and your employees because they get the work-life balance they need, and you get to keep productive, happy employees.
Family Care Subsidies
Another way to support your employees in achieving work-life balance is to offer subsidies or assistance for family care or other caregiving responsibilities. These could include on-site child care, flexible spending accounts, or paid time off for caregivers.
By offering these types of subsidies and assistance, you’re showing your employees that you understand their challenges in balancing work and life. You’re also making it easier for them to take some financial burdens off their shoulders.
Adequate Break Time
Employees must have adequate break time during the workday to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. Studies have shown that taking intentional extended breaks can improve employee productivity and focus.
Working too much for long hours is not healthy for anyone. Employees need time to take care of themselves, have a proper lunch, refresh and wash up, or get energized. You can also offer employees to customize their allotted break time to their liking, like giving them a set amount of minutes per day that they can use throughout their working hours according to their needs.
It’s important to note that, while break time is essential, it shouldn’t become an excuse for employees to slack off. So set clear expectations and tell them they should never abuse the time allowed to take breaks. Otherwise, corresponding consequences are sure to follow.
Achieving a work-life balance can be a challenge for employees, but there are ways that business owners can help. By offering them the necessary tools to achieve it, you can show your employees that you value their time outside of work and that you’re committed to supporting them in achieving a healthy balance.
