If you’re anything like the average person, then your day is split between two things: work and everything else. This is especially true when you’re running a business. After all, you spend most of your time working to ensure that things go smoothly and you generate more profits.
However, you have to remember that there is more to life than just work. You and your employees deserve to have a life outside of work where you can enjoy everything that makes you happy. That’s why it’s important to offer the best work-life balance, as this will further benefit your business in many ways. Here are five reasons why you should do so:
It will help your business increase its profitability
When you are always available, or, at least, feel that you need to be for fear of losing customers, you are less likely to have the opportunity to truly switch off. This is key for allowing yourself time to recover and unwind before starting work again. The problem with this is that you could be costing your business money.
It is a proven fact that stress reduces productivity, as well as causes tiredness and illness, which will ultimately lead to further unproductivity. And the worst thing is that it’s a snowballing effect. Not only this, but employee turnover is also on the increase—offering healthier work-life balance can help reduce staff turnover and therefore costs to your business.
It is also important to remember that the majority of people now own smartphones, which means work obligations are harder than ever to escape. It can be hard for both you and your employees to switch off, but taking time away from work will help improve their performance when they do return. And as we all like to buy from people we like, this will also increase your business’s reputation.
It can reduce absenteeism
People are more likely to be absent from work if they have trouble balancing their personal and professional lives. Businesses need to offer more flexible hours to help their staff achieve healthy work-life balance and, therefore, reduce absenteeism rates. Also, if they ever need to take personal days, they can do so without worrying that they are letting you down.
And those personal days include time for their families, especially their children. For instance, if an employee and their child have a scheduled orthodontic appointment at a space maintainer laboratory, they can let you know in advance that they don’t have to come to work that day, without fearing that it will affect their performance. They’ve already decided how much time off they need ahead of the appointment, instead of just taking a sick day when they run out of energy or patience.
It can enable your employees to be more creative
The most innovative companies in the world are all incorporating a healthy work-life balance into their company culture. They know that when employees have time away from work, they come up with better ideas that can increase productivity and therefore help them reduce staff turnover costs.
For instance, a business that offers flexible hours can give their staff the freedom to take their children to school before heading to work. They know they don’t have to come in until 10 a.m., which means they’ll be more creative and productive throughout the rest of the day. It’s estimated that as many as 72% of employees feel less stressed at work when they can achieve healthy work-life balance.
It will ensure protection by employment laws
If you want to offer the best work-life balance, you must be able to show that your business provides evidence of this in writing. This means creating written policies that regulate attendance, annual leave, working hours, and sick days. It’s important to make sure you are complying with these laws because if they can’t prove that your business fosters healthy work-life balance, they could claim unfair dismissal if they are dismissed for taking off an agreed amount of time.
For example, there are many cases where employers have been taken to court for dismissing staff who have been off sick from work. A business could ensure this doesn’t happen to them by setting a formal policy that is laid out in writing.
It will help you recruit and retain the best talent
It’s true; many employees are now looking for jobs with good work-life balance. This means they want to spend their free time doing whatever they want while coming into work refreshed the next day. Not only this, but employees are also increasingly seeking companies that offer flexible hours, so they can give them the freedom to achieve healthy work-life balance at all times.
For instance, if your company offers flexible working hours, your employees can work from home for a couple of days and then come into the office. This means they never feel like they’re stuck at their desks until late and instead have the freedom to relax and enjoy themselves, which is exactly what you want them to do after a busy day at work.
Your business must offer the best work-life balance if you want to motivate your employees and ensure that they stay with you for years to come. Besides, implementing a flexible work culture benefits not only your employees but also you.
