As an employer, you should always have your employees best interests in mind – after all, a happy worker is a good worker. There are many ways that you can look after your employees and, in addition to increasing morale and employee loyalty, this can also create a positive working atmosphere that everyone enjoys. One of the key ways to keep employees happy is to encourage a good work-life balance.
Importance of Work-Life Balance
Every employer needs to recognise that their staff are people and have their own lives outside of the office. It is vital that the employee is able to enjoy their life outside of the office so that they can come in each day feeling happy and in control of their lives. Unfortunately, there are many employers that fail to see the benefit of this and their employees end up feeling drained and unhappy which is in nobody’s best interest.
Restricting Working Hours
In today’s internet-driven world, it is easier than ever for people to stay connect and logged in and this is evident with the rise of remote working. While this can have its benefits, you also want your employees to be able to disconnect from their work and enjoy spending time with their loved ones. You can avoid this by establishing clear start and finish times and carefully making sure that nobody is overworking or taking on too much responsibility.
Flexibility
Although you need to make sure that employees are not overworking and know when to log out, you also need to have a flexible approach and particularly for those that have kids and other large responsibilities. This could involve allowing split shifts, flexible working hours and the option to work remotely from time to time. Show an active interest in their lives and make sure that they know that they can come to you if they are having difficulties juggling their responsibilities and work.
Encourage Exercise
An excellent way to promote a healthy work-life balance is to encourage employees to find ways to exercise while at work. It can be difficult to exercise as much as is recommended when you work 9 to 5 and then have a life at home, so encouraging any form of exercise during work hours can free up a huge amount of time once they have finished for the day. One of the best ways is to encourage walking or cycling to work on an electric bike. You can also encourage walking meetings, office exercise classes and a round of golf when meeting with clients.
Leading by Example
Finally, one of the best ways to promote a healthy work-life balance is to lead by example. Use a flexible working schedule, talk to your employees about your life outside the office and make sure that you have a healthy balance. Employees naturally follow their boss’s lead so you need to make sure that you are practising what you preach. This should all boost morale, increase employee loyalty and make the office a positive and enjoyable space to be each day.
