Emphasizing work-life balance and making it part of your organization's culture can improve employee satisfaction and retention. Try our suggestions on how to integrate work-life balance into your organization.
In an environment where employees have had to help organizations do more with less for some time now, many are in need of a healthier work-life balance.
Promoting alternative work arrangements and other ways to help staff achieve a better balance can lead to many positive results for your company – and not just in terms of keeping productivity high. It can enhance the overall health and well-being of your staff, thereby reducing both absenteeism and “presenteeism” (coming to work when ill). After all, who can work continuously under stress without eventually becoming physically run down?
Emphasizing work-life balance and making it part of your company’s culture also can improve retention. Consider the results of Robert Half’s recent Workplace Redefined survey: “Having work-life balance” was the third most important work environment factor cited by all demographic groups surveyed – baby boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y.
Helping your employees strike the right balance between their professional obligations and personal life is easier, and less costly, than you might think.
Here are a few suggestions:
Most importantly, remember to set the standard for your organization. Show employees that you value your personal time, too, and you know when to step away from the laptop or put down your telephone.