Imagine finishing work on time every day, still having the energy and desire to spend your evening with your family and enjoying your hobbies. Sounds wonderful, right? For many employees, this remains an unattainable goal.
Achieving a sustainable work-life balance is challenging when financial worries are constant. As an HR specialist, you make a real impact on your employees’ lives. You can help them find that balance, which will bring long-term benefits to the entire company. A well-rested, satisfied employee is a more engaged and productive team member. All it takes is implementing the right strategy.
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Why is work-life balance important?
Work-life balance means a person fulfils their professional duties without neglecting their personal needs. This concept goes far beyond getting enough sleep and having weekends off.
A lack of balance between work and personal life leads to serious health problems. Overworked employees are more prone to stress, burnout, and depression. Chronic stress can result in heart disease, hypertension, sleep disorders, and other long-term illnesses. It leads to increased absences from work and extended sick leaves.
Excessive work pressure harms health and reduces productivity. Overworked employees are less likely to meet their goals. They struggle to focus, make more mistakes, and their motivation plummets. Projects that could have been completed in time are delayed or fall short of expectations.
Companies that prioritise their employees’ well-being gain loyalty and commitment from their teams. Employees notice when a company cares about their personal lives. Moreover, they become brand ambassadors and speak positively about the company.
Poor work-life balance leads to burnout
Recognising burnout requires careful observation. With time, employees might lose enthusiasm for their work and become apathetic or cynical. Other signs of burnout include decreased productivity, difficulty concentrating, frequent absences, and increased irritability.
If someone who was previously performing well suddenly struggles to complete tasks, it might be a sign of a serious issue. Burnout is not something to take lightly. It is easier to prevent than to treat.
The sooner HR intervenes, the better the chance of preventing long-term health consequences for the employee. Approach the situation with empathy and understanding. Do not add more responsibilities. Instead, talk to the employee, offer support, and consider temporarily reducing their workload.
To combat burnout, HR should implement regular job satisfaction surveys, wellness programs, and stress management training. They could also organise workshops for employees and managers to help them recognise the signs of burnout.
Supportive work environment in healthy work-life balance
Flexible working hours and the remote working option allow employees to better manage their responsibilities. It is easier for them to juggle childcare and other family obligations, which in turn boosts productivity and job satisfaction.
This system works well in companies where it does not matter when an employee starts or finishes their work, as long as they fulfil their required hours.
If full flexibility is not possible, offer a hybrid model. Let employees spend some days in the office and others working remotely. Additional support, such as extra personal days off or a shortened work week, will also be beneficial.
Implement flexible solutions as a part of a well-thought-out strategy. Consult your team to understand their needs. HR should create clear rules and procedures to manage the benefits, ensure everyone understands the guidelines and avoid potential misunderstandings.
Physical and mental health in healthy work-life balance
How can you achieve balance without losing your mind? HR should actively promote a healthy lifestyle in the workplace. This goes beyond benefits; it involves taking steps to improve employee well-being. HR can initiate educational campaigns on healthy eating, physical activity, and stress management. It is worth it to integrate these into the company’s culture so that employee health becomes a daily priority, not just a one-time initiative.
Mental and physical health support programs include access to professional psychological help, counselling, and assistance during difficult professional and personal life situations. Companies organise regular health check-ups, fitness classes, yoga or mindfulness workshops, and provide access to wellness platforms. Investing in employee health leads to reduced sick leave and increased engagement at work.
To encourage employees to take advantage of these programs, HR must improve communication and tailor the offer to individual needs. Employees should be well-informed about the support available to them and how to access it. Regular reminders through newsletters, meetings, and the company intranet will keep them engaged.
Open days or webinars where employees learn about available resources are also valuable. Motivating examples from within the company, such as success stories from colleagues who have benefited from these programs and improved their well-being, will encourage the employees.
Improved time management in healthy work-life balance
HR can support employees in better managing their time. Learning how to organise tasks will free up valuable hours each day. HR can identify key areas where employees struggle with task overload, lack of prioritisation, or difficulty concentrating. Based on this assessment, targeted actions can be planned to genuinely improve the situation.
Training sessions and workshops could provide support to the employees. The sessions can cover the Eisenhower Matrix and the Pomodoro Technique. Practical workshops are especially valuable, as they allow employees to try out various time management techniques.
Trello, Asana, Microsoft To Do, and digital calendars will help with better daily task organisation. These platforms make it easy to track progress, plan tasks, and collaborate within teams.
Good work-life balance and the role of managers
Managers serve as role models for their team members. Their approach to time management and workload influences the rest of the team. Through training, managers learn how to manage tasks, delegate responsibilities, and identify and address issues related to excessive stress or workload. They can better align expectations with employees’ capabilities.
Good practices that support work-life balance include flexible task planning and respecting employees’ personal time. This means avoiding the assignment of new tasks at the end of the workday and refraining from contacting employees outside work hours.
Leaders who prioritise their own work-life balance and speak openly about it inspire others to follow suit. This promotes a healthier work environment and encourages a culture where balance is valued and maintained.
Companies that prioritise employee work-life balance
IBM has implemented programs to support young parents, including “We’ll Stay in Touch”, which helps parents maintain a connection with the company during maternity and parental leave. IBM offers time management and stress management training, along with healthcare coverage for the entire family.
Mars provides its employees with flexible working hours and access to active leisure through fitness classes or gym facilities. The company organises health initiatives and allows employees to take extended unpaid leave with a guarantee of returning to their jobs.
Nutricia, a leader in the infant and children’s food market, offers time management training to its employees. The company promotes healthy eating habits and organises health-related initiatives for its staff, helping them maintain a balanced lifestyle.
Technology to improve work-life balance
Constant access to technology, emails and messaging apps often leads to overwork. It disrupts the balance between work and personal life. Employees may feel obligated to be available outside of standard working hours. They feel stressed and fatigued during the day.
To prevent this, it is important to establish clear communication guidelines. Work emails and messages should be limited to working hours. HR can implement a policy that prohibits sending messages after hours unless absolutely necessary.
A digital detox involves disconnecting from work, setting aside electronic devices, and focusing on life beyond the screen. HR can introduce programs that encourage spending time outdoors or engaging in offline activities to promote a healthier work-life balance.
Language courses that support achieving a healthy work-life balance
Learning language skills does not have to interfere with personal and professional life. We offer flexible language courses tailored to your team’s needs. Our classes are held online at convenient times, allowing employees to learn without sacrificing time with family or hobbies.
Our programs are personalised. We offer everything from basic courses for beginners to advanced, specialised training. We teach language within the context of your industry to improve everyday communication. Investing in language learning benefits both employees and the company. Contact us to learn more about the available courses.