As our society is being increasingly digitalised, we’re expected to always be connected and accessible. This can make it difficult to disconnect from work in time, and when we work from home to a greater extent than ever before, the lack of a clearly defined workplace also blurs the line between work and leisure. In other words, it has never been more difficult to distinguish between work and private life than it is right now. So how can you as an employer help your employees to have a healthy working life and achieve work-life balance?
- Keep track of your employees’ capacity.Conduct regular follow-ups to check how the employees experience their working day. Ask how much time they feel they have and how balanced their job challenges are. Having too little to do can lead to boredom and low motivation, while too much workload can create stress and lead to overtime hours and burnout.
- Offer flexible work arrangements. The life puzzle can be difficult to put together, and even more so in the aftermath of the pandemic where we got used to working from home and being more flexible. Studies show that employees who are given control over their everyday work life experience a better balance between private life and work life. Therefore, it can be of great benefit to offer your employees flexible working hours and the opportunity to influence where they work.
- Encourage breaks. It may come as a surprise, but taking regular breaks during the workday actually increases productivity. According to research, the average person can only stay fully concentrated for 90-120 minutes in undisturbed surroundings, and 45-60 minutes in more distracting environments. This is a good reason to ensure that your employees make time for and prioritize breaks during the working day. As little as five minutes at the coffee machine or a leg stretcher around the office building can do wonders.
- Adapt tasks according to the individual. It is not only the length of the working day that affects the employee's general well-being, but also the content of it. According to Harvard Business Review, a lack of stimulating and value-creating tasks can be just as devastating as long working hours. Ask your employees what tasks engage and motivate them, and try to adapt their tasks accordingly.
- Set a good example. As a manager you set the standard for your team, so the best thing you can do to support your employees is to lead by example. Avoid sending emails after working hours, show that you also need to be flexible with working hours sometimes and don't skip the coffee breaks. Working overtime can sometimes be necessary, but if you work several hours of overtime for extended periods, it can pressure your employees to mirror your working hours.