Employee Satisfaction: 5 Ways to Create Work-Life Balance
As older workers exit the workforce and younger workers enter, the
nine-to-five, nose to the grindstone work ethic of the Boomer generation
is giving way to new workplace expectations. Now the desire among
Millennials is for better work and life balance.
As a result of this major generational shift in workplace expectations, companies are discovering that helping employees achieve healthier and more balanced lifestyles is a powerful driver of workplace productivity, employee satisfaction and retention. Aligning organizations to this new desire can appear to be an overwhelming task, but should not be overlooked.
Employers looking to offer their employees better work-life balance, but aren’t sure where to begin, should consider these five proven approaches.
1. Provide Workplace Flexibility
Today’s younger workers want flexible work schedules in order to spend more free time with family members, friends, or to enjoy other pursuits. Compressed schedules, telecommuting options, and the ability to leave a little early or come in later so they can run errands, get to the gym, drop or pick kids up from daycare, etc., are all important ways to help employees enjoy a better work-life balance. New parents will especially appreciate a flexible workplace that allows them to work part time or work share with co-workers in order to spend valuable time with young children.
While employers may look at providing workplace flexibility as a major inconvenience that could actual compromise productivity, they will soon discover that the practice actually enhances productivity by allowing employees to more effectively contribute in their own unique ways. Productivity increases as employees can remove the stress of balancing their personal life with work responsibilities.
2. Provide Real Vacation Time
Unlike Boomers, younger workers are tethered to technology. While much of this technology can aid in productivity it also enables employees who feel under the gun to work when they’re away from the office—even while on vacation. To ensure that employees can unplug and fully enjoy their vacation time, employers need to make sure that staff and or management adequately cover vacationer’s workloads.
Another approach is to allow employees to take fewer vacation days more often throughout the year, instead of a one or two week block once a year. This eliminates the stress of leaving work and big projects for long periods of time.
In either case, when employees return from vacation they are rested, rejuvenated, motivated, and actually look forward to getting back to work. Removing those stresses allow employees to mentally reset, allowing them to once again have their work performance at a higher level. In addition, employee’s spouses will also enjoy the benefits of better work-life balance by not having to share them with their bosses while on vacation.
3. Promote Greater Employee Efficiency
Today’s employees are motivated to work hard and have a lot of tools to help them work effectively. However, they often lack the skills needed to focus and work more efficiently. Millennials are accustomed to multitasking, which can often inhibit their ability to be efficient. As a result, employees may feel the need to take their work home with them, which can interfere with the quality time they desire and deserve.
Working long, inefficient hours will take a toll on employees and cause them to burnout more quickly. Employers should help provide ways for employees to improve efficiency. Classes, improved organization, and time managers are a few examples of ways to help employees accomplish tasks and keep work within the confines of the workplace. Those employers who provide and promote work efficiency will be doing both themselves and their employees a favor.
4. Provide On-site Employee Services and Programs
While employees are all about being productive while at work, they also appreciate it when time away from work is more their own. Onsite services such as daycare centers, gyms, game areas, and dry-cleaning pick up and delivery services can go a long way in helping employees enjoy a healthier more balanced lifestyle and more quality time when away from work.
Providing these conveniences for employees will help them focus on their work instead of worrying about how they are going to care for the other elements in their lives. Employers will have increased loyalty from their employees in return for the help they receive in maintaining their personal lives.
Read more | soho.ca
As a result of this major generational shift in workplace expectations, companies are discovering that helping employees achieve healthier and more balanced lifestyles is a powerful driver of workplace productivity, employee satisfaction and retention. Aligning organizations to this new desire can appear to be an overwhelming task, but should not be overlooked.
Employers looking to offer their employees better work-life balance, but aren’t sure where to begin, should consider these five proven approaches.
1. Provide Workplace Flexibility
Today’s younger workers want flexible work schedules in order to spend more free time with family members, friends, or to enjoy other pursuits. Compressed schedules, telecommuting options, and the ability to leave a little early or come in later so they can run errands, get to the gym, drop or pick kids up from daycare, etc., are all important ways to help employees enjoy a better work-life balance. New parents will especially appreciate a flexible workplace that allows them to work part time or work share with co-workers in order to spend valuable time with young children.
While employers may look at providing workplace flexibility as a major inconvenience that could actual compromise productivity, they will soon discover that the practice actually enhances productivity by allowing employees to more effectively contribute in their own unique ways. Productivity increases as employees can remove the stress of balancing their personal life with work responsibilities.
2. Provide Real Vacation Time
Unlike Boomers, younger workers are tethered to technology. While much of this technology can aid in productivity it also enables employees who feel under the gun to work when they’re away from the office—even while on vacation. To ensure that employees can unplug and fully enjoy their vacation time, employers need to make sure that staff and or management adequately cover vacationer’s workloads.
Another approach is to allow employees to take fewer vacation days more often throughout the year, instead of a one or two week block once a year. This eliminates the stress of leaving work and big projects for long periods of time.
In either case, when employees return from vacation they are rested, rejuvenated, motivated, and actually look forward to getting back to work. Removing those stresses allow employees to mentally reset, allowing them to once again have their work performance at a higher level. In addition, employee’s spouses will also enjoy the benefits of better work-life balance by not having to share them with their bosses while on vacation.
3. Promote Greater Employee Efficiency
Today’s employees are motivated to work hard and have a lot of tools to help them work effectively. However, they often lack the skills needed to focus and work more efficiently. Millennials are accustomed to multitasking, which can often inhibit their ability to be efficient. As a result, employees may feel the need to take their work home with them, which can interfere with the quality time they desire and deserve.
Working long, inefficient hours will take a toll on employees and cause them to burnout more quickly. Employers should help provide ways for employees to improve efficiency. Classes, improved organization, and time managers are a few examples of ways to help employees accomplish tasks and keep work within the confines of the workplace. Those employers who provide and promote work efficiency will be doing both themselves and their employees a favor.
4. Provide On-site Employee Services and Programs
While employees are all about being productive while at work, they also appreciate it when time away from work is more their own. Onsite services such as daycare centers, gyms, game areas, and dry-cleaning pick up and delivery services can go a long way in helping employees enjoy a healthier more balanced lifestyle and more quality time when away from work.
Providing these conveniences for employees will help them focus on their work instead of worrying about how they are going to care for the other elements in their lives. Employers will have increased loyalty from their employees in return for the help they receive in maintaining their personal lives.
Read more | soho.ca