Work/Life Balance

11/07/2016

“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace” – Grant Conant, CEO, Campbell’s Soup

Not a quote you hear bandied around much in an era where the focus is so much on the customer, or the stakeholder. Surely, you may say, the customer or client is number one. True, but you need to ensure your staff put the clients’ needs ahead of their own because they are motivated and empowered to do so. If all they do – or perceive that they do – is work increasingly long hours, are asked to do extra work at short notice, without any consideration for their well-being, they might get the job done, but will it be with the right attitude?

These days employees are looking to work for a company that will, as far as possible, offer that rare commodity – a good work/life balance. That’s not to say they are work-shy, they are just looking for an employer who understands that, for example, certain milestones in their life outside work, merit their attendance. Then there’s the more subtle consideration – they may put in a 60 hour week to meet a deadline or attend a trade show and look for recognition of that commitment in some form. As an employer, there are steps you can take to help the staff feel they have the right balance between work and other commitments. Flexible working conditions such as shorter working hours, not working on some days, access to more holidays (unpaid if necessary) and carer and parental leave could all be considered. Before you wince at the cost this might entail, consider the following benefits you will reap:

• Reduced staff turnover, with the added benefit of lower recruitment and training costs
• Reduced absenteeism
• Better attraction and retention of staff as you gain a reputation as a good employer
• Improved morale, greater staff loyalty and commitment
• Improved productivity

Let’s be clear - a flexible schedule does not mean that employees can come and go at will, which is a possibility that concerns employers. In conjunction with your HR department you can establish a flexible schedule policy which will detail what you mean by flexible hours, be that ‘flexi-time’, job share, four day week…

As a caring employer you may wish to consider:

• Honouring employees’ paid time off by not contacting them during that time.
• Offer flexible benefits and rewards.
• Allow employees to take unpaid leave as needed for life cycle needs.
• If appropriate for your company organise employee events and activities – some to include children, some as ‘grown ups’ only.
• Expect employees to work hard, work long hours, and weekends, but not all of the time.
• Offer the opportunity for employees to job share or work part-time.

In addition to the working environment and terms and conditions in which you and your employees work do not neglect the tools you give your employees to work with. Good IT systems will allow greater flexibility for all. Perhaps using a Cloud based accounting or CRM system will mean that your finance, marketing or sales staff can work equally well from home during the week, taking the pressure off the daily commute and giving them the chance to use those “saved” hours to catch a school assembly or netball/football match. This does not detract from the working week but makes you a great business to work for!

The words ‘give and take’ are key - allow some cross-over of life needs into the workplace and vice versa. If you’ve recruited wisely, you can trust adult employees to make good choices. They will thank you for it with loyalty and hard work.