Firstly, it’s important to remember that work/life balance is not just a matter of how many hours you work.
In the recent Regus global Work-Life Balance Index, 63% of workers said they spend more time at work than they did in 2010, but 61% said their work/life balance has improved.
Almost seven out of ten (69%) say they enjoy work more than two years ago.
More hours at work don’t necessarily diminish people’s sense of well-being, but what does seem to matter is choice.
The key to fostering a work/life balance amongst your team is giving them some flexibility over when, where and how long they work.
By allowing your employees to juggle work, family and leisure you will give them control over their schedules and time allocation.
Another way to improve your employees’ work/life balance to is to reduce the amount of their time wasted every day.
Time management courses help, but more fruitful is to cut their commuting time.
The average Australian trip to work is about 27 minutes, but 17% of commuters spend 45 minutes travelling to the office.
Letting employees use work locations closer to home not only liberates more time for work or family, it also helps to reduce the stress and powerlessness associated with commuting – the minute-by-minute awareness of one’s time being crunched.
Instead of dragging staff into a central office every day, why not help them explore options for working from or near home by implementing a flexi-work policy.
With a cell phone and 3G mobile internet connection, your team can work anywhere.
It doesn’t have to be a cafe either, there are various professional spaces available that are more conducive to getting work done.
Finally, it’s important to lead by example. If you can run your business while still maintaining your own balance between work and life, you can truly show your employees that they too can achieve their professional and personal goals.
