As an employer, you should be aware that work-life balance is something that every employee craves—whether they have a family or live alone. 

In 2022, it was revealed that over two-thirds of employees see work-life balance as being more important than employee benefits and pay combined. A balanced life also means your employees can commit a dedicated amount of time to their personal and professional lives—after all, both are equally important.

Studies also show that one in five employees are considering leaving the workforce as a direct result of their caregiving responsibilities with adult care being cited more frequently than childcare.

These figures can be alarming for employers and make work-life balance a more urgent matter than ever before.

Having a culture that promotes and supports your employees can go a long way in creating a workplace that thrives. For instance, putting employee wellbeing at the heart of your agenda can help alleviate stress and encourage them to perform at their best. 

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Focus on outcomes, not hours

One of the biggest misconceptions that employers have about work is that the time spent at the desk translates to increased productivity and is often used as a metric for promotions and salary hikes, however, this is no longer accepted. 

Today, there is a complete overhaul of what it means to be productive with companies around the world acknowledging that productivity is more important than how, when, and from where employees work. 

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that employees have a number of external commitments that are equally important to their success and wellbeing. With many companies having shifted to remote working or hybrid models of working, employees have become accustomed to having additional time to coordinate and engage with their loved ones. 

Employers need to look for new ways to support their team members and can start by observing and having open conversations about what work-life balance looks like to them.

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Encourage self-care

Regardless of where your employees are working from—at home or in the office—it’s easy for them to get lost in their work and forget to take a break. As an employer, it’s important to create a workplace conducive to good health and wellness. 

Whether it comes in the form of a short coffee break or getting people to take up healthy activities like taking short walks, employers can do a lot to encourage self-care during working hours to prevent burnout and help refocus.

If you want real change then make it a priority to let your employees know why you think self-care is so important—not only for them but their families. 

Take proactive steps to create a workplace that cares for their wellbeing. Give them a way to switch off from their work by organising activities that they can voluntarily participate in and focus on something that interests them on a personal level.

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Support the parents in the workplace

Anyone with children will agree that keeping to a schedule almost always fails—especially if you have younger children. The reason why great talents leave jobs is often because of this very reason and 55% of parents would consider leaving their current jobs for another employer that offers more flexibility. 

Even though this issue can impact both parents, it’s worth acknowledging that it is an issue that largely affects women. However, more and more men want to spend more time with their children, especially during their formative years. They aren’t keen on losing their chance to be involved in their child’s life because of the lack of balance between their work and personal lives.

Employers must be empathetic to the needs of the parents in the workplace and offer flexibility whether it’s to leave early for a child’s recital, pick their kids up from school, or head to a doctor’s appointment. Being flexible to their requests and offering childcare support can also go a long way in helping your employees and their families, which eventually results in a happier and more focused team.

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Final thoughts on work-life balance from Kinhub

It’s important to prioritise and support an employee-first culture for a business to have a happy and healthy workforce. 

With every employee having a different idea about what work-life balance looks like to them, it’s important to have an open dialogue to make sure that you support their needs so that they can support you.

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