Work-life balance has been in the news a lot lately… and rightly so. What does this mean for employees in HR or management roles? It’s important to understand how important balance is to have engaged and happy employees. A healthy work-life balance allows everyone to perform well at work and still look after their personal well-being outside the office. Let’s see how…
Work-Life Balance in The News:
Recently, a study by Aviva made waves. It found that since the pandemic, people value work-life balance more than salary. Aviva said: “More employees said their current job is more attractive because of work-life balance (41%) than salary (36%). This is a change in rankings compared to 2019, pre-pandemic.”
Work plays a vital role in all of our lives. Our income keeps the lights on, food on the table and emergency funds full. With the looming cost of living crisis and utility bills weighing on us all, no one is underestimating the importance of having enough income to survive… it’s just that work-life balance has become a little harder to achieve.
We are increasingly connected through technology and social media. For many of us, working from home has become the new normal. It’s becoming more and more difficult to distinguish between work and personal life. Checking email around the clock, taking work calls at the dinner table, and working on your laptop on weekends is the norm. How is this acceptable?
As employers expect more from their employees, employees feel pressured to perform better. This pressure seems to be reaching a breaking point as people realize they need to achieve a better balance in their lives. As a business leader, you have a responsibility to help your entire team balance work and home life. Even the most dedicated employees may struggle to find balance…
How Important is Work-Life Balance?
A healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, it can also improve employee productivity and ultimately performance. Simply put, if employees don’t see their work as a chore, they’ll work harder, make fewer mistakes, and be more likely to become brand advocates.
Companies that have established a reputation for promoting a good work-life balance are becoming highly attractive, especially considering how difficult it is to attract and retain younger employees these days. Oxford Economics states that “On average, it costs around £30,000 to fill an employee and it can take up to 28 weeks to join. With this in mind, it may be a good idea to keep your existing employees happy.” A focus on work-life balance can help build a valuable talent pool for new employees and increase retention rates. This saves you time and money while ensuring you have a high level of talent in-house.
