10 ways you can create the perfect work life balance for your employees

As employee engagement experts, we here at The Survey Initiative understand more than most just how important it is to the success of a business that its employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance. By analysing the employee insights gained from our range of employee survey services, including pulse surveys, 360-feedback surveys and general staff surveys, we have seen first-hand that happier employees are often more productive. But in the modern working world, with all its stresses and challenges, how can employees find a healthy work-life balance? In this blog, we are going to utilise our experience as employee engagement experts to discuss the 10 ways you can help create that all-important employee work-life balance.

But before we do, it is important to note that a healthy work-life balance means different things to different demographics. For example, someone fresh out of university and in their first career role may have an entirely different view on what constitutes a healthy work-life balance compared to a working parent with two children. But that aside, these are the 10 ways that we, as employee engagement experts, have found that will have a positive impact on a better work-life balance for your employees.

1. Educate your employees on a healthy work-life balance – Before you can begin to make positive changes in the work-life balance of your employees you need to ensure they fully understand what this means. A workshop or seminar from an experienced work-life balance coach will help with this.

2. Engage with employees to discover their ideal work-life balance – A very simple way to do this is through a company-wide staff survey, which if professionally constructed will deliver powerful employee insights into their current work-life balance.

3. Actively monitor employee mental health and stress levels – Through our employee survey services we have found that working longer hours doesn’t always mean increased productivity. A regular pulse survey could help discover whether your workforce is stressed because of a heavy workload.

4. Promote health initiatives for your employees – A great way of doing this is through inclusive employee fitness activities such as group yoga, or a group walk after lunch on certain days. You might also consider wellness programs like the fantastic Working Well, which we are actively participating in ourselves. You can read more about this in our recent blog called We’re Working Well!

5. Introduce and encourage flexitime working – Flexitime isn’t a new concept, as employee engagement experts working with a range of clients we are seeing it being used more efficiently than ever. Flexitime working allows the employee to fit their work schedule around their home life, which is critical to a better work-life balance.

6. Embrace telecommuting where possible – It has been shown that telecommuters (those who only come into the office for certain tasks and work from home the rest of the time) are more than 45% less stressed than regular commuters.

7. Encourage employees to take regular breaks, take a full lunch break and use their holiday allowance – As employee engagement experts we believe this is crucial for a healthy work-life balance. Don’t allow employees to skip breaks or work through lunch unless absolutely necessary.

8. Actively promote creativity and fun in the workplace – Another great way of helping employees boost their mental health is through regular creative and fun activities that anyone can join in on. This boosts morale, fosters teamwork and creates a better working environment.

9. Encourage healthy communication – Some employees may work through their lunch, take work home or work weekends if they feel they have to get a project finished or their job is at risk. For a better work-life balance, it is vital employees feel able to communicate their feelings and refuse work if needed without the fear of punishment.

10. And finally, set an example! As employee engagement experts we have saved the most important point until the last. If you are a business owner or a member of senior management, it is crucial that you set the example yourself. Demonstrate to employees how you have achieved a better work-life balance (so stop working late, take your lunch break and have fun at the office!).

The Survey Initiative, your employee engagement experts

Whilst the above list isn’t guaranteed to create the perfect work-life balance for your employees, it will definitely move you in the right direction. As employee engagement experts who specialise in employee survey services, we have produced endless employee engagement surveys that have proven that a workforce with a healthy work-life balance is more productive than one with a poor work-life balance. If you are ready to move towards a better work-life balance for your employees, our pulse surveys could be the ideal tool to gain the employee insights needed to make a start. Contact our employee engagement experts at The Survey Initiative for further information on our employee survey services, including pulse surveys, 360 feedback surveys and other staff surveys.