HR Strategies to meet Employee Engagement and Work-Life Balance
In today’s corporate culture, an HR team must find that perfect work-life balance and employee engagement to keep productivity levels high and cope with an increasingly dynamic business environment.
Here are the top 5 ideas to create a healthy work-life balance alongside employee engagement.
Create a conducive work environment.
In today’s real-life world, work-life balance has become the core of employee engagement as the employees are now wary of burnout and other related issues. At one point, things like putting in extra hours after regular work hours, high-achieving individuals, etc., are not seen as wanted anymore and often lead to disengagement. Employee well-being is at the forefront these days.
Gone is the trend of working late beyond the stipulated work hours and being equated with increased productivity. New research shows that productivity drops by 19% every hour the employees work beyond 8 hours. When the employees are not able to disconnect from work after their work hours, it adds to stress, in turn hurting the work culture and retention. Organizations need to encourage the culture of being productive anywhere they are and also encourage quiet hours, relieving the employees of being obliged to respond even after work hours. They should be given a chance to recharge for the next day. When employees disconnect after work hours, they are more likely to be energized for the next day and productive.
Empower managers to promote work-life balance.
Healthy work-life balance should not merely exist on paper. The managers need to be empowered to implement it. If the managers practice it, it is likely to spread down the line, and the employees are bound to stretch themselves in line with their managers. Thus, managers have to lead by example.
Managers should be encouraged to walk the talk. When their subordinates see that their managers disconnect at the end of the working day, they will also be encouraged to do so. This way, the entire business unit gets pepped up to give their best and always be productive. An example is that after a long meeting, the managers should let their subordinates take a break and then return to work. Breaks allow us to energize and become more focused.
Leading by example contributes positively to employees’ mental and physical health. Managers can walk with their team members in a one-on-one session, thus ensuring the employees spend time away from their screens. A lunch outing with team members also contributes positively towards enhancing productivity.
Also read: https://www.enspirehr.com/blogs/performance-review-vs-performance-appraisal/
Provide flexibility for work-life balance.
Despite the change in how we work has evolved over the years, the fact remains that an employee’s performance is intrinsically linked to their work-life balance. Little research shows that employees with a good work-life balance work 21% harder than those who do not have it. Employees whose well-being is taken care of tend to perform better. Due to rising burnout, companies are now looking at providing more flexibility in their jobs to promote well-being. With a work-life balance in place, the employees’ productivity increases, and at the same time, they can devote time to their personal lives as well. As each organization has unique needs, the leadership team should constantly look for opportunities to provide flexibility to employees.
These days many companies promote work from home, but that’s only sometimes an option. Companies can opt for flexible hours if a business does not require employees to be present in a traditional 9-5 setup. This vastly improves employee engagement. Time tracking here might become an issue, but it brings out positivity amongst the employees as they can balance their work and personal lives. With a more rounded lifestyle, employees are more productive with lower stress levels.
Mindfulness is important
Health work-life balance and employee engagement rest on well-being as the pillar or the foundation. A host of wellness programs can be introduced to promote employee well-being. Some of them are mind-body exercises, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a robust process employed by organizations structured to rewire and rejuvenate minds to inculcate happiness, compassion, tolerance, and harmony in employees’ lives. It helps to live life in the present moment without judging anyone and gives the power of acceptance, thus enhancing the quality of work-life balance. Employees are able to cope better with stress and are better equipped to handle emotions which generally ride high in many organizations. Just with practicing mindfulness techniques over a period of time helps the employees to achieve a sense of equanimity and improves their decision-making ability. Thus, this powerful tool helps in better employee engagement and a meaningful work-life balance.
An organization can introduce a mindfulness program by conducting an off-site camp or having a regular teacher who can conduct a session once a week or fortnight. Also, regular yoga or meditation sessions can be introduced as part of a long-term employee benefits program. If, by chance, the team is remote; online sessions can be arranged.
From time to time, employees can be sent reminders encouraging them to be mindful in all their activities, be it walking, music, eating, etc.
Other Related Activities
Some more related activities can be implemented aimed at fruitful employee engagement along with a positive work-life balance:
- Introduce flexible work hours and remote work possibilities
- Task and project completion should be the goal & not the hours
- Provide gym memberships or hire an in-house fitness coach
- Introduce nutritious meal options and diet plans
- Encourage employees to unwind and take a break during work hours
- Offer well-being packages and incentives to attend mindfulness programs
- Support inclusion
- Introduce weekly team lunches/dinners with families coming along occasionally
Conclusion
Creating an action plan to boost employees’ mental and emotional health goes a long way in managing a mindful and uplifting environment at work and at home. When employees are empowered with well-being skills, they are better equipped to cope with situations and accept challenging circumstances better. All these help the employees be better engaged and create a better work-life balance.