Despite the transformation that has happened in the world of business – from introducing flexible hours, telecommuting, all the way to freelancing – it seems that the elusive idea of balance is still a work in progress. Companies are starting to realise just how essential overall happiness and fulfillment is for their employees to be productive at work, which is why more businesses are investing in achieving this fleeting notion.
If you are eager to help your employees fulfill their potential in all aspects of their lives, look to the following tips to make it happen and inspire them to contribute to your business growth more than ever!
Dictate the office tempo
There will always be the overachievers and the competitive geniuses doing their absolute best to land that major deal. As commendable as that may be, if they cannot recognise their own boundaries, you need to be the one to set them, and they’ll thank you later.
Help them by rewarding those who actually wrap up their work in time, and remind all those who stay late to actually pack their stuff and go home. Encourage lunch and coffee breaks that aren’t used for emergency meetings, but for actual fun and relaxation. Let them know they won’t lose their jobs when they do excellent work but go home early – it’s actually preferred, most of the world strives for shorter work hours.
Ensure flexibility
It’s the beauty of the digital world! The Tooth Fairy of the business world known as balance doesn’t have to be so painfully difficult to achieve when you do your best to focus on your employees’ needs. New parents would maybe appreciate working from home more frequently, changing their work hours, or getting childcare services inside your office building so that they can save time and see their youngsters regularly.
If your type of work allows it, you can encourage your employees to take a longer weekend away and take their laptops for a team-building session, where they can recuperate as well as deliver great ideas.
Mind the work environment
It should be a norm to design an office which is perfectly functional and allows your employees to work with no issues. Larger companies often even consider an on-site plumber so that their toilets are always in tip-top shape, while having an emergency electrician on your speed dial will ensure that any lighting or wiring issues can be resolved quickly and painlessly.
Add to that the quality of the seating for optimal back support and plenty of natural light which will help remove those annoying distractions in the shape of stiff shoulders, the winter blues, and headaches, so that your employees can stay productive and brimming with energy.
Fitness comes first
It has also become another go-to perk for businesses of all sizes to not only encourage work-life balance but to ensure and reward a healthy lifestyle among their employees. From offering paid gym memberships, aerobics classes, Pilates and yoga sessions to organising company-wide mountain trips and hiking adventures, whatever you do to boost their health will come with a tenfold return on investment.
Even companies that work with remote employees only can now organise regular annual and biannual get-togethers in a nature resort, where they won’t just get to know one another, but also improve their health and learn new skills.
Go the extra mile
Nowadays, most companies know the value of continuous education for their workforce, so organising workshops and seminars has also become a regular occurrence in the business world. However, as rewarding as this may be, it takes away more of their personal time, hence the need to invest in giving them more opportunities to bond with their families.
A great example is offering paid weekend getaways for those who are married or in long-term relationships, rewarding them with a spa escape for two, or giving them a few extra days off if they travel for holidays to see their loved ones. A little can go a long way, and such gestures will make them feel appreciated and truly inspire them to build their lives from every possible perspective.
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Cooper Klein is a cool dad and an entrepreneur from Sydney. You can find him on Twitter.