It’s true that well-treated employees are not only more efficient, they’re more loyal. A huge part of employee-appreciation is allowing for a healthy work-life balance, and that becomes the best part of any company culture. Giving generous time off and allowing for enough hours in the day to spend with loved ones and pursuing side-passions makes people more excited and rested to get back to work.
The tech-supergiant Google offers its employees 18-weeks maternity leave, 6 weeks paternity leave, free passes to fitness classes and gyms, cooking classes, opportunities to take a three-month sabbatical, and even an 80/20 rule, which allows them to work 80% on their job with the company and 20% on passion projects. And they’re listed as #2 on the Forbes list of Most Valuable Brands, #6 on America’s Best Employers, and they are worth $123 billion.
Here is why allowing your employees to live a healthy work-life balance is the best part of your company culture.
Less Burnout. More Productivity.
People need time off. If your employees feel like they can’t take any time for themselves or loved ones because of their workload, you are more likely to have less efficient and productive workers. According to an article from Inc.com, the stress and fatigue of burn-out can actually lead to brains that "look exactly like ones that are sound asleep." Don’t let your employees’ brains turn to mush just from doing their job.
Builds a strong team, in and out of the office.
Co-workers that have more time and opportunities to get to know each other outside of work come back to the office with a stronger bond as a team. Allowing a reasonable work schedule and encouraging employees to get together outside of work is beneficial to not only the individual workers, but also to your company.
Long-lasting employee engagement and approval.
Employees are committed to employers who are committed to them. Providing a healthy work/life balance means employees are more likely to take fewer sick days, are less likely to leave, and are more willingly to promote your business to others, according to Inc.com. Happy people with lives outside of the office are better employees.
How to create a healthy work/life balance for your employees.
There are a number of ways to help employees achieve a healthy work/life balance. You don’t have to be Google to have the same intention. Offer time off and flexibility in their schedules, provide decent benefits, a friendly atmosphere at the office, and maybe even discounts to local gyms and fitness classes.
The bottom line is that your employees need to feel like they have a life outside of work. If you create a workplace similar to a beehive, with busy-bees who can never come up for air, it won’t just be your employers who suffer— your company’s bottom line will suffer too.
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