What is work-life balance?

• Work-life balance definition
• How important is work-life balance?

Work-life balance definition

By definition, the term work-life balance describes a state in which the components of a work and private life are in perfect harmony with each other. This means completing daily work without any part of private life (health, family & friends, culture & hobbies) becoming neglected and vice-versa. This doesn’t have to mean that all areas of life receive the same attention, but rather that employees can consciously distribute their time and energy between their work and private life according to their wishes.

How important is work-life balance?

For both employers and employees, work-life balance is steadily gaining in importance and becoming a priority point for both parties. Self-organization and self-determination ensure for employees while employers benefit from better health and increased motivation of their employees.

A good work-life balance are also an important component of employer branding and have an impact on both the image and the competitiveness of a company. Those who improve the work-life balance of their team also improve employee retention and can thus effectively prevent strong staff fluctuations.

Suitable measures for improvement

What could be suitable measures to improve work-life balance for employees? Below we list some basic tips that can lead to a more balanced workday. 

Implement hybrid work models

Those who commute to the office every day often suffer from burnout and stress symptoms such as sleep disorders and increased blood pressure. Those who solely work from home on the other hand, often suffer from feelings of loneliness, lack of exercise and anxiety. A good way of counteracting both is a hybrid working model in which employees can decide for themselves when and where they work.

Enabling flexible working hours

Those who are forced to work during their less productive times due to inflexible working hours cannot develop their potential. Flexible working hours allow employees to choose when they work and better integrate their working hours into their daily routine. More importantly, they can work during their most productive phase rather than fitting to a set schedule.

Eliminate work on weekends 

Recovery breaks are essential for employee health. Plus, many workers devote their weekends in particular to family, friends and hobbies. When workloads seem to demand that employees commit to weekends this can drastically shortchange recovery and family time and accelerate burnout. Employers who eliminate work on weekends are taking an important step in preventing team burnout.

Introduce company sports and health management programs

For many, there is not enough time in the workday to exercise and establish a sustainable healthy lifestyle for themselves. By giving employees the opportunity to incorporate this into the workday, employers can increase team members’ health, productivity and focus.

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