Ways to Improve Employee Experience

with Work-Life Initiatives

For someone to be happy and fulfilled for the rest of their lives, it's important to
find the perfect balance between their personal and professional lives. Humans, unlike a
piece of machinery, require rest, relaxation, socialization, and entertainment—all of
which must be accommodated in addition to their demanding work schedules. Many
employees run the risk of becoming stressed out or going through burnout if this doesn't
happen. This ultimately may have a detrimental effect on a worker's productivity at work.
To prevent this from happening, employers can promote policies and initiatives to
facilitate a healthy work life balance.

What is meant by work-life balance? There are often two main aspects associated
with work-life balance – the first is lack of time and scheduling conflicts, and the other is
feeling overwhelmed, overloaded or stressed by the pressures of multiple roles. Balance
is not necessarily about splitting time equally, but rather that the individual feels fulfilled
and content with both aspects of their life. Work-life conflict occurs when the overall
demands of work and personal roles are incompatible in some respect making
participation in one role more difficult by participation in the other role.

What is work-life balance initiatives?

Simply put, work-life balance initiatives are any benefits, policies, or programs that help
create a better balance between the demands of the job and the healthy management
(and enjoyment) of life outside work.

Work/life initiatives can potentially deal with a wide range of issues including:

 disconnecting from work

 on-site childcare,
 emergency childcare assistance,
 seasonal childcare programs (such as March break or holidays),
  care friendly initiatives , including assistance to a child, relative, close friend,
or partner who needs help because of physical, mental, or cognitive
conditions,
 referral program to care services, local organizations, etc.,
 flexible working arrangements,
 parental or family leave
 other leaves of absence policies such as educational, volunteer, community
service, self-funded, or sabbaticals,
 employee assistance programs,
 on-site seminars and workshops (on such topics as stress, nutrition, smoking,
communication etc.),
 internal and external educational or training opportunities, or
 fitness facilities, or fitness membership assistance (financial).

How Can a Healthy Balance Between Work and Life Be Achieved?

1. Taking Time Off Between Work

Taking time off in between work helps in dealing with stress. The human body is
not designed to endure for long hours at a go. Physical movements like a light walk or
some desk exercises can be really helpful here.

Such short breaks will help you recover from fatigue and enhance agility at work.

2. Volunteering Time Off

Volunteering is a great way to stay social and build interpersonal connections.

Encouraging the employees to volunteer for social causes helps them de-stress and
commit socially.

Moreover, this also helps boosts a company’s CSR, i.e., Company Social
Responsibility initiatives. Thus, earning goodwill for the organization and its employees.
3. Proper Planning

Planning the day-to-day activities at work is another way for managing a good
balance between life and work. It helps individuals to prioritize their actions following the
importance of a task.

Moreover, adhering to a well-laid plan also helps save a lot of time at work. Thus,
allowing them to focus on things other than work or take it to rejuvenate themselves.

4. Encouraging a Healthy Lifestyle

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a big role in an employee’s quest to achieve

a healthy work-life balance. Healthy employees are like the jewels on the crown for
every organization. An unhealthy work-life balance disrupts the employees' physical
and mental health. Considering this fact, it hampers their productivity to a great extent.
Encouraging the employees to take up a healthy lifestyle eliminates various health risks.

Just like having good physical health helps one to stay energetic, a stress-free
mind is a room full of clarity. This helps the employees to excel both in their careers and
in life. A healthy lifestyle is also a great stress management solution and helps the
employees cope with stress smoothly.

5. Encouraging No Work at Home Policy Post Work Hours

Most often, the employees carry their work home to make up for the deadlines.
The inability to leave work at the workplace is a major issue resulting from the excess
workload born by the employees. Committing to work during off-hours hinders the
amount of rest needed by the human body.

Further, it maligns the social life of individuals that is necessary for a healthy
mindset. Employers can make sure that this doesn't happen by adopting a strict “No
Work at Home” policy.

6. Flexible Work Schedule

Maintaining a good balance between work and life isn’t possible if there’s no
personal time left after leaving work. In such a case, having a flexible work schedule
becomes very important. Flexibility in work timings helps the employees lay equal focus
on their own personal and social side of life like that of their work.

Further, such a schedule can positively affect an individual's performance at

work. As well, it works as an alternate stress management technique.

7. Time Management

Time management is a very important aspect when it comes to having a proper

work-life balance.

Most individuals tend to ignore this phase. As a result, they end up getting
overwhelmed by work at the end of the day with no time for themselves. So, one must
make sure they have a proper routine in place for the day.

Adopting time management hacks like the Pomodoro technique would be helpful
in this regard.

8. Encourage Hobbies

Every one of us has a hobby like reading, painting, photography, dancing,

collecting old stamps and so on. A good work-life balance is not only limited to giving
importance to work and family. It’s also about giving importance to the things that one
loves doing on a personal level.

With all the hues and cries between managing work and family, we often miss
feeding our own hopes and aspirations. Having a hobby encourages an employee to
take up some time for themselves.

This indeed helps them fulfill the thirst for a good life according to an employee’s
preference. Having a hobby helps the employees to make up time for themselves even
amidst their tight schedule.

9. Encourage Work From Home

Encouraging work from home at least once a week or whenever required could
help detox from the daily stress at the workplace. Working from home with the loved
ones nearby or pampering the pets while working leaves a positive impact on an
employee’s mind.

When employees have such benefits, it frames a great sense of gratitude in their
minds towards their employers. It also makes them the advocates for your organization.
Thus, giving the boost to a great employee and employer relationship.

10. Paid Vacation Time

In today’s time, vacation is no longer a luxury. Rather it’s more of a necessity. It’s
high time employers realize how vacations from work have become an important part of
today’s work culture. Letting the employees take long breaks without sacrificing their
wages is very effective. Employees feel more rejuvenated and relaxed after returning to
work, yielding better productivity.

11. Time-to-Time Feedbacks and Work-life Balance Surveys

Time-to-time assessment of the employees is an essential part of creating a

healthy work environment. Situations may differ with changing times, and keeping track
of these changes becomes very important in order to put effective solutions in place.
These enable the employers to fix problems that may act as blockades towards
achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Taking feedback and conducting surveys from the employees further helps
organizations to know them better and work on the issues raised.

12. Maternity and Paternity Leaves

The joy of being a parent can never be ignored, and every one of us is entitled to
enjoy this moment. However, this joy comes with several responsibilities that no one is
immune to, and this could create a hindrance when it comes to work-life.
 So, to mitigate this issue, you can plan to introduce maternity and paternity leave
schemes for all your employees. This benefits your employees directly, but it will also
enhance your brand image to a great extent.

13. Child Care Facilities

Most parents whose children are below at least five years of age face a tough
time juggling between responsibilities. This becomes even more difficult when both
parents are professionals, and they have to choose between work or life. And this could
severely affect their career, sometimes not allowing them to progress ahead.

Here, as a responsible employer, you may never want this to happen to your
employees, for which you can plan on arranging child care facilities within the
organization or somewhere that’s really close.

14. Allowing Remote Work

The ability to work from anywhere is a dream of every professional. It isn’t like
they will be traveling all the time but because they get to choose their own place for
working properly.

This facility would help attract the best talents on board. Moreover, it’ll allow all to
fulfill their social commitments without missing out on work.

15. Pet-Friendly Workspace

Pet-friendly workspaces are booming all over the world as millennials and Gen
z’s are joining the workforce. These generations of employees are full of life and love for
their pets. Allowing your employees to bring their pets along will give them mental
peace and create a cheerful atmosphere around the workplace.

16. Team-Building Exercises

 Team-building is about getting people to work together to reach a common goal.
It can be an incredibly effective way of improving relationships. However, many people
don't realize that team building can be beneficial for work-life balance as well.

Remote teams are the norm today, and communication and collaboration are a
must.

One of the best ways to build a better work-life balance is to plan activities that
bring your team together enjoyably. While getting everyone together might not be
possible, you can often design exercises or events that bring some team members
together.

17. Unpaid Time off for Personal Reasons

Life is unpredictable. There may come a time when you want to offer your
employees unpaid time off to handle personal issues. It can be a family emergency,
personal tragedy, or other illnesses.

In the United States, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) grants
eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. They may
take this leave for the birth or adoption of a child or care for a family member with a
serious health condition.

FMLA also requires that they give all employees their job back or an equivalent
position at the end of their leave, with the same benefits, pay, etc.

18. Designated Quiet Space

Incorporating a designated quiet space at your workplace can keep your team
productive, happy, and healthy. Employees can use the spot to reflect, meditate or even
just take a break from the bustle of the office.

A quiet space should be a place where employees can take a moment to collect
their thoughts, focus, and get work done.
 Make sure that the room is inviting and well-kept. It should have comfortable
seating, plenty of greenery, and a few good books or magazines. You can even play
some music to create a relaxing atmosphere.

19. Focus on Physical Health

It isn't easy to maintain an active lifestyle or find time to visit the gym with a busy
schedule.

A gym at the office would help not only your employees' physical health but also
their mental health and work-life balance.

It is also a great employee incentive program for employees to lead healthier

lifestyles.

Standing desks and treadmill desks are also making the rounds in office design.

20. Innovative Time Off

Google is a great example of a business that encourages its employees'

creativity. Google's 80/20 rule (or "Innovative Time Off") allows engineers to spend one
day or 20% of their workweek. It can be on any project they choose, as long as it relates
to their current job.

Even if you don't have the resources to implement a similar policy, you can still
foster creativity. If your employees are interested in pursuing a certain project, look into
ways of giving them time for that outside of working hours.

21. Fun Clubs

Instead of having one employee responsible for planning team-building activities,

give the responsibility to the entire team.

If you give your employees some freedom to lead their own events, you'll find
that they are happier, more productive, and have more fun at work.

It can be a year-end company party or a quarterly office pizza party. Letting

everyone get involved will not only let you have an abundance of creative ideas but also
let them take ownership of the event.
22. Workation

Workations are the latest craze in the quest for work-life balance after the
pandemic. Workation is the act of combining work and vacation. It gives employees the
flexibility to work remotely and allows them to return refreshed and ready for action.

When a workation is planned out properly, you will get results better. It is also
great for ensuring that your employees are happy and well-rested and can be a great
morale-booster for your company.

23. Employee Assistance Program

Achieving the right balance between work and personal life is a constant
struggle.

An EAP or Employee Assistance Program gives employees, and their immediate

family members access to trained professionals. These experts can help them confront
problems such as substance abuse, work-related stress, financial hardship, relationship
issues, and more.

24. Hybrid Work Space

A hybrid workspace is the best of both worlds for working at home and in an
office.

They are a great solution for people who want some of the perks of working from
home, but also miss their office setting.

When employees have such benefits, it frames a great sense of gratitude in their
minds towards their employers. It also makes them advocates for your organization.
Thus, giving the boost to an exceptional employee and employer relationship.

25. Tailored Experiences

There is no universal approach for creating a work-life balance. Each employee

is different, and the design of their experiences needs to be tailored to them.

Some love working late and logging long hours at the office. Others don't mind
starting early, but they're eager to leave as soon as possible.
The best way to balance work and life is to put your employees and their preferences
first.

The importance of a good work-life balance can also be determined by the fact
that it yields:

A Decrease in Employee Health Problems

“Employees working three or more hours longer than the work schedule had a 60%
higher risk of experiencing heart-related problems”, as found in a study by UCL.

As humans, we have a specific limit of endurance. For employees who are already
under a lot of pressure, overwork can prove fatal both for their mental and physical
health. If these issues aren’t checked on time, then it could give rise to various chronic
illnesses too. And all of these directly affect their productivity and decision-making skills
at work.

So, you must go ahead and encourage your employees to take measures for ensuring a
healthy work-life balance. Thereby, helping them cope with stress and reduce the risk of
various diseases.

Enhanced Employee Mindfulness

Employees working under work pressure are prone to mental ailments

like workplace stress and anxiety. It is a known fact that demotivated employees tend
to lose their focus at work which hampers their productivity.

As a result, organizations to suffer from the challenges of an unproductive

workforce. A healthy balance between work-life eliminates this issue to a great extent.
When employees feel relaxed and satisfied at their work, they develop a better focus on
their work. It also helps them gain more control over their work, thereby delivering the
best results.

For an employer having people focused on their work is the perfect key
to unlock better productivity and achieve the desired goals.

Increased Employee Engagement at Work

Motivated employees are the real gems of any organization. It is their

contributions that drive their respective companies to success. But very often, poor
work-life balance creates a barrier for them to engage themselves at work
altogether. Absenteeism, fatigue, sick leaves are some of the problems hindering
employee engagement at work.

Encouraging employees to achieve a good balance between work and life will
help improve the company’s overall work culture. Having better employee
engagement also helps the companies to attract the top talents. Thus, emphasizing
the need for a healthy work-life balance.

Decreased Employee Burnout Rate

Increasing work pressure is one of the major problems for employees these days
to quit their jobs. Overworked employees are the ones who are the worst affected. Also,
employees who are under the pressure of meeting deadlines get exhausted both
physically and mentally.

In conclusion, people frequently equate having a successful career with leading a

happy life. However, things might not always go as planned. Numerous circumstances
could arise and interfere with one's regular schedule. With this, the opportunity to
unwind after a hard day at work may be lost. Consequently, a terrible work-life balance
is produced.
If you prioritize your tasks, keeping this balance isn't all that difficult. One must
consider improving work-life integration in addition to work-life balance. It establishes a
positive tone for a balanced professional life.
References:

Ways to Achieve Work-Life Balance and Its benefits

https://blog.vantagecircle.com/work-life-balance/

Examples of Work-Life Balance Initiatives

https://criteriaforsuccess.com/12-examples-of-work-life-balance-initiatives/
Work Life Balance Initiatives that Actually

https://tracktime24.com/Blog/work-life-balance-initiatives-that-work