In this
issue, we’re going to take a look at the subject of
work-life balance and discuss ways in which you can
increase retention through strategies revolving around
this growing issue. In today’s
workplace, employers are becoming more and more
imaginative in helping employees to bridge the gap
between life and work. Research shows
that helping employees achieve a work-life balance pays
big dividends, including cutting soaring health costs
and energizing performance and
commitment.
It’s
September, and we just observed the Labor Day
holiday.
Did you know Labor Day was started over 100 years
ago as a protest for workers demanding eight hours of
work, eight hours of rest, and eight hours for the
family?
Work and life balance is a basic need. Today, Labor Day
is observed as a celebration of the working population,
as well as the end of
summer.
So with
autumn on the horizon, I’d like to continue to recognize
the working population (and if you’re reading this, yes,
you are one of us!) by asking this question, “What would
it be like if work and life were in balance?” I’d also like to
offer some ideas about how you can help your staff. Think of the
hiring attraction and retention you’ll be able to
cultivate!
One
recent survey of employees showed that even though job
satisfaction may be high, the majority of workers rated
the balance of work and family life as more important
than any other
employment factor. Below are some
ways in which helping employees strike that balance can
be beneficial:
- Attracts new
employees
- Helps
to retain staff
- Builds diversity in skills and
personnel
- Improves morale
- Reduces sickness and
absenteeism
- Enhances working relationships between
colleagues
- Encourages employees to show more initiative
and teamwork
- Increases levels of production and
satisfaction
- Decreases stress and
burn-out
Let’s
look at where we
are:
For the
first time in American history, four
generations—Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and
Generation Yers—are working side-by side. This new
workplace diversity can present challenges for employers
in many areas.
For the purposes of this article, I’d like to
address work-life balance initiatives for all and
provide a few ideas that promote the notion that maybe
one size can
fit all!
Simply put, work-life balance initiatives are any
benefits, policies, or programs that help foster a
better balance between the demands of the job and the
enjoyment of life outside of
work.
Let’s
look at the
need:
In
doing my research for this article, I discovered that
87% of today’s working population’s biggest challenge
and cause for stress results from household
responsibilities! Think about it:
if your household responsibilities were taken care of,
or reduced, you would have more time for your
life.
Let’s
look at a few simple
solutions:
Whether
you work for a large corporation or a small family
business, we all have basic responsibilities of life,
and you, as the employer, can be a hero to your
employees by providing practical solutions. Most will cost
you absolutely nothing except for the time it takes to
put them together.
I believe this can be successful for day,
evening, and night
shifts.
I
suggest that you use your negotiation skills to secure
significant discounts for each of the services below for
your employees:
- Delivery of groceries (that your employees have
ordered on-line), either to their homes or the work
place.
People will spend four to five hours shopping
for groceries each week, and that doesn’t include
stopping on the way home for that last-minute dinner
or take out!
Offer delivery at least two times per
week.
- Housecleaning services. Smaller
operations do a tremendous job at much better rates.
- Laundry service, pick-up, and
delivery.
- Lawn
service.
I recommend smaller operations, which would
benefit from the additional business.
- House
painting or repairs. These are projects that employees
often use their vacation or holiday time to
complete.
Helping in this area would be of tremendous
benefit to them.
- Auto
repair or detailing. Find a
business that will come to your location
weekly.
- Pharmacy deliveries
- Daycare or childcare services
- Elder
care services
- Health club
facilities
Now
take a moment and ask yourself this question: “What
would it be like if my work and life were in
balance?”
By answering this question, you can envision how
offering these solutions can relieve the stress in your
employees’ lives and create more balance for them. Now conduct an
informal survey of your employees, supervisors, and
managers.
Ask about their specific needs and/or concerns,
and base your course of action on their
answers.
You can be
tremendously effective for your employees, as well as
cover all shifts worked, by offering discounted services
that address the household responsibilities issues. The availability
of these services will add hours to your employees’
lives, which they can spend however they choose. And when it
comes to job satisfaction and how those same employees
feel about the company for which they work, you can bet
they’ll choose to be more loyal and to resist the
temptation to go elsewhere.
(One of our goals
with this newsletter is to cover timely topics, and
there’s no topic more timely than the challenges
presented by the current housing market and how it’s
affecting the recruiting efforts of companies. In next month’s
issue, we’re going to explore those challenges and
discuss some creative ways in which you can address them
so that you don’t lose quality candidates due to
extenuating circumstances.)
