Benefits of work life

 Benefits of work life balance for companies

There are many benefits to improve employees work-life balance Here are the major ones:




1) Reduced employee turnover

Employee turnover means total number of workers who leave the company certain period (M Holiday, 2021)Workers who have healthy work-life balance are more like to be satisfied with their jobs and satisfied to stay in the organization. That can save you a lot in expenses related to hiring. As a Example 48% of employees quit a job due to childcare issues , 45% quit due to lack of flexible working and 43% quit due to lack of good benefits such as healthcare problems. When people are able to find balance in their lives through flexible working , support and paid time off, they are less likely to work away in search of something that does meet their personal needs.  



2) Improved Engagement

Employee engagement is a critical component of an organization's success. It involved creating a work environment that encourages employees to be actively involved and committed to their organization and its goals and objectives.(N Pandey, 2023)   

Engagement is important to grow the business. If the all employees are engaged in happily they drive the business forward. 

   

3) Increase Morale

A work-life balance leads to higher morale in the workforce, which means improved work performance and quality. Happier workers, on other hand are less likely to skip out on work which mean less absenteeism.


4) Increase the company reputation

Ultimately encouraging a health work life balance in your business will make your business a much more attractive place to work. Build  up a reputation for taking care of your people and top talent will overlook your competitors and come to you.


5) Improved Productivity of Employees

Offering flexible working options to employees does more than make their lives easier. Allowing employees to enjoy flexible work schedules, lets your staff work when they are at their most productive. Some people like to work morning some are at night. Some people are more productive when they known their children are safely in school. Staff with healthy work life balance are more productive which means organization becomes more profitable. 


6) Less Stress

Workplace stress not only impacts employee performance but it also affects every other domain of their lives. According to research by Mental Health America , 80% of employees say that stress from work affects their relationships with friends , family and coworkers. Also 78% say it affects their mental health.


There are Three type of work-life balance. What are they?

1) Time based work-life balance

This type is managing the hours spent on work your works. It is all about managing the time at the office while spend your time with family , hobbies and relaxation. Flexible scheduling , work hours , remote work options are the key in main elements of this. 


2) Space based work-life balance

This is the  type of environment  that you spend to working. By allowing employees to work form the locations that their preference. Some times it may be in the home , In the cafe , Library. Most of the IT companies using this method.    


3) Task based work-life balance

This is the type of specific tasks and responsibilities which is given to your employees. Task based work life encourage the teamwork of the employees and also balance their personal and professional lives by organizing and prioritizing tasks effectively.




How can we achieve work life Balance 

1) Offer Flexible or Alternative Hours

A flexible work arrangements is an alternative to the traditional 40 hours (9 to 5 work week). Flexible work arrangements provide employees with schedule flexibility, an option to work remotely, or the ability to choose an alternative work arrangements. (A Doyle, 2022)  When it comes to work life balance we have to offer employees work flexible hours to meet their personal needs. This boosts morale since employees can schedule their work hours around their personal lives. Example - If we have an employee who is a parent, we could start their workday earlier in the morning. This way they can leave in the early afternoon to pick their children from school and take them additional classes or evening practice. Also allow for alternative schedules as well. Example - If we have an employee who like to work 10 hours a day for four working days and Friday off. Common flexible working arrangements as follows,

2)  Provide Child/Per Care Options

This method is not uncommon for employees low cost child care options in the workplace. This takes away the concern of finding someone to watch their kids while they are away, as well as saving them money. Even if you are not a parent, you may still have a family member that you hate to live alone all day. This can be help to reduce their stress and build trust and friendship among coworkers and motivates employee to stay longer since they don't have to worry about their children or others who love them. 


3) Organize Family / Employee Events

Plaining events outside of the place at least one a years for the employee and their family is one of the best ways to strengthen your team and build excitement for the organization. 


4) Offer More Time off

On top of sick days and vacation days we can also provide personal days so that they can attend to private of family needs. Example - If your employee is a new parent and offer a additional day off it will be a benefit for them. 




List of References

M Holiday (14th January 2021) Employee turnover mean [Online] Availavle at: https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/human-resources/employee-turnover.shtml#:~:text=Employee%20turnover%20refers%20to%20the,Turnover%20is%20different%20from%20attrition [Accessed on 27th November 2023]

N Pandey (18th October 2023) employee engagement is [Online] Available at: https://emeritus.org/in/learn/leadership-employee-engagement/ [Accessed on 28th November 2023]

A Doyle (31st August 2022) flexible work arrangements is [Online] Available at: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-is-a-flexible-work-schedule-2063677 [Accessed on 29th November 2023]  






 


 













Comments

  1. Piyumi Wickramasinghe 29 November 2023 at 19:18

    Work-Life balance isnt a buzzword anymore and your post is a great article explaining everything in every perspective. As a working mother I can relate to the content explained above.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA30 November 2023 at 05:40

      Working moms often struggle to find balance between work and home life. The job of working mothers often includes juggling a heavy workload coupled with the never-ending responsibilities of family life. Balancing life as a working mom is not impossible.

      Delete
  2. Kalpa Premachandra2 December 2023 at 08:17

    Work-life balance is not a luxury but a necessity for both employee well-being and organizational success. By implementing strategies to promote work-life balance, companies can reap significant benefits, including reduced turnover, improved engagement, increased morale, enhanced reputation, and boosted productivity.

    A balanced work-life can significantly reduce employee turnover rates, saving companies the substantial costs associated with recruitment, training, and onboarding new employees (Allen, 2014).

    Employees who perceive a healthy work-life balance are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and less inclined to seek employment elsewhere (Greenberg & Baron, 2003).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chathuri Pathirage3 December 2023 at 20:30

    How can an organization measure the tangible impact of organizing family/employee events and offering additional time off, not only in terms of team cohesion and employee satisfaction but also in quantifiable metrics related to productivity and overall organizational success?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 03:30

      There are some Measuring methods we can identify such as Customer satisfaction , Attendance , Quality and productivity.

      Delete
  4. Reza6 December 2023 at 02:22

    Very interesting points mentioned by you Mahesh. Taking a country like SL can we trust our employees to do the right thing when given the chance. For a instance we give them a choice in where to work from, would they really be more productive or is it going to be the same result. If it is the same is there any sense in doing it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tharanga14 December 2023 at 23:15

    Increase flexibility to better respond to shifting market conditions and satisfy customer demands. For example, flexible hours, shift work, and part-time work can help businesses stay provide longer without requiring staff to put in longer hours. (nibusinessinfo., n,a)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Chamila Siriwardena17 December 2023 at 18:32

    It is essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance as it helps to generate many benefits to the employees as well as the employers. As a result it will build strong communities and efficient businesses.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dushantha Samarasinghe18 December 2023 at 03:45

    Generating a good work-life balance culture within the organization will bring many benefits for the organization as well as the employee. For example, the organization will have more satisfied and happy employees, which will indeed improve the employees' productivity, the inter-employee relation will always be kept positive, and there will be less chance of conflict due to frustration. In countries like Sri Lanka, this should be spoken out more to improve the way of life in the country and avoid employee burnout.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rashinka Miral18 December 2023 at 08:11

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nillmini Ekanayake18 December 2023 at 20:02

    Yes Mahesh, A balanced work-life brings reduced stress, enhanced well-being, and improved job satisfaction, fostering personal growth and meaningful connections.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 05:21

      Yes Nilmini balanced work-life is beneficial not only for employers but also employers as well.

      Delete
  10. Rehana Uvais19 December 2023 at 00:31

    Hi Mahesh, to add to what you have shared, I feel what most companies don't understand is that work-life balance actually improves efficiency. It's like a reset button for most employees because they are able to pursuit their personal matters and return to work refreshed and motivated. Burnout is a problem today and efficiently managed work-life balance methods can ensure employees don't burn out and improve mental well-being.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 05:32

      A lack of work-life balance affects people physically, emotionally, and financially. Work-life balance involves the minimization of work-related stress, and the establishment of a stable and sustainable way to work while maintaining health and general well-being.

      Delete
  11. Sanjula Fernando19 December 2023 at 08:54

    Agree with your view Mahesh. When adding more points to your view, Covid-19 can be recognized as the main proof of the concept that companies can go on effective while letting personnel more flexibility in where and when they do their work. Even though millions switched to flexible and remote work arrangements during the pandemic, productivity didn’t drop. However, as the pandemic faded, many firms returned to their normal office work as previous of the pandemic. However, two-thirds of Covid-era remote workers report that they don’t want to return to the office (Harvard Business Review, 2022).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 06:05

      Work-life balance has always been a challenge for all the working class but during the COVID-19 pandemic,it has added to the already existing challenges because the work life too has shifted to home through online mode. Sanjula you have mention during COVID 19 period productivity didn’t drop. However Most recently David Atkin and co-authors randomized data entry workers between office and home locations, finding a striking 18% drop to productivity from home working.

      Delete
  12. Jasothan19 December 2023 at 11:48

    Work/life is important. But it should be identified with psychological and mental wellness. Even remote work can cause significant mental fatigue and physical burnout because people get to work with the flow without realizing they have been sitting for this many hours which is actually bad for their health. Mentally fatigued as said above. Thus, work/life balance should be thought of with mental and psychological wellness.

    ReplyDelete
  13. MAHESH KULARATHNA20 December 2023 at 05:18

    According to survey data collected by McKinsey, as of fall 2022, office workers were going to the office just 3.5 days per week, on average, with the majority of survey respondents (56%) having a hybrid working schedule

    ReplyDelete

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