In this article, we look into how you can encourage a work-life balance within your company, no matter how fast-paced it is, to ensure that your employees keep on giving their all.

Define the terms of a “work-life balance”

Every workplace has different needs. A work-life balance doesn’t need to be about hours; it can also mean flexibility, autonomy, relaxation areas, and rec rooms. The first step is to consider what a work-life balance might look like for a typical employee and then work out how you can help them achieve it.

Offer hybrid working and work-from-home options

Flexibility is a big way to help dynamic, fast-paced environments demanding long hours to offer their workers a work-life balance. A hybrid approach is still the more attractive option to many candidates, and it’s important to remember that the most talented will have options. Putting this option on the table is in your company’s best interests.

If you are concerned about productivity going down, the best way to tell how your company fares with your new approach is by testing it. Ask your team managers how they measure productivity and achievements within their team, and then ask them to measure worker productivity while their team is working in person and then separately at home.

When you take these measures, be aware of other variables such as project type, clients, team dynamics, and holiday periods! A minor uptick in in-person work may not be enough to make a final decision.

Keep your aims realistic

Many high-performing managers also set high expectations of their workers. It is great to aim high, but not at the expense of burning out your team. Nevertheless, your feelings are understandable: As the captain of the ship, the onus is on you to deliver.

The key to keeping your head cool and ensuring that your team is reaching its goals is always keeping stock of your milestones at the end of each week. If your team is hitting its targets, make a mental note to let them continue their great work next week, giving you time to focus on planning ahead. Micro-managing can kill the mood and waste time, and trusting your team will make them feel more driven to take responsibility.  

Be aware of your office culture

Even if excessive demands to succeed aren’t coming from you, your company culture may have developed toxic behaviours like employees outdoing each other to stay later at the office or pressure not to take breaks. Easy-to-implement strategies like “meeting-free” days could also go the extra mile in encouraging your employees to balance their time.

Employees in these environments feel pressured to stay “on” at all times and worry about being judged for taking time for themselves. Work on removing these emotional barriers by creating a culture from the top down: Encourage managers and senior leaders to take breaks and take team members with them. Similarly, line managers should be encouraged to check in with their workers, reminding them to take regular breaks. Asking your team what they got up to on the weekend is also a good way to bond and to say that it’s perfectly okay to enjoy life outside work!

Listen to your employees

The best efforts to change company practice might mean nothing if you haven’t listened to your employees! There are many ways to ask for feedback from your team. Always ask for written and verbal feedback, and encourage them to participate in an ongoing process toward achieving a better work-life balance. Giving your employees a voice and showing that you value their time will help you improve retention rates and provide them with the energy and willpower to aim high.

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Are you looking for London’s most talented candidates? Aldrich & Co is a recruitment consultancy based in Finsbury Circus and specialising in recruitment for the City’s finance & banking sector. We take a personal, tailored approach to help our clients find exactly who they need for the role in record time.

If you would like to discuss a role, or if you’re looking to expand your team and need our advice on what roles to hire for, do contact us or connect with us on LinkedIn for updates on our activities.