Helping Employees Maintain Work/Life Balance

Helping your employees maintain work/life balance isn’t something you do just for them — it can be vital to the health of your company. Employee burnout has a major impact on productivity, but that's not its only negative effect.

• Overworked and overstressed employees are more likely to get sick and have high absentee rates.
• A lack of work/life balance affects an employee’s attitude. Unhappy workers are typically less efficient and can destroy morale.
• Burnout directly affects turnover rates. Employees can work at a frantic pace for only so long before they get frustrated and leave a company.

Employee burnout is caused by a number of things, including an employee’s own abilities, their workload, their responsibilities and how much support they have in the workplace. But there are things you can do help employees juggle work and home life. Even the smallest efforts show your employees that you respect their personal time and make them feel good about their relationship with you and the company.

Give employees comp days. Certain projects or seasons require an unusual amount of work or overtime. After these busy periods are over, reward your employees with a comp day or two. It will emphasize how much you appreciate their efforts and the sacrifices they've made. Plus, it increases the chances that they'll voluntarily pitch in for the next big project.

Be flexible with work schedules. Flexible work hours can help an employee meet conflicting needs without compromising the amount of hours they work. If employees can adjust their hours or telecommute once in a while, they'll be happier at work and at home.

Give time off for special occasions. Time off is always greatly appreciated. If you can afford to, consider giving your employees time off on their birthdays, holidays or other special occasions. But be careful that comp time is distributed fairly, and that it benefits all of your employees.