Feeling overworked?
It’s not surprising.
In the U.S., 85.8 percent of males and 66.5 percent of females work more than 40 hours per week. If you’re overworked, talk with your employer about:
- Moving to a reduced work schedule.
- Taking a week-long vacation.
- Working from home one day a week or as needed.
- Taking unpaid leave to attend to personal or family matters.
For more tips and stats about work-life balance visit 20somethingfinance.com.
Gaining ground
When less is more: Five tips for improving work-life balance
According to a recent survey by the Corporate Executive Board, employees consider work-life balance the most important workplace attribute after compensation. Turns out, what’s good for employees is also good for the organization. Employees who feel they have a better work-life balance tend to work 21 percent harder than those who don’t.
Executives agree. The majority of CFOs in a 2009 survey think work-life flexibility offers “high to moderate” business benefits, with a pay off in higher employee retention and improved morale.
Aware offers five tips to improve employees’ work-life balance.
- Focus on physical and emotional wellness
Preventive benefits like smoking cessation and fitness programs not only make a difference in employees’ overall health and productivity, but also accrue to the bottom line. By offering employees discounts at the local gym along with the chance to manage their weight or quit harmful habits, employers see less absenteeism and lower the risks – and costs – of long-term illness.
Promote your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Personal problems don’t have to be faced alone. The confidential and professional assistance provided through EAP programs can help employees face depression, stress, grief, financial difficulties and other personal issues. Often, however, employees simply don’t know what is available to them. Melvin Collins, employee relations consultant at Securian Financial Group, St. Paul, Minnesota, recommends providing training to managers who, in turn, can support an open dialogue with workers about the options available to them in difficult times. - Keep it loose, keep it tight
The gift of time can be the most appreciated benefit a company offers. In the Corporate Executive Board survey, 60 percent of employees identified flexible schedules as their employer’s most important work-life practice. Yet, less than one-third of full-time workers reported having flexible hours.
For some employees, the answer to less stress is as simple as adjusting core hours. Juggling schedules, common in good times, becomes even harder in a tough economy when family members have lost jobs or picked up part time work. A later start time or earlier departure allows employees more freedom to work around spouses’ schedules or bring their children to daycare and, as a result, be more focused at work.
Being open to non-traditional work hours doesn’t have to dramatically impact a company’s bottom line. “Changing a benefit like medical is costly, but [allowing employees to start] at 8:15 or 8:30 instead of 8:00 a.m. [and work 15 minutes later] is a no-cost change,” says Jim Fenton, also an employee relations consultant at Securian.Try telecommuting
Allowing employees an alternative work space is not an option at all companies, but where it is employers report fewer layoffs, reduced real estate costs (Capital One cut real estate costs 20 percent) and increased productivity. With no commute time and fewer interruptions, telecommuters often find more time to concentrate, while spending less out-of-pocket for gas and dining out – a win-win for employers and employees alike. - Foster a balanced work culture before times get tough
Companies who consistently support their employees’ need to balance family and work commitments may find employees better able to sustain productivity during a downturn. Fenton shares Securian’s experience, “We’ve strived to establish a supportive culture and overall commitment to employees' health and well being all along. Instead of having to implement something after the fact, this culture has carried us through rough times as well as good.”
Securian’s supportive culture and programs have paid off. “It’s hard to quantify [the value of work-life balance], but it translates into dollars and cents by keeping turnover low,” explains Fenton. The proof? In 2009, Securian’s turnover was only four percent. - Communicate, communicate, communicate
When it comes to promoting balanced living, communicate early and often, using different media to get the message through to all employee groups. Try online handbooks describing policies about vacation and time off, noontime seminars to explain available programs or regular e-mails and Tweets promoting good nutrition and exercise. - Help employees take the long view
True balance can’t be achieved in one day or even one week. When work requires intense focus or long hours, employees need to be able to think ahead a month, a quarter or even a year to an upcoming vacation or quality time with friends or family to combat the stress of day-to-day challenges.
Resources:
Corporate Executive Board, “The increasing call for work-life balance," Bloomberg Businessweek, March 27, 2009.
Conlin, Michelle. “Telecommuting: Once a perk, now a necessity,” Bloomberg Businessweek, February 26, 2009.
Executive Office of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, “Work-life balance and the economics of workplace flexibility,” www.scribd.com, March 2010.
Hawkins, Mike. “10 Principles for Successful Work-Life Balance,” www.CIOInsight.com, January 26, 2010.
Miller, G.E. “The U.S. is the most overworked developed nation in the world – when do we draw the line?” 20somethingfinance.com, October 12, 2010.
O’Donnell, Liz. “Is the recession tipping the work/life balance scale?” www.theglasshammer.com, April 21, 2009.
Pielow, Christian. “Work-life balance surviving the recession – employers still offering opportunities for flexibility,” Executive Search Blog, July 26, 2009.
Weimer, Kurt. “Positioning health plans to small business in a tough economy,” National Underwriter, June 7, 2010.
