Work-life balance isn’t a perk — it’s a shared responsibility. This perspective from Otter PR’s Tiffani Martinez reframes the role of both employers and employees in achieving well-being and sustainable productivity.
More than half of your employees are looking for a better job opportunity. That’s what a recent Gallup poll reports. The findings, which were released in February 2024, show that 51 percent of US workers are actively seeking new opportunities.
When asked why they are looking elsewhere, workers said they want better work-life balance and personal well-being. Factors including pay, job security, and job satisfaction were all listed below those that desire.
Gallup’s findings provide valuable insights for companies seeking to improve their retention rates. By facilitating work-life balance and well-being, companies can keep employees from leaving — but it’s not that simple.
As the Gallup poll reveals, the average employee’s perspective on work-life balance and well-being is that they are both something companies should provide to their employees. The reality, however, is that well-being is a benefit employees should look to their employer for. Achieving work-life balance is the responsibility of the employee.
How employees can establish better work-life balance
Work-life balance is an issue that gets confusing because it involves two components. Employers provide the framework, and employees use the framework to construct a lifestyle that facilitates their unique ambitions. When employees complain about a lack of work-life balance, as many do, they often overlook the role they need to play in securing it.
For example, a recent Pew Research Center study found that 46 percent of US workers don’t use all of their paid time off. Employers provide PTO as a tool for achieving better work-life balance but can’t force their employees to use it. Using PTO, remote work options, and other benefits to protect work-life balance is the employee’s responsibility.
Setting clear boundaries between work and personal time is the first step employees should take to establish a better work-life balance. It’s easier than ever for employees to take work home with them, with notifications on mobile devices popping up at all hours, especially for those with coworkers across multiple time zones. If employees don’t silence notifications when they leave the office, they can easily find themselves diving back into work after hours.
Setting clear boundaries also means saying “no” when work assignments push you past your boundaries. Employees shouldn’t assume their supervisors are always up to date on the current workloads of the people they are managing. If an assignment or new responsibility is unmanageable, employees should communicate in a way that respectfully reinforces their boundaries.
Employees can also facilitate better work-life balance by optimizing their organizational skills. Establishing processes that fit your unique work style can streamline your efforts, reduce stress, and ensure you can meet your work obligations without feeling compelled to put in extra time. Today’s work tools offer all kinds of efficiency boosters — auto-sorting email messages, AI-aided message drafting, smart reminders — that can be leveraged to help build better balance.
If keeping a healthy work-life balance becomes a struggle, employees should reach out to their supervisors or HR representatives for guidance. Companies know employee burnout is costly, which motivates them to help establish a balance that keeps employees engaged and motivated. A supervisor can provide a tool, training, or a shift in responsibilities that can provide better balance while benefiting the company.
How employers can encourage better employee well-being
Well-being generally refers to a person’s overall state of health, happiness, and satisfaction. A wide variety of factors impact a person’s well-being, including their relationships, physical health, emotional state, finances, and career. If one of those areas is unhealthy, it can have a ripple effect on all the others, contributing to a poor overall state of well-being.
Employers have become increasingly interested in employee well-being as they have come to understand its impact on employee engagement and performance. Essentially, employers have realized that their workers’ personal lives aren’t left at home. If they are struggling with a relationship, for example, the stress they are feeling will most likely negatively impact their work.
Companies have turned to several programs to assist workers with well-being. Many focus on educating employees on everything from finance to fitness to family dynamics. Education typically focuses on helping employees resolve stressful situations and achieve greater health in areas where they are struggling.
Well-being initiatives also focus on making employees feel appreciated in the workplace. Companies strive to build a culture that shows employees they are valued for who they are and not just what they bring to the organization. In addition to celebrating workplace achievements, a culture of well-being also acknowledged birthdays and other personal milestones.
Overall, well-being initiatives should communicate to employees that their success in life — not just at work — is vital to their employer. They should show that the company sees its employees, cares about both their professional and personal lives, and is available to listen and help with whatever problems they are struggling with.
Optimizing work-life balance and well-being requires an investment from both employers and employees. Neither can achieve it on their own. Only when each plays their unique role can companies create an environment in which employees are engaged, productive, and satisfied.
