Work-life balance benefits are certainly a way to help your employees be happier with their jobs, but do these benefits benefit employers, too? A recent study by PRSA found that “among people now working from home at least some of the time (but who rarely or never did before the pandemic), 64% of survey respondents say their new arrangement makes it easier for them to balance their work and personal lives.” Further, 44% say this particular benefit “has made it easier for them to complete their work.”

WFH isn’t the only work-life balance benefit you can offer your employees, and the benefits to you extend beyond productivity. If you’re considering adding more work-life balance-focused benefits for your employees, read on to learn more about the benefits of doing so, how to achieve the right mindset and how to choose the best benefits to offer. 

The benefits of a healthy work-life balance

Providing for more “life” in the work-life balance equation can feel like a leap of faith for employers. It will make employees happier, of course, but will that come at the expense of productivity?

If that’s a fear you have, don’t worry: According to Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D., a board-certified mental health counselor, a happy employee is a productive employee. 

“An employee is less likely to quit if a business has work-life employee benefits and a workplace culture that supports a healthy balance between work and home,” she said in an article at Forbes. “An employee that feels a sense of loyalty and investment from their workplace is a happier employee, and in turn, a more productive one as well.”

A workplace with great work-life balance benefits also will see lower absenteeism, improved physical and mental health, a higher commitment and motivation to work and better personal relationships, according to Dr. Liji Thomas, M.D. at http://News-Medical.net.

How to achieve a work-life balance mindset

Achieving a work-life balance is not a one-time fix; instead, it’s “a cycle that we must engage in continuously as our circumstances and priorities evolve,” said researchers Ioana Lupu and Mayra Ruiz-Castro at Harvard Business Review. Whether you are an employer or an employee, you can follow these five steps as you continuously work to maintain a good balance: 

1. Pause and denormalize. Some professionals may be just fine working long hours, but that might not be what’s best for you and your family. Ask yourself a few questions: What is currently causing me stress, unbalance, or dissatisfaction? How are these circumstances affecting how I perform and engage with my job? How are they impacting my personal life? What am I prioritizing? What am I sacrificing?
2. Pay attention to your emotions. With your current work situation, do you feel energized, fulfilled and satisfied? Or do you feel angry, resentful and sad?
3. Reprioritize. Spend your time in a way that lines up with your true priorities. Look back and identify some work-life balance regrets you have and then adjust your time allocation so as not to repeat those regrets in the future.
4. Consider your alternatives. “Before jumping into solutions, first reflect on the aspects of your work and life that could be different in order to better align with your priorities,” said Lupu and Ruiz-Castro. “Are there components of your job that you would like to see changed? How much time would you like to spend with your family, or on hobbies?”
5. Implement changes. Changes might include maintaining boundaries, turning down demands typically associated with your position or formally applying for a new internal position or a flexible working schedule.

How to choose the best work-life balance benefits to offer

Now that we’ve established the benefits of a healthy work-life balance and how to shift your mindset, which work-life balance should you offer to your employees?

This idea from Gallup can serve as a guiding principle: “When people feel inspired, motivated and supported in their work, they do more work – and that work is significantly less stressful on their overall health and wellbeing.”

Start by asking your employees what they value the most and how they think the company should set up any new policies. Some benefits that might cater to their values include the following, as listed on http://USChamber.com:

• Flexible work schedules
• Optional long-term remote work
• Benefits that promote inclusivity, such as offering on-site daycare or scheduling exercise classes during work hours

Wanting to add more work-life, balance-focused benefits for your employees? The benefits of doing so extend beyond productivity, so it’s important to switch your mindset from achieving this balance with one-time fixes to achieving it through a continuous cycle. Once you do so, choosing the best benefits to offer will be easy, and you will soon be reaping the rewards of happier employees and a healthier workplace. 

Peter Ord is the founder of GuideCX, a client implementation and onboarding project platform based in Lehi.

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