work-life balance: getting it right for your people
Burnout… a key reason for leaving
According to a recent study by NAB, 1 in 4 Australians are considering leaving their job – with mental health, burnout and work-life balance among the key reasons for employees looking to find greener pastures. And with job vacancies at an all-time high, many are taking the plunge and making the switch.
As a result, employers are feeling the crunch – with increasing pressure to offer the kinds of support employees need – not only to retain staff, but to also attract new employees in a competitive job market.
Why are people so burnt out?
The pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities in the ways we work. And while the move to remote working has brought a level of flexibility that employees are keen to keep – it has also blurred the boundaries between work and home life – at times making it more difficult to juggle between the two.
Among those who’ve faced the greatest work-life challenges – are women – as they tend to take on the majority of unpaid work as parents and carers, are more likely to be single parents, and are more likely to take on front-line work (which often means limited access to flexible working conditions.)
And while more employers are offering flexible working policies, according to a recent study by Deloitte – flexibility is not a reality for many women, with many feeling reluctant to request flexible arrangements out of concern they’ll miss out on a promotion, or their workloads won’t be adjusted to account for new arrangements.
Deloitte’s study also showed that women who do work part-time are more likely to report stress and burnout – with those working in hybrid environments reporting having experienced uncertainty, exclusion, and lack of opportunities for career progression.
So it’s no surprise that the proportion of women reporting poor mental health is alarmingly high – with many finding it difficult to ‘switch-off’ from work out of fear that it may impact their career progression.
Flexible working – not a silver bullet
While flexible working allows many to participate in the workforce – particularly those who would otherwise not be able to due to caring responsibilities, disability, health related issues, or remote living – it's no silver bullet.
For flexible working arrangements to be successful, they must be bolstered by inclusive workplace cultures and adequate support – so that employees feel included, empowered and optimistic about their career prospects.
Why should I promote work-life balance in my business?
When businesses foster genuinely inclusive cultures that promote employee wellbeing, people experience far greater levels of engagement, trust and job satisfaction. Not only are they more likely to stay with their employer longer but they contribute more value to the business and to customers. They’re also more likely to feel included in work – gaining greater exposure to career advancement opportunities, and enjoying significantly better mental health outcomes.
How can I promote work-life balance?
Here are some tips to help you foster inclusive cultures that promote work-life balance:
Ensure all employees – regardless of gender, role or level – have access to work-life support – make resources and information visible and accessible. Promote resources online and celebrate stories of people accessing support across your entire workforce.
Empower leaders to lead by example and create the right culture – support senior leaders and management to access work-life balance support themselves and have them promote supports across the organisation and among their teams. Leveraging leaders helps create a culture of support.
Train managers – ensure they're up to date with best practice on how to manage support – keeping up communication, and regularly re-evaluating workloads to ensure employees aren’t overloaded or under-utilised
Create opportunities to progress – ensure employees on parental leave or who work flexibly have access to equitable opportunities for learning and development and are considered for promotions or succession planning.
Offer mental health support – check in with your employees and lift the stigma around talking about mental health.
How equidi can help
These tips are just the beginning. equidi is a world-first platform that’s leveling up the ledger on gender – one business at a time. With the tools and resources to help you support your employees to be all they can be – equidi can help you develop and implement an inclusive work-life balance strategy. So follow us to find out more about how we’re equipping businesses to be the change we all want to see and making the world of work – even. better.
