Employers understand that chronic stress is prevalent in the workplace and failing to address it with the proper solutions will lead to employee burnout.
This, in turn, results in fatigue, irritability, and other behavioral changes that negatively impact work performance.
As such, many employers actively put in the effort to find ways to improve work-life balance. However, in light of current events, this has become more difficult.
With your employees working from home, they no longer have a distinct separation between their professional and personal lives.
This blurring of lines puts you and your employees at risk of forgetting boundaries. It’s easy to get caught up in the day’s work and assume that everyone is available 24/7.
Employees are also at risk of choosing to work inordinate hours when they’re in the zone, especially now that they don’t have their manager or co-workers to remind them to take a break.
Make sure you and your employees maintain your work-life balance while working from home. Here are some helpful tips on how to improve work conditions during these trying times.
Define Work Hours
Productivity at the office is different from productivity at home. Since the latter is associated with rest, it might be difficult to adjust to the new setting.
By defining work hours, you create a system that will keep everyone on the same timeline.
If your business has flexible work hours, consider asking employees when they are the most productive. In doing so, they can perform to the best of their ability without wasting anyone’s time.
But if this setup isn’t practical for your business, ask your employees what you can do to ensure their productivity.
Since they’re working from home, they might have other tasks they need to prioritize, like taking care of their kids.
Set Boundaries
It’s normal for some tasks or meetings to carry over well beyond work hours.
But when this becomes a habit, it can become the source of unnecessary stress and avoidable fatigue. Set boundaries by sticking to your defined work hours.
Remind employees to avoid scheduling meetings near the end of the day to prevent extensions.
Additionally, if the task isn’t time-sensitive, encourage employees to send it in the following morning.
Set an example by making a habit of logging out of your work accounts once you’ve logged out for the day.
Keep It, Professional
Work-life balance is already difficult to achieve in the regular work setting; now that the lines have blurred, there is a risk of losing it completely.
If you are unsure of how to approach this new normal, consider asking a specialist for help.
An HR supervisor, for example, has the expertise to come up with a plan that can help make this setup work for everyone.
In the meantime, you can help your employees maintain a work-life balance with your existing strategies. Determine which ones can be modified to adapt to the current situation.
For example, you can use existing communication channels to set up a place where employees can submit their concerns and you can allot a day in the week to address these.
No matter what you do, it’s important to remember that everyone is adjusting to the situation.
There will be setbacks along with the successes. It’s how you remedy those setbacks that will ensure your company’s survival during these trying times.
