Why Work/Life Balance Is So Important

There is an ever evolving definition of work-life balance. Previous generations believed it to be a mix of intense work periods, followed by vacations once or twice a year. However, modern ideas of work/life balance are more integrated.

“The term “work/life balance” has yet to lose its buzz in the last few years. This is partially due to the dominating presence of millennials in the workforce.” – Forbes

We can find balance throughout our work days, and as the technology improves, can even take “working vacations” by setting up a robust remote-work culture.

Since your business likely employs a healthy number of millennials, here the reasons why work/life balance is so important.

Work/Life Balance Helps Avoid Burn-Out 

In today’s fast paced world, burnout is a real thing. So, it’s never been more vital to make sure your employees have a clear separation between their work and home life.

“Work/life balance is important as it allows you to separate work and home, meaning that the stress of work should stay at work, and not follow you outside of office hours.” – Australian Institute Of Business

Burnout doesn’t happen after a few late nights at the office, or a couple of long days at the end of a quarter. Employee burnout occurs when there is long-term neglect of what your staff needs in order to thrive in work and life.

Employers seeking to make sure their staff doesn’t experience burnout should do regular check-ins and promote “mental health days”. – Shape

Work/Life Balance Helps You Find Balance 

Okay, this one is obvious. But, well established work/life balance takes practice. Since poor balance can affect many aspects of life, it’s important to look at it from all sides. Here are some COO Alliance blogs to point you in the right direction:

• Mapping out goals for the year (read blog)
• How to say ‘no’ and feel good about it (read blog)
• How to find balance with your team through technology (read blog)
• The importance of time tracking for your business (read blog)

These blogs are meant to help you mark clear boundaries around when your team is ‘on’ and when they are ‘off’. So, use them as a guide to help you strike a balance!

Work/Life Balance Leads To Lower Turnover

There have been many studies and investigations into the connection between work/life balance and employee turnover.

“Employees need time to recharge. Stress is incredibly common in the North American workplace, and it has detrimental effects on employees.” – Forbes

The nature of employment is changing. Employees are more focused on what matters and would rather opt for a job that supports their way of life. Poor work/life balance can lead your team members to seek employment elsewhere.

Make sure you’re doing everything you can to promote a balanced lifestyle in order to keep staff healthy and happy.

While it’s casually talked about a lot in the business world, work/life balance is something we should all be taking more seriously. As our ability to be available for work becomes more prevalent, finding balance has never been more important!

If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!