Work-Life Balance

“Around the world, more and more employees are seeking flexible work arrangements as a result of work-life imbalance, and companies looking to meet these expectations are increasingly offering a variety of family-friendly policies,” according to NPI’s Dialogue Magazine.

Remote work, flexible time, compressed workweeks, larger leaves of absence, and sabbaticals are examples of some of the benefits that companies are offering to deal with this issue.

However, if there is one thing that the pandemic has shown us, it is that “flexibility does not always translate into a better work-life balance.” In the last two years, we have seen how remote workers often experienced high work intensity and how “the constant connectivity blurred the boundaries between work and non-work activities,” according to Marcello Russo and Gabriele Morandin.

What’s more, “the majority of employees who do have access to flexible work arrangements are reluctant to use them, because many of them fear that doing so shows low work commitment and will harm their career.”

Another issue that increasingly adds up to the work culture is the role of stress and anxiety, which deepen the imbalance between personal and professional life. Battling this is a more delicate job than adding flexible hours.

This sensitive issue requires time and skilled managers to address it from the deepest level of a company, its culture. Changing a company’s culture starts at the individual level.


How should Managers deal with Stress and Anxiety in the Workplace?

To overcome stress and anxiety in our employees, we must have a plan and trained managers and supervisors to carry it. The first thing is to observe the staff and start working on each individual. Managers should start by:

  1. Identifying behaviour changes, like absenteeism, and physical problems, such as headaches or new health issues.
  2. Create a plan of action and increase awareness with thoughtful communication.
  3. Implement wellness initiatives for all levels of the company.
  4. Ensure a change in the company’s culture. Normalize the importance of life-work balance, and promote caring about mental health and the importance of leisure.


What are the work-life balance strategies that you implement in your company? What software would you recommend to colleagues? Please let us know in the comments box below.

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