Support employee work-life balance

Advantages of improved work-life balance

Guide

Introducing employment policies, promoting a positive organisational culture, and offering practical support that encourages a healthier work-life balance for your employees can bring real benefits to your organisation and your staff.

Work-life balance advantages for employees

A good work-life balance can enable staff to feel more in control of their working life and lead to:

  • increased productivity
  • better time management
  • improved personal physical and mental health and wellbeing
  • reduction in sickness and absenteeism
  • a happier and less stressed workforce
  • staff feeling that their personal and/or family life is important to their employer
  • more valued and engaged staff
  • greater employee loyalty, commitment, and motivation
  • staff less likely to leave your employment
  • opportunities for career and personal growth

Work-life balance advantages for businesses

The benefits of a work-life balance initiative are not confined to just the workforce. Work-life policies and flexible working practices can also benefit your business as you can:

  • lower levels of absence, sickness, and stress
  • motivate and energise staff
  • identify more efficient working processes and practices
  • increase your business's productivity, outputs, and competitive advantage
  • boost staff morale
  • improve customer service
  • maximise flexibility to help you react to changing market conditions and meet customer demands more effectively - for example, shift work, part-time work, and flexitime can help you open longer without making your employees work longer hours
  • better meet seasonal peaks and troughs in your business
  • lead to a more committed and positive attitude in your staff
  • reduce staff turnover and therefore minimise recruitment costs - see control staff turnover
  • become recognised as a business that people want to work for and therefore help you attract top talent

See how Adventures Day Nursery introduced flexible and family-focused workplace policies.