With the recent shift to remote work in the corporate environment, a lot of  employees struggle to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. Remote work is the new normal, but can companies boast of good workflow and productivity if the work-life balance of its people have gotten worse? That’s a hard no.

A recent report published by Buffer shows 27% of employees are unable to unplug from work, 16% suffer loneliness and 15% constantly feel distracted while working from home.

Working from home may be beneficial but it also comes with its downsides. This is why it’s vital that companies, especially managers, use a better approach to keep driving a high performance culture amongst employees.

If you are a manager or CEO looking to improve work-life balance for your employees, here are some valuable tips to achieve that.

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What’s work-life balance?

In simple terms, work-life balance is a healthy equilibrium between career demands and that of the personal life of an individual. It is an indicator of how much one is spending on their job compared to other aspects of their lives including; hobbies, family, and non-work-related activities.

With the advancement of technology and the emergence of remote work, an ideal work-life balance situation can be described as working (at the office or from home) — with enough flexibility that allows individuals to enjoy personal time with family and friends.

While it gives a lot of flexibility, working from home doesn’t automatically translate to a 50/50 structure between work and personal life. Clark describes work-family balance as “satisfaction and good functioning at work and at home, with a minimum of role conflict”.

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Why work-life balance is essential

Ideal as it may sound, working from home may also come with its own challenges such as; mental fatigue, loneliness, constant distraction, burnout, and a decline in general well-being. Employees suffering any of these problems are not likely to perform well at work and this can hurt your business growth.

While this is a challenge, a healthy balance between work and personal life can help employees perform efficiently at work which in turn boosts performance and by extension, business growth.

Here are key benefits why work-life balance is essential for business success;

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Increased productivity

A great work-life balance fosters productivity amongst employees. With flexible working hours, employees can choose their most active time to do their jobs. For some, early mornings are best while others may perform better at night. Whichever it is, people are more productive when they have full control over their work and this drives productivity.

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Improved employee engagement

Good work-life balance amongst employees promotes engagement within the business. Employees satisfied with both professional and personal activities tend to take part in work and beyond that, they also bring their creativity to work.

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Reduced stress and burnout

Working from home can be quite stressful for employees and this can diminish productivity and even result in serious burnout. However, with a great level of balance, stress gets eliminated. Plus, people with lower levels of stress tend to stay happier and work better.

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Strong Corporate Culture

Creating a work-life balance for your employees is an excellent way to showcase your company culture as reputable — a people-oriented company. The market will choose you over your competition because they love how you inspire and value the happiness of your team.

Ultimately, great work-life balance is vital not just for your team but also for the success and growth of your business.

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Tips to help managers improve team work-life balance

To create a work-life balance that improves the lives of your team as well as the pace of your business, here are handy tips you should be using right now.

1. Offer holidays: Holidays are a great way for employees to unwind and recover from work-induced stress. Whether your workforce chooses to go on vacations, bond with family or friends — the great thing is they come back happier, refreshed, and energized to work.
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2. Encourage flexible working hours: Flexible working hours give your employees full control over their work. Employees get to fix their working time according to their daily commitments. It doesn’t matter if they want to run family errands in the morning and work at night. What matters most is they do their work effectively without missing deadlines.
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3. Implement a hybrid work option: With a hybrid work option, employees who find it hard working completely remote can choose to visit the physical workspace on certain days. This is ideal considering that a lot of people are yet to fully adapt to remote life.
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4. Incentivize employees: Having people work from home sometimes means they have to work longer hours than usual. To help make their work less of a burden, incentivize your workforce often. Perks such as health insurance, fitness programs, and gifts are a great way to say thank you and make people feel valued for the work they do.
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How employees can maintain work-life balance

1. Create a workspace at home: Setting apart a work area in your home is highly recommended. This enables you to concentrate fully on work when it’s time as well as avoid distractions. Moreover, with an assigned work area, it's easier to switch from work mode to play mode — the latter allowing you to bond and interact with your family.
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2. Exercise often: An excellent way to free yourself mentally and physically from work is to exercise. Whether it's a short walk around the vicinity or some simple stretches within the home, exercise helps you relax and untighten from work.
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3. Create and schedule after-work activities: Creating after-work activities encourages you to avoid long hours at work. The truth is, most people who work from home usually end up working longer hours than normal. This is as a result of no opening and closing times as is common with onsite work. Thus, preplanning home activities while working from home is essential in helping you log out of work on time.

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In a nutshell...

Creating the right Work-life balance while working from home is super important for both managers and their team members. Happy and satisfied team members = higher productivity = exponential business growth.

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FAQs

How can companies measure the effectiveness of their work-life balance initiatives for remote workers?

One approach is to conduct regular employee surveys that ask direct questions about work-life balance, stress levels, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. These surveys can help identify trends over time and pinpoint areas needing improvement. Another method is to track productivity metrics and absenteeism rates, as improvements in work-life balance often lead to higher productivity and lower absenteeism. Additionally, companies can encourage managers to have one-on-one check-ins with their team members to gather qualitative feedback on work-life balance initiatives. This combination of quantitative and qualitative data can provide a comprehensive view of the initiatives' effectiveness.

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What challenges do parents working from home face in achieving work-life balance, and how can they be addressed?

Parents working from home face several unique challenges, such as managing childcare, overseeing their children's education, and maintaining productivity for work. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. Employers can offer flexible working hours to allow parents to work during times that suit their family schedules better. Providing access to resources such as online tutoring services or virtual after-school programs can also alleviate some of the educational responsibilities of parents. Encouraging an open dialogue about working parents' challenges can foster a supportive work environment where solutions can be collaboratively sought.

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Are any software tools recommended to help remote workers separate their work and personal lives more effectively?

Time management apps, such as Toggl or RescueTime, allow individuals to track how much time they spend on work tasks, helping them avoid overworking. Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can centralise work communications, making it easier to disconnect from work by simply muting notifications outside work hours. Additionally, using different user profiles or devices for work and personal activities can help create a clear boundary between the two. For example, using a work laptop for professional tasks and a personal tablet or computer for leisure activities can help mentally separate work from personal time.