"Respect my time away from work"
One of the top themes in the survey about appreciation Staff Senate conducted in May 2020 was that our colleagues value work-life balance. This quote was one of many showing how our colleagues express this value of work-life balance:
Respect my time away from work so that I can focus on work at work, and on other parts of my life when I'm off work.
I am a huge advocate of work-life balance and favor enabling employees to design their own work schedules to effectively balance and succeed in both personal and professional responsibilities. Research-backed evidence indicates that quality of life enhancements are valued more than increases in compensation.
I would like the opportunity to work from home, at least part time. It has been an amazing adjustment and find that I am more productive and thrive in a work from home environment.
Promote leaders to adopt a more work-life-balance attitude. HR gives a lot of options such as flex-schedule, but many department or division leaders have a more "old school" attitude of "if you're not at work, you're not working." I feel that this COVID-19 pandemic has shown that many are just as productive at home than at work, so maybe that mindset will change. But I think promoting this balance is needed, not just advertising the possibilities
Work-life management tips for employees and supervisors
Working together, supervisors and employees both have important roles to play that can result in improved work-life balance.
For supervisors:
- Choose to provide flexible work options, including remote work and reduced season hours for roles where this is possible. These options can be a little-effort, big-reward way to show your team members that you appreciate them.
- Remember flex time for occasional appointments, which allows employees to make up time during the same week, is possible for most roles. We even have a policy supporting flex time.
- Communicate your expectations of your team members proactively. This not only holds your team accountable but it helps them understand the scope of their work and set boundaries.
- Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, be flexible and generous. It's always important to prioritize mental health, and now more than ever.
- Show that you value your own work-life balance. The tips below apply to all employees, including you!
For employees:
Having a good work-life management requires good boundary management. Boundaries can help each of us enjoy our lives and HR encourages you to set boundaries at work.