BOSS SPECIAL.... 5 WAYS To Ensure A Work-Life Balance

5 WAYS To Ensure A Work-Life Balance

Employees can do their best when they enjoy a good work-life balance. Companies are increasingly realising that there is a fine line between pushing employees and making them feel stressed out, which makes it desirable to focus on ways to motivate employees to be more effective without compromising on other aspects of their lives. Brinda Dasgupta has suggestions from experts on how managers can ensure a worklife balance for employees.

1 Keep A Close Watch

Managers must remember that employees are likely to feel stressed out if they are pushed too far. “Stress will manifest it self in an employee's health, overall well-being and productiv ity. Managers must stay connected to employees through for mal and informal channels, and always be aware of such aspects,“ says Aman Lal, chief people officer at KFC India.

2 Plan Ahead

It is important for managers to define objectives and goals clearly for employees. “Working smartly should be the theme, with technology being the enabler. Those who are stressed will show erratic and reactive behaviour, and managers can take steps accordingly to decrease the pressure on them,“ says Kenneth Lean, vice president at Mercuri Urval India.

3 Create Enabling Systems

Employees can be productive when they are stretched posi tively, so organisations must create enabling systems to equip people for this. “Employees must determine what is im portant for them in different facets of life and managers must work with them on long-term development plans. This will al low them to aspire for careers, not just KRAs (key result are as),“ says Lal.

4 Help With Time Budgeting

Distractions such as news websites, WhatsApp and social net working websites may impede employees' productivity at work, causing them to waste valuable time and causing stress when deadlines aren't met. “Help employees plan to reduce such dis tractions; this will allow them to be more proactive and agile with tasks at hand,“ says Lean.

5 Provide Support

Physical and mental well-being plays a pivotal role in making employees feel good about themselves and enjoy a work-life balance. “A corporate wellness programme can provide inputs to employees on various facets of managing their physical and mental health,“ says Lal.

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