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HR Management: Workaholics And Healthcare 5 Tips To Work/Life Balance

By January 26, 2012February 19th, 2015No Comments

Man meditatingAs an HR Manager, should you be concerned about work/life balance of your employees?

Sure we want dedicated associates who work hard, but we also want a workforce of employees who are happy.  Employee retention is dependent upon workplace satisfaction.

Americans are working harder than ever before.  According to a recent Life Inc. article on MSNBC, the percentage of employees who almost always take a lunch break is significantly low – only 35 percent.  The majority work through lunch, skipping it altogether or they eat while they work.

Not only is the lunch break becoming a thing of the past, working late or bringing work home seems to be the new norm.  Are we all simply overworked or are we workaholics?  The answer is both.  With employers doing more with less, it’s not uncommon for one overworked employee to do the job of three.  In order to stay on top, keep producing and get results, that employee becomes a workaholic.

Studies have shown that more than 50 percent of workers believe that their work/life balance is a significant problem.  Of those workers, more than half are dissatisfied with the dwindling amount of time they are able to spend with family.  So, what can employers do?

  1. Offer flexible schedules.  Some healthcare organizations allow their employees to choose and adjust their hours on a monthly or quarterly basis.  This could be a viable option for companies in other industries.
  2. Empower workers to have more control over and be accountable for their work.
  3. Offer “lunch and learns”.  Employees who are motivated to make their time count will appreciate enriched lunch programs where they can make their time productive.
  4. Encourage exercise.  Creating a walkers program or other incentive to have employees take a midday mental break will result in a happier and more effective team.  The endorphins released will improve mood, and the break from the ongoing pace can reinvigorate upon returning to the task.
  5. Include the family.  Incentives that motivate exceptional performance may include earning a day off to spend with the family.

It is becoming apparent that in order to preserve the health of employees along with organizational “health”, we must not only attract and retain employees, but to also empower them.  One way to accomplish this is to allow staff to manage their schedules and have greater control over their time and their work.

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