Monday, September 26, 2016

In defense of life balance

The term "life balance" was so often thrown around has become almost meaningless in the past decade - a vague distant goal that most countries that fight, but no one seems to reach full. In Silicon Valley, especially when the lack of sleep a right swagger and the working week is 40 hours as a thing of the past feels, it is easy from losing sight of the value of a meaningful life outside of work, and some even as an obstacle seen for professional success.

As CEO of a company in Silicon Valley in the last 20 years, I have determined the event to make a real balance between work life and a few tips offer companies a real effort to improve this aspect of your business.

In defense of life outside of work.

Rejuvenated, energized employees productive employees. There is an incredible amount of research on the effects of fatigue, stress dedicated connection with the work and the many disadvantages associated with both (some of which are listed below). The way to really (physically and mentally) to review work at a reasonable hour and spend time in a completely independent of the key is to reduce the stress levels.

Related: The Truth About Work-Life - Balance

According to the experience of happiness App amassed (where 10,000 users to save with the level of happiness every hour of the day), the sharpest peak in the world of happiness on a given day 19 hours probably a time when people recently launched are at home to spend time with their families, socialization or decompress from the day. Similarly, a study of 75 years to the happiness and development of adults that "good relationships keep us happier and healthier, period." The employees deserve the opportunity to maintain relationships outside of work - the results will benefit employees and employers alike.

The problem.

If the workload as the national sport begins to seek, to employees feel pressured to work longer. Add a personal motive in mixture boom, and get employees who work a working week of 50 to 60 hours, that more pressure on a few hours via email, phone, Slack feeling standing on its tip available, etc. It should not surprisingly, three full-time staff are increasingly difficult to reach the last five years in life, according to a survey by Ernst & Young to reconcile cite.

There are several reasons why this is bad for you and bad for business:

1. They are not as productive as you think they are.

Reported spending an average of 50 minutes a day to work in non-activities, and it is likely that this figure self-reported significantly lower than real. Other studies show that employee productivity considerably after a week of working 50 hours is reduced - so that someone a working week of 70 hours of work is as productive as someone working week to work 55 hours, and the product ultimately nothing with these 15 additional hours.

Similar: to achieve and maintain balance between work life 5 Secrets

2. It is dangerous for health.

According to the American Institute of Stress attacks the correlation between stress employment and heart is so widely recognized that in Los Angeles, New York and several other districts, a police officer who has a heart attack or out of work, it is presumed to have an accident and compensated accordingly. Workplace stress is a well-documented damage to the health of employees and costs companies about $ 200 billion to $ 300 per year in lost productivity.

3. There is a gender issue.

Full-time employees with families women still disproportionately high share of housework and care of children at home, wearing (often referred to as the "double layer"), and in comparison to their male counterparts. A recent study by the Harvard Business Review found that 60 percent of male executives have a spouse that is not the full time outside the home to work, that the guide can take in the work related to the family, compared to only 10 percentage of women in management positions.

In one point: Do you want to save money on insurance costs, reduce absenteeism and turnover, maximize productivity, and overall happier, healthier and full of energy employees? Commit to a culture of work-life balance.

There are a variety of ways to promote a culture that promotes work-life balance:

1. Consider a "use it or lose it" vacation policy.

While politics unlimited PTO gain ground recently, studies have shown that the "use it or lose" approach (a policy that does not upset deserved vacation for next year allowed) is much more effective to encourage employees to take to actually leave. As an added benefit, this approach relieves your business from a potential liability unused vacation.

2. Try, flexible working hours or working from home days.

A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that outworkers were 13 percent more productive than their office. Flexitime has proven advantageous Similarly in a recent report that shows how to improve flexible possibilities of employee retention schedule. largely on the specific role of the worker, and is not a viable option for each course, the ability to work from home or to plan their own non-traditional hours per week. However, minor adjustments plans (employees with long trips allow arrive early and leave early to the rush hour to avoid, for example) can cause drastic changes in employee satisfaction.

3. Structure of their culture, thinking.

Your hours late prevent meeting the people go home at a reasonable hour? their social desktop features are not especially suitable for families? Go ahead late dinner restoration to stay? These are subtle ways that could block balance life their employees and work. While prepared meals and happy hours of work are very expensive sponsored benefits, think about the restoration only breakfast and lunch and hosting Happy Hour at Lucky Strike time to time. These small changes can do a lot to relieve feel tension employees (especially parents) between work and home.

4. Inform your employees.

Implement an educational initiative to inform their employees about the importance of balance between work life and equip them with various tools to achieve this. This could be a workshop, seminar, lunch or even a number of professional care. This is also a good way to "go the way", demonstrates its commitment to its employees in the company to support.

Similarly: Take these 12 habits for a better balance between working life

Ultimately, I can give the most universal piece of advice is to give the example because no policy is effective unless supported the management of your company. If leaders and managers working late constantly working spurned vacation time and respond to e-mails by the hour, and sets the standard for people who work for them. Of course, there will be days when you have no choice, but too late, work weekends work or emails after dinner to spend time to answer - the important part is to make this exception and not the rule.

Replicon, we adhere to a day of real work from nine to five. It is not uncommon for some people to see the left in the office after 18 pm, when it is someone at peak send not uncommon to wait to take up the next morning. For most is this replicon employees at all levels true, including our management team, and must in no way hindered our success or progress as a society. We made a series in 2013 and has since grown - thanks in part to our commitment to relaxation and rejuvenation at our time away from work.

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