Help employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible working hours for happier, more productive and loyal employees.
Even if you love your job, getting your work/life balance right is important to your health and wellbeing. As an employer, it is your responsibility to implement policies at work to help you and your employees find a healthy balance.
Employees that work too many hours are at risk of burning out, both mentally and physically. Offering employees flexible working hours allows them to fit work around their responsibilities, family and lifestyle, allowing them to do more of what makes them happy and healthy and empowering them to manage their own time and working hours.
Employee benefits
A poll recently conducted by Sage found that 81% of employees placed importance and value on flexible working hours.
Flexible working hours can improve many areas of an employee’s life, a few of the benefits include:
- Easier to arrange appointments, e.g. doctor, dentist, vet, boiler repair, haircut.
- Avoid traffic to reduce time spent commuting.
- Fit around personal interests, e.g. attend an early morning fitness class.
- Fit around family life, e.g. dropping off and picking up the kids from school.
- Take a break or a late start when needed to avoid fatigue and stress.
- Choose to work the hours when they are most productive.
- Reduce childcare costs.
Employer benefits
The benefits of implementing flexible working for employees are significant, but so are the benefits for the employers.
Reduces Absenteeism
It makes sense that employees that have found a healthy work/life balance are less stressed, happier and therefore healthier. Implementing flexible working hours can be effective at reducing levels of absenteeism, which are damaging to a business.
Improves Retention Rates
A study by the Society for Human Resources Management found that 89% of HR professionals reported an improvement in staff retention after introducing flexible working hours. Offering flexible hours is a demonstration that you care about your staff’s wellbeing and breeds happy and loyal employees.
Happier Employees
Employees with a healthy work/life balance are more content and less stressed, resulting in a healthier, happier and more engaged workforce. Happy employees create a pleasant atmosphere to work in, with high morale and better employee relations.
Increased Productivity
A study by HSBC found that 9 out of 10 employees (89%) considered flexible working to be the key motivator to boost productivity.
Improves Company Reputation
Offering employees flexible working hours will make your business a more attractive place to work. Employees who feel like their employer cares about their wellbeing are more likely to say good things about working for you, allowing your business to attract more top talent.
Whether it’s flexi-time, job sharing, or giving employees the option to work remotely on one or more days a week, introducing flexible working hours is key to a healthy, happy and productive workforce.
