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In today's demanding world, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential to ensure employee retention – NRL Director Rebecca Graves tells in-Cumbria business magazine In-Cumbria business magazine.
People have busy lives, from looking after children to supporting elderly relatives, so managing a job in addition to their personal lives is a challenge for many. Luckily times have changed, and employees should now be able to build a better work life balance, from flexible working to days working from home. It’s something technical engineering specialist recruiters NRL encourage employers to promote when advertising job vacancies.
NRL’s Egremont branch Director Rebecca Graves explains why finding the right work life balance needs to be a personal approach and not a company-wide directive.
“Everyone’s circumstances are different, and what the right balance looks like for some is different to others. One colleague in a team might want the flexibility to manage the afternoon school pick up, whilst another may work more productively splitting their time between the office and home. Managing work life balance on a one-to-one level ensures that every employee in your team gets the flexibility they need to help them better balance their home and work life – which in turn rewards you with happier and more loyal employees. The role of the line manager is to agree the set-up that works best for each person, mutually agree expectations and then trust the employees to do their job regardless of where they work or the hours they perform their tasks.”
Legal rights to flexibility
It’s important to keep in mind the employment legislation around flexible working, but these should act as a bare minimum that employees should expect from a supportive employer.
Employees are eligible to request flexible working from day one
Flexible working can include the number of hours they work, when they start or finish, the days they work, and where they work
Employees can make two flexible working provision requests each year, and do not need to explain the effect on the business this request would have – employers must make a decision within two months and cannot refuse them without first consulting with the employee
Employees (including agency workers), have a right to request a more predictable working pattern when they have completed at least 26 weeks of service
Enhancing diversity through flexible working
Adopting a proactive stance on work-life balance can also enhance workforce diversity. Implementing family-friendly policies that acknowledge the various life stages and circumstances of employees, can attract a more diverse talent pool, including working parents, caregivers, and people looking to return to the workforce after time off.
If you’re looking for support to build a more inclusive workforce, then you can get in touch with Rebecca Graves at rgraves@nrl.co.uk
You can read the full February issue of In-Cumbria business magazine online.