The post-lockdown era has fuelled new ideas about our work-life balance.
Are your priorities weighted towards a role that allows you to do what you love? Or do you prefer to leave the job behind at the end of the working day?
Whether you're pursuing a lifetime passion or simply putting in what's needed to clock off satisfied with your output, workers deliver to companies that give, and companies that promote work-life balance in positive and useful ways famously get the most out of their workforce.
As Richard Branson once famously said, “Give your staff the skills they need to leave, and treat them so well that they don't want to.”
With that in mind, here are three practices that promote a strong work-life balance.
1. Company benefits
As company cultures change to embrace the needs of the workforce, there are certain company benefits seen as standard.
UK law entitles workers to at least 28 days' holiday a year, and it's better when bank holidays are added on top.
Further perks might include retail discounts, health benefits, and wellbeing schemes, but companies that think outside of the box in terms of culture will always come out on top.
Dog-friendly offices are a great way to keep teams on board. Arbor Education is one of the UK's top Management Information Systems, and the Leeds-based firm welcomes four-legged friends to the office, taking the worry of doggy daycare off workers' shoulders and bringing a welcome puppy perk into their employees' day-to-day.
2. Hybrid Working
Ten years ago, remote or hybrid working was almost unthinkable, but post-pandemic, it's deemed a crucial staple to office life.
The practice has shifted from being a luxury afforded to a chosen few, to one that most workers in certain industries have access to. But many companies made this commonplace far before it was on the radar.
Amongst them was IBM, which created the term ‘telecommuting' in 1973 with a small number of remote workers. By 1983, this number had risen to 2000, and IBM gave call centre staff the option of working from home.
They were far from the last to adopt the practice, but as trend-setters they laid the foundations for the norms of 2025, and it's remarkable to consider that something deemed so radical just a few decades ago is now a cornerstone of contemporary workplaces.
3. The Four Day Week
It's a controversial contemporary idea perceived as a pipe-dream by some, but there are plenty of companies making the four-day working week work for them, and among them is catenary wire experts Ormiston Wire.
For many companies out there, employers often notice that there is a dip in productivity from their team last thing on a Friday afternoon as the weekend approaches.
By allowing their employees to finish early on a Friday, it boosts morale across the workforce, keeps productivity high and promotes a loyal workforce by upping employee satisfaction across the board.
Are you looking for your next role, or are seeking ways to strengthen your workforce?
These are just three workplace practices that promote productivity, employee engagement and all-round satisfaction. Discuss what your company is doing to promote a better work-life balance in the comments section below!
