Striking a Balance: Work-Life and Wellness

ASLA announced a new affinity partnership with PuzzleHR earlier this year. Our organizations share a commitment to professional growth, organizational development, and continuous learning. We believe our collaboration will enhance the professional development of ASLA members and contribute valuable learning opportunities for leaders in landscape architecture.

Executive Summary

• Employees express concern about the repercussions of taking PTO. Employers should cultivate a company culture that encourages PTO use.
• While not all organizations are suited for remote work, flexible scheduling options provide employees with more autonomy.
• Many employees find it difficult to disconnect outside of work hours, so setting clear boundaries around organizational communication is essential.
• Only 35% of employees report that their organization’s culture encourages taking breaks. Establish a company culture that prioritizes wellness with PuzzleHR’s Managed HR solution. Our experts have the resources to ensure your team can strike the perfect balance between personal and professional.

Across all generations, work-life balance is the second-most prioritized and committed to company initiative. As the quest for balance between the personal and professional becomes critical, the emphasis on work-life balance shifts from a mere perk to a strategic imperative.

Wellness and Work-Life Balance

• 37% of workers would consider quitting their jobs if their employer asked them to spend more time in the office.
• 95% of employees would rather work at an organization that respects boundaries between work and personal time.
• 96% of job seekers prefer companies that clearly prioritize employee wellness.
• 92% of workers would prefer to work for an organization that values their emotional and psychological well-being.
• 25% of employees say they are unlikely to stay at companies that do not prioritize well-being.
• 50% of employees say their motivation would be negatively affected at a company that does not prioritize wellness.

Cultivating a Positive PTO Culture

PTO, often regarded as the singular solution to work-life balance issues, poses its own unique problems. Many employees fear that using PTO will stunt their career progression, result in an overwhelming amount of work on their return, create the perception that they are not dedicated to their work, or negatively affect the workloads of colleagues.

To combat this, shift your organizational culture to openly encourage PTO usage. Leaders should lead by example, praise team members for using PTO, and balance their workload fairly among team members to ensure no one becomes overwhelmed.

Flexible Scheduling Options

By now, many companies have determined whether remote work is right for them, but remote work is not the only option for a balanced schedule. Employees highly value flexible scheduling, and companies report benefits such as making it easier to attract top talent and increasing employee productivity, loyalty, and retention. Organizations can integrate strategies like flexible hours, compressed workweeks, or core hours to allow employees more autonomy.

Setting Clear Boundaries

Remote work makes it easy to blur the lines between personal and professional time, and technology’s ubiquity makes it difficult to truly disconnect, especially from work. Establishing guidelines about email and communication outside of working hours helps employees set boundaries between work and nonwork time. Leaders should serve as role models, exemplifying work-life balance by respecting boundaries and creating their own.

Did You Know?

Only 35% of employees report that their organization’s culture encourages taking breaks. Establish a company culture that prioritizes wellness with PuzzleHR’s Managed HR solution. Our experts have the resources to ensure your team can strike the perfect balance between personal and professional. Contact us today to learn more.

This post originally appeared in PuzzleHR's Jigsaw newsletter; republished with permission.

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