Beginning on the 2nd October National Work Life Week is an opportunity for both employers and employees to focus on wellbeing at work and work/life balance. It is something that has come to the fore following the pandemic, where mental health problems worsened across all age-groups and its damaging impact made us all reassess our lives and aim to take better care of ourselves.
Having a balanced work schedule and promoting a positive workplace has proven benefits all round, as businesses can ensure they maintain a productive and collaborative environment with happier staff. While we need to protect the younger generation from burnout, we also need to make sure we’re supporting older workers too. The State Pension age is gradually increasing for men and women, with the rising cost of living putting more pressure on the older generation to delay retirement and return to the labour market. Post-Covid, research showed that more than one in 10 retirees said they would consider going back to work because of the increased cost of living, with the number of over-50s either in work or looking for work reaching pre-pandemic levels.
Yet perhaps the one good thing to emerge from lockdown is the realisation that a change in how we live our lives was not just needed, but overdue. Modern society is a ‘100 miles an hour’ carousel where nothing or more crucially, no one, ever stops; our minds are always ‘on’ thanks to technology, and we’re forced to multi-task in the belief this makes us more productive while saving us time. Before 2020, we had been led to think that leaving the office at 7pm each night created a good impression when all it did was zap energy and wellbeing levels, leaving time for little else as we were too fatigued. Now, workers are defining what actually constitutes ‘balance’, rather than their companies. This started to first become evident in the midst of the pandemic, when it seemed more than ever that people wanted a healthy work-life balance. In 2021, data from a survey of more than 9,000 UK workers showed 65% of job seekers prioritised work-life balance over pay and benefits. And more than three-quarters (78%) of people who worked from home in the pandemic said it gave them a better work/life balance, according to the Office of National Statistics.
Now, the definition of work/life balance has changed dramatically with the demise of strict 9-to-5 hours and an increase in remote work and hybrid work models. We’re also seeing a more open dialogue between employees and employers thanks to a holistically healthy work environment which allows for flexibility. And beyond flexibility – which has been shown to increase productivity and happiness – workers are looking for other benefits to help foster a healthy integration of work and life. They expect their employer to foster an environment of empathy and recognition, and offer access to wellness and health resources. One recent survey of nearly 8,000 full-time workers in Asia, for example, showed almost two-thirds feel their job is the main factor in their mental health.
And there is better news for the over-50s. As the global workforce continues to evolve, a recent government proposal put forward the idea of introducing a Swedish-style three-day working week in the UK for individuals over 50. Not only is incorporating this change seen as a strategic move to retain older workers’ valuable skills and expertise, but it’s also argued that it will lead to increased productivity and improved mental and physical health for employees, as seen in Sweden.
National Work Life Week is not only a great opportunity for employers to showcase their flexible working policies and practices to staff, but it can be a catalyst for change for those organisations that risk losing talent if they don’t start championing a healthier work-life balance for their people.
One Million Better Workdays
Performance and leadership combined with health and wellbeing is the bedrock of Ford & Stanley. Our Group mission is to help create one million better workdays for people by providing people with leadership development services, recruitment services, performance coaching and mental fitness support, through their employers.
Our logic behind the mission is simple: if people work for better leaders, are recruited into a role that they enjoy, are able to perform to their A-game, and can access mental fitness support should they ever need it, it follows that their workdays will be better.
