There’s no denying that having a healthy work-life balance, and being able to fully disconnect during time off, has benefits for everyone, from CEO to intern. And yet, between demanding responsibilities, ambitions to advance and technology allowing us to remain ever-connected, it’s too easy for employees to send those emails on vacation or consistently log extra hours.
How can you be sure you—and your team—are setting yourself up for success? It’s up to you as a leader to set the right example.
Amy Schneider, vice president of human resources at General Assembly, a tech training and talent solutions company based in New York City, is a firm believer in practicing healthy work-life balance from the top down. She spoke with StrategicCHRO360 to share her best practices for keeping employees engaged while fostering enhanced well-being, and other insights on current hot topics.
How can HR leaders encourage better work-life balance to improve employee satisfaction and retention?
It starts with leaders. Leaders should model this and encourage their employees to do the same. Too many leaders are routinely connected during their vacations, for instance, and may even consider working through a vacation as a badge of honor. Employees see that and may model that behavior because they think it’s how they can get ahead.
One senior leader I worked with encouraged her direct reports to not only disconnect during vacation but even to share pictures and details about their vacations with their teams, to the extent they were comfortable, to show their teams that it’s okay to take a break and recharge.
How do you work to combat “Always Connected Culture,” or the idea that employees need to be connected to email and chat at all times?
Again, leaders should help their employees set boundaries. They can help this process by having a policy of not sending routine or non-critical emails after hours or on weekends, for instance. I’ve also seen taglines on emails that indicate the sender is “sending the email at a time convenient to me,” without expectation that the receiver should respond immediately.
Setting some common-sense expectations with their teams can help leaders combat overwork and stress among their employees, which in turn can lead to better engagement and retention.
How do you encourage employees to take a proactive role in their development, instead of waiting for their boss to offer opportunities for learning and promotions?
I always encourage employees to adopt an attitude of helpfulness. By that, I mean if there is a project they are interested in working on or a team that they’d like to volunteer to be a part of—by all means, do it! I think too often we think the only way to get ahead is to apply for a new role and then hope we interview better than the other candidates.
I’ve found that one of the best ways to get noticed is to step up and volunteer for projects one is interested in, even if there is no additional pay to do so. Leaders remember helpful people who are excited about learning new things outside the regular course of their work. Do a good job on a few of these types of projects, and you not only get experience, but you get noticed, and promotions come.
How should HR leaders react to the shifting public opinion and regulatory landscape around DEI with an employee-centric focus?
Many companies are facing talent shortages that require them to appeal to and be able to retain a diverse group of employees. The current landscape requires talent leaders to think outside the box when it comes to creating a diverse, sustainable talent pipeline.
For example, skills-based hiring, which focuses on skills and potential instead of specific credentials like a college degree, is one way that companies can widen their talent pool. Upskilling and reskilling can provide mobility for internal employees. More flexible policies around hybrid and remote work can make positions appeal to a wider set of talent, too.
