Just imagine…
The experiences of thousands of bikers moving distances of 5+ km to reach their offices through the busy Bengaluru traffic, especially on Outer ring road, will typically, on an average, takes 45min to travel a distance of ~6 km, and at peak about 2+ hrs! And the incessant honking, spewing of smoke and energy drain adds to their woes. To drive at a speed of possibly less than 10 km per hour while planning about their day at office? Will they be able to give the best?
Imagine this situation every day – to office and back home and the stress levels employees undergo – not to talk about the challenging situations at office and home. So what can HR do?
HR stands for Human Resource, but leaving the abbreviation aside, it has moved far from treating human as resource to building Human Relations and it is strengthening day by day, complemented with newer technology into most of the HR functions which are being digitalized.
In this fast paced life – balancing, multitasking and time management is what is required for living up to one’s potential and ensuring a task well done. So how can an organization where an employee spends most of his time, help or assist towards providing a balance between personal and professional life and how can the HR Department be an enabler for this?
There are many initiatives that can be implemented by HR towards enhancing employee performance and helping employees to balance personal and professional life.
Be a Coach – Help Them Manage Their Time
Time management is one of the most important aspect in one’s personal or professional life, and if aced, there can be nothing better than that. Timelines are met, there is no overdue, and turnaround time is faster than what is predicted and productive in every sense!
It helps the managers and teams, learn and practice through time management programmes to strategize on how to be well organized, well planned and to be at their productive best at their work place, which consequentially benefits their personal life, decisions and choices. Now that would be perfect!
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Family-based Events
This is one of the initiatives that a company can take to indirectly enhance the productivity of their employees by inviting families for fun days, events, or company anniversary celebrations or by organising get-togethers.
A person spends about 8-9 hrs, on an average, of his/her life working. Initiating such activities not only reassures and reconfirms his association to be working with an organization, but also helps the family understand the work culture and helps maintain work life balance.
HR / Line Manager – Employee Home Visits
Understanding family and the culture at home is important for HR/Line managers to make work relationships stronger. Deeper insights on the family living conditions of employee and the dependants helps HR to focus to on what is important than what is fancied.
The connect and emotional attachment that this initiative will bring is vital to the organisation.
Flexi – It Can Fix, But With a Caution!
Flexi hours in an organization helps employees balance their professional and personal life in the best possible way. It is also one of the factors that attracts potential employees into an organization. Flexible time basically helps the employees to select their preferred time slot of the mandatory 9-10 working hours in an organization.
While it’s important, it is different for each business. It is an MNC culture which is now being adapted by Indian organizations. This initiative needs a streamlined process for business to get realigned. This, HR/Business leaders cannot implement just because it is practiced elsewhere.
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Work From Home Option
Diversity is the key for any growing organization, where all are equally treated and provided with benefits. To imbibe the culture of working from home is questionable. It depends if it is productive enough for companies to adopt.
There are pros and cons behind this thought, yet it is one of the attractive policies that can be adapted by a company to enhance employee performance. This option has always been a debatable one, but it all depends on how a company can make it work in the best possible way.
Health Check Ups
Health issues and hormonal imbalances contribute significantly towards stress and lack of productivity at work. A guided employee health check-up package helps team members to keep a track on their health status and take precautionary steps at the right time.
This encourages in re-evaluating their daily choices. It pushes them to go for a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet, daily exercise and other healthy habits.
At a personal level, regular health check-up helps:
- Reduce stress level
- Improve wellbeing
- Reduce healthcare costs significantly
At an organisation level, it helps:
- Increase productivity
- Drop in absenteeism
- Better work relationships
What is your organisation doing towards creating work life balance?
Do share your thoughts in the comment box .
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