Daily Times

Work-life balance in today’s contemporary fast-paced world is becoming increasingly difficult as reliance on technology and social media is accelerating. It is deemed to be a routine norm to read news, check emails, respond to clients’ messages and calls as well as work on the laptop on the weekends while sitting amidst family members. It is indeed disillusioning to ignore the importance of work-life balance, which is utterly inevitable for maintaining good health and congenial relationships.

Maintaining a work-life balance holds paramount importance in the life of working professionals. It aids in improving employees’ productivity, efficiency and work effectiveness. The health problems of employees are reduced. It is a fact generally acknowledged that when we are over stressed or over-worked, we undergo the hazard of marring not only our social lives, but our physical and mental health is also adversely influenced. A poor work-life balance paves way towards grave health concerns such as respiratory diseases, migraines, strokes, cardiac problems, digestive and intestinal diseases.  To overcome such health risks, it is indispensable for the employers and employees at all levels to collaborate firmly for inculcating a culture of work-life balance. Consequently, it will improve organizational efficiency and reduce employee turnover and absenteeism.

A work-life balance aids in attaining a lower burn-out rate, which is usually attained when people are overwhelmed with work and fail to meet constant pressure of demands

A work-life balance aids in attaining a lesser burn-out rate, which is usually attained when people are overwhelmed with work and fail to meet constant pressure of demands. Achievement of the burn-out rate impedes work productivity and growth opportunities of employees. The adverse implications of burn-out can influence all aspects of a human life. Therefore, it is inevitably required to motivate and encourage the employees to leave and forget work at workplaces and deeply disseminate the importance of retaining a work-life balance.

Employee engagement and commitment levels are accelerated by maintaining a work-life balance. Highly committed and engaged employees are more likely to emerge as loyal brand advocates for their organization. They are likely to improve the work yield and increase the net income of an organization. This emphasizes increased importance of advocating work-life balance on the workplaces.

Additionally, a vital sense of mindfulness is attained on sustaining work-life balance in a life. The concentration span grows, and the focus is improved on the task being done. This resultantly reaps improved employee commitment and concentration towards the task being executed. The employee productivity, retention rate and profit margins take a massive leap.

Considering the afore-mentioned benefits of work-life balance, it is necessary to explore useful ways of ensuring it. Several ideas can be implemented. For instance, implementation of short breaks in a day in an organization. Such breaks can take the shape of different social investment techniques, which are likely to improve employees’ productivity, job satisfaction and retention rates. These techniques could be incorporating gyms, yoga and meditation practitioners in organizations to de-stress the employees. Introducing walking meetings outside the office and installing games room where employees can experience mental relief and socialize well with others can help in sustaining work-life balance. Other ways of maintaining work-life balance include encouraging the importance of taking time-off in the form of annual vacations, which are sheer necessity, and aids in diminishing the psychological distress of the people. A useful strategy to be employed in organizations is to implement the system of “use it or lose it” whereby any unused days will not be compensated in monetary form. Seeking regular feedback from the employees regarding the best practices in their view for maintaining work-life balance is another innovative strategy. A strong collaboration between an employer and an employee is essential to gain an insight about the changes they expect to be inculcated in an organizational culture for an improved work-life balance.

In conclusion, it is important to note that it is inevitably required to maintain a right balance in the life and implement it at all domains of professions regardless of the rigorous and cumbersome nature of the work. Moderation and balance in all walks of life is highly advocated as per Islamic teachings and should be considered important in a professional life of an individual. A positive work-life balance is likely to have a pleasant impact on the personal life of an individual and helps strengthening relationships, which value and matter a lot!

Published in Daily Times, September 10^th 2018.