When more than one-third of employed Americans began working from their living rooms and home offices in 2020, the need for work-life balance became more apparent than ever. Suddenly, it felt difficult to shut the computer down and feel a separation from your work and private life.
As a result, endless articles and workplace initiatives have focused on how individuals can achieve work-life balance both in remote positions and in offices. But more recent trends are showing that workers are challenging where the responsibility lies.
WorkForce Software’s SVP of Human Resources, Leslie Tarnacki, spoke with Real Simple about the importance of offering flexibility as workers seek a balance between their professional and personal lives now more than ever.
“Work-life balance couldn’t be more prevalent than it is today, coming out of the pandemic,” Tarnacki says. “Folks have had to really deal with balancing the needs of family, having your children home and educating them, while juggling the needs of work as well. More than anything it comes down to flexibility.”
Tarnacki explains employers are learning to embrace that flexibility more and more to accommodate their workers’ lives outside of the office. But it’s not just because employers care about their employees. They’re also focused on retaining good workers.
“A company has to recognize if they’re not offering flexibility to their employees they’re going to be left in the dust, especially today in such a competitive market where we’re all fighting for talent more than ever,” she adds.
Not only do companies remain competitive when they embrace this flexibility, but they also see returns in their bottom line. That’s because workers who are well rested and able to show up to work as their best selves do better work.