The culture of any organization has a tremendous impact on the well being of its workforce.  Driving people to work overlong hours which leaves no time for a satisfying personal life and the opportunity to recharge the batteries can be cost effective in the short term but in the medium and long term the reality can be very different.

When life is out of balance it can be extremely costly for the individual.  Health, relationships are the obvious casualties but motivation, energy and enthusiasm for the job in hand are also extremely common casualties leading to increasing stress and ultimately burn out or ruined health.

For the organization the short term benefits particularly when there is a deadline too meet can lead managers to believe that long hours and work overload are good value for money.  The short term gains are outweighed by increasing absenteeism and loss of performance.  When you add up the cost of appointing new staff particularly those in managerial posts the cost is prohibitive, yet many organizations have a constant stream of new staff.  There are further costs to consider as the new person gets up to speed, undertakes the necessary induction and training these costs can be extremely high.  Hidden costs include the loss of creativity, drive and energy which are the result of long hours and being constantly under pressure. 

• How much does your organization spend on recruitment and retention?

• Do you keep your best people?

• Is staff absence an issue for your organization?

It is possible to have a highly effective and motivated workforce who work hard and play hard.  Where there is a clear demarcation between work and personal time and an ongoing commitment supporting staff being able to create a great work life balance.  In these organizations policies and structures encourage the very best use of everyone’s time, there is little wasted effort and duplication.  People are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and feel their contributions are valued.

• Does your organization have a positive work life balance culture?

• How do you know?

• Do your managers manage their own time and that of their teams effectively?

• How well does your organization support and develop its people and encourage them to have a great work life balance?

• Could it be better?

Recovering Workaholics offers a variety of coaching and training solutions for your organization.

Examples include:

• 1:1 coaching

•  1 day workshop on developing personal work life balance combined with three follow up individual coaching sessions for each participant helping them to take the opportunity to take more control over their lives.

•  A three day course for managers looks at how strategic leadership can impact positively on the performance of the whole team.  It considers how best to manage their own time and that of their team ensuring that policies and structures support the best use of their teams time 

We can create team training on specific issues or coaching programmes to suit your needs.  For more information please contact us on info@graduatesolutions.co.uk or phone 01708 703959