WORK-LIFE balance is a challenge employers and employees face to achieve harmony in physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Achieving work-life balance and having quality time with the children has become a talking point where employers realise that a demanding workload and meeting deadlines have consequences to the health of their employees.
This affects productivity and talent if effective work-life policies are not in place.
Human resources in many multinational companies are realising the importance of implementing effective work-life policies through flexible working hours, working from home and childcare programmes to maintain their business competitiveness, and especially to retain talented staff.
The REED Malaysia Salary Guide and Market Insight Report indicates that 25 per cent of employees leave because of poor work-life balance and culture misfit with bosses and colleagues in the workplace.
Factors such as shift work can increase stress in employees that can disrupt the employees’ circadian rhythms, resulting in sleep disturbances, accidents and illnesses.
Shift workers may also experience psychological issues related to isolation from family and friends who are not on the same schedule.
Employers should consider counselling, especially senior managers who play a mentor role and have strong employee engagement programmes and receive feedback from employees on their grouses and mental state of health at their workplace.
Employee dissatisfaction at the workplace, especially if conditions cannot be improved, may lead to burnout.
Exhaustion and being disconnected can increase the incidents of mistakes and accidents both at work and at home.
Both work and home life are necessary, but they should be fulfilling and satisfying. There must be awareness to look into the welfare needs of employees.
C. Sathasivam Sitheravellu , Seremban, Negri Sembilan