Work-life balance describes the balance between professional and private life. The trendy term is often used in reference to family time and psychological balance.
The work-life balance of employees and managers is becoming more and more relevant as the boundaries of work become increasingly blurred and work becomes more compressed. If the balance is tipped, there is a risk of overload or burnout.
The EAP Institute supports companies across Europe in promoting a positive work-life balance and thus the long-term performance of their employees.
The facets of work-life balance
"Work"
describes the importance of work and job satisfaction
"Life"
describes the importance of private life and life satisfaction
"Balance"
describes the balance of these elements as well as the satisfaction with work-life balance
Two types of conflict can occur according to this classification:
Work-family conflict
Private life is neglected due to the workload
Family-Work Conflict
Private obligations interfere with the fulfilment of professional tasks
Both types of conflict can be avoided. The following figure shows different measures for prevention.
Tactics to promote work-life balance
Unbounded, condensed, digital work
With digitalisation, trends towards the dissolution of boundaries and the intensification of work can be seen. Work is increasingly intermingled with private life, and managers in particular can be reached at work almost around the clock. Professional communication has accelerated rapidly, emails are answered from a smartphone regardless of time and place. Also, many support functions such as secretarial, archiving or research have been shifted to staff and managers through the technical possibilities - the work has been condensed.
House building and homework
In the HR world, people now speak of a "rush hour" in life. This refers to the period in which home and career plans are finalised. At the same time, many people in this stage of life face challenges in caring for children and elderly relatives. So it is no longer just about balancing work and family, but about balancing all elements.
Health offers for employees & staff
We want to support your employees to maintain a stable work-life balance and build resilience for short-term fluctuations.
The Employee Assistance Programme offers coaching, psychological counselling and training for the entire workforce - anonymously and throughout Europe.
Contact us for your customised eap package, tailored exactly to your company's requirements.
