Why is work-life balance important when many employees are enjoying the benefits of hybrid working? Being able to split time between the workplace and the home office gives workers the opportunity to cut down on commuting and find more time for family commitments. But work-life balance has taken on new meaning in the hybrid work environment. As the boundaries between an employee’s professional hours and personal hours have grown increasingly blurred, the risk of overwork, stress and burnout have been brought into even sharper focus.So how do we define work-life balance today? What does a healthy work life look like and why is work-life balance important to the health of a business, too?Definition of work-life balanceAchieving a better work-life balance has been of increasing importance to employees in recent years, and many now look for employers to encourage this as a key criterion for accepting or staying in a job. As the CIPD highlights in its Good Work Index 2021 report, work-life balance was a “hot topic in people management” even before the pandemic.Work-life balance, it says, “is mainly about the potential for work to interfere with our personal lives, but it can also be the reverse. It’s an area in which the UK fares especially badly, with about one in four workers working ten or more hours than they would realistically like to every week.”The Mental Health Foundation points out that a healthy work-life balance doesn’t look the same for everyone: “It’s not so much about splitting your time 50/50 between work and leisure but making sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas of your life.”Work-life balance and the link to productivity If workloads are unmanageable and work pressures excessive, employees are unlikely to be able to manage a healthy work-life balance. At its worst, this can lead to burnout and long-term leave, but even lower levels of stress have implications for productivity, company culture and staff retention.The importance of work-life balance is borne out by industry research. A fifth of respondents in the CIPD’s Good Work Index 2021 survey agreed or strongly agreed that their job affects their personal life, with 24% of respondents from the sample of 6,256 workers agreeing that they find it hard to relax in personal time because of their work. One in four workers work ten or more hours than they would like to every week.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that 822,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2020/21. Workload pressures, including tight deadlines and a lack of managerial support, were cited as the main factors of work-related stress, depression or anxiety.But what strategies can leaders use to encourage their people to separate personal and professional responsibilities? What tips for work-life balance can lead to less stress and more contented teams?1) Flexible Working One option that can help to restore the balance is flexible working. According to a Glassdoor survey of 2,000 UK employees who work full time either in an office or at home, six in ten people with flexible working patterns report an improved work-life balance.Freed of workplace distractions, employees who spend part of their week working from home are typically more focused and productive. Over 70% of employees listed improved work-life balance as a top advantage In a Gallup poll of 8,090 hybrid workers, with a more efficient use of time (67%) and higher productivity (51%) also highlighted as positive impacts of hybrid work.It isn’t a solution for everyone though. In the same Gallup poll, 16% of respondents listed a reduced work-life balance as a negative impact of hybrid working, with 12% registering more work burnout or fatigue.It can be hard for people to switch off if they feel the need to be ‘visible’ when working remotely, perhaps responding to emails and calls outside of work hours or simply not defining the start and end of the working day. Analysis by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) concludes that in 2020, “those who worked from home to any degree worked more hours (32.3 on average per week) than those who never worked from home (27.7).”2) Lead by exampleDeveloping a top-down approach to reestablishing boundaries is a good starting point. As the Rewards & Employee Benefits Association (REBA) suggests, “If all your senior leaders are working late, logging on at weekends and not setting boundaries between work and their personal lives, the rest of your colleagues will likely follow suit or feel pressured to do the same.”3) Put a communications policy in place Making after-hours communication policy clear is an essential step, suggests Emma Gannon, author and host of the creative careers podcast, Ctrl Alt Delete. “Clarity is key when it comes to emails,” she says. “Communicating how you’re working is really important. For example, if someone emails me at midnight, but they say ‘I’m emailing at a time that suits me, do not reply until you can’, even that kind of transparent one-liner just helps.”4) Support your people’s mental and physical wellbeing Introducing employee benefits and services that are able to alleviate stress and promote healthy habits can help to create a better work-life balance for individuals.YuMatter is the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) available to all employees covered with YuLife insurance – giving 24/7 access to support that meets the needs of 21st century life. The result? Less stress, fewer sick days and better focus.Additionally, offering a wellbeing solution, such as YuLife’s award-winning app, which rewards employees for daily movement and mindfulness practice, is a great way to incentivise and motivate your people to take small steps to transform their lifestyle for the better – at work, and at home.The business benefits of work-life balanceNurturing a good work-life balance is vital to ensure that your workforce is happier, healthier and ultimately more productive. If your organisation has a reputation for looking after its employees, then you will be able to attract and retain the best people.Insight from an independent study into the economic impact of YuLife versus traditional group insurers, Forrester Consulting illustrates the positive contribution that a proactive approach to work-related stress can bring. In its report into the business benefits enabled by YuLife, Forrester estimates that YuLife’s employee wellbeing app leads to a 5% increase in productivity. Over a three-year period, this improved performance results in productivity gains of £810,000 for a composite organisation with 5,000 employees.The YuLife app gives employees access to their workplace benefits and support services, all from the palm of their hand. It drives engagement and supports stress reduction, with a gamified approach to physical and mental wellbeing – including the opportunity for your people to earn rewards for doing everyday wellness activities such as walking, meditation and cycling.Employees are able to get mental health, financial and professional wellbeing support for themselves and their families using YuLife’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). It’s available 24/7 in the app’s Wellbeing Hub, along with a 24/7 virtual GP that gives employees and their families access to phone, video and message consultations that fit around their busy lives.Crucially, YuLife’s data-driven HR portal and monthly reports enable people leaders to gain valuable understanding of the wellbeing of their employees. The actionable metrics help an organisation to predict stress or burnout, to identify trends that indicate wellbeing improvements and stressors, and to make informed decisions that drive results.As Forrester notes in its report, organisations saw a “notable increase in the utilisation of EAP and virtual GP services” due to the improved accessibility afforded by the app. The report suggests that the increase in employee engagement leads to cost savings of £272,000, by means of reduced turnover.“While ultimately, work-life balance is up to employees, it can’t be evaluated in a vacuum,” says speaker and trainer, Maura Thomas, “and the company culture will shape the employees’ attitudes and behaviors.”