Occupational Well-Being & Work-Life Balance Problem

Subject: Employee Management
Pages: 2
Words: 649
Reading time:
3 min
Study level: Master

Evaluation of organizational behavior is a crucial part of any working process as it helps understand employers’ expectations of and employees’ possibilities. Risk and protective factors are the major components of the environmental model of occupational well-being. Employees are not satisfied with their working conditions, contributing to the work-life balance problem and associated stress development. Therefore, it is suggested to create fair work environments, decrease stress, and avoid negative outcomes (Organizational behavior, 2017). Such steps as flexible working hours, daily meetings for leaders and employees, and autonomy for the staff through trustful relationships help a company.

The first recommendation includes the promotion of flexible working hours. This idea allows variation in time and place, career breaks, and delegation of responsibilities. One of the main reasons for stress among employees is work overtime, which tells about poor or no time management techniques in a company (Organizational behavior, 2017). The staff should have a chance to choose the hours of work and create platforms that support distant cooperation. Some individuals prefer to work according to their schedules, and some people like to have options to solve personal issues. When employees are informed about the required amount of work, deadlines, and resources, employers may empower the former to manage their time and duties. The current state of affairs is all about the “do or quit” option and no fair rewards. Implementing this idea lets the employer see what people can do if their time and skills are appreciated. It is expected to observe increased productivity, motivation, and desire to work and meet the deadlines as per their own schedules.

The second recommendation is based on the importance of organizing daily meetings for employers and employees together. The root of the work-personal life conflict is poor personal information exchange. It happens that some leaders know nothing about their workers’ families and the necessity to divide their inter-roles when work life and personal life interfere with each other. Companies lose billions of dollars when solving stress issues due to absenteeism or decreased productivity (Organizational behavior, 2017). Daily meetings could be effective in terms of discussing work-related problems and tasks. Sometimes, it is enough for an employee to know that the leader is aware of his or her family holiday or any other significant event. For example, the child’s birthday may be a reason for shortening the working day per hour. Such information about each team member is hard to remember, and daily meetings aim at reminding. Additional purposes like the analysis of the current working progress, resources, and needs are also associated with daily stand-up meetings.

Finally, stress management and work-life balance restoration can be achieved by giving employees autonomy. Research and communication with employees prove that a lack of control over the environment is one of the most stressful things at work (Organizational behavior, 2017). When employers trust the staff, it is easier to adhere to milestones and deadlines and maintain a work-life balance. Compared to the organization’s current practices, employees do not have a chance to tell about their needs and wants, and autonomy remains something they have never tried. This step does not cost a penny for a leader, but this experience becomes priceless for the whole company. When people are interested in what they are doing, they are properly motivated and supported.

In general, each recommendation is characterized by a number of noteworthy outcomes. In addition to effective decision-making and problem-solving, employees could discover the benefits of their direct cooperation with leaders. They should tell about their needs and expectations instead of being afraid of losing something. At this moment, there are no rewards for the staff, and restricted working conditions provoke stress and work-life conflict. The ideas to promote flexible hours, organize daily meetings, and give some autonomy do not influence the financial status of the company but encourage employees to understand the impact of risk and protective factors.

Reference

Organizational behavior. (2017). University of Minnesota Libraries.