You’ve might have been arguing for the importance of a work-life balance for years, but it’s only recently that businesses have sat up and listened. Talented candidates are now actively seeking out work environments designed to help them thrive both in their professional and personal lives. Which means businesses are increasingly looking for ways to make their work environment more flexible, engaging and efficient in order to attract the best talent.
And when you consider the impact that burnout has on your team’s well-being, that’s super important. According to Psychology Today, "burned-out" employees are not only exhausted (often physically, mentally, and emotionally), but cynical and uninspired.
In contrast, committed employees tend to exhibit high levels of energy, involvement, and productivity. In addition to that, inspired people perform up to 50% better than uninspired peers, accoring to Towers Watson.
So what’s the key to avoiding burnout and promoting well-being? For the most part, the answer lies in flexibility. In many countries, the appeal of a flexible work environment is quickly surpassing that of salary and other benefits in the decision matrix. Technologies like videoconferecning are bringing teams together, promoting healthy working relationships and giving employees the freedom to nurture a healthy work-life balance.
Using video to promote a culture of work-life balance
Video has been shown to be one of the ways to promote a culture of work-life balance. Here are five ways video can foster a great work-life balance.
1. Video makes managing a team easier
Leading a remote team might seem like a manager’s worst nightmare but in today’s hyper-connected world, it could be an advantage. With videoconferencing tools, it’s now simple to organize meetings that everyone can attend at the drop of a hat. Add in project management tools and office chat platforms. and you have the making of a perfectly productive remote team.
2. Video makes it easier to work remotely
Employees are increasingly requesting to do part of their work remotely. But one of the perceived negatives of remote working is the loss of a feeling of connection between members of a team. Where office environments allow for the quick and spontaneous exchange of ideas, a distributed team may not enjoy the same level of cohesion. Live video collaboration solves this problem by recreating the benefits of the office environment when needed, allowing remote workers to feel integrated within a team, while still allowing them to enjoy the benefits of working from home.
3. Overcome scheduling conflicts
Scheduling an office meeting can be a nightmare. Whether it’s a key member arriving late or others canceling at late notice, getting everyone in the same room at the same time is a challenge in itself. That’s where video meetings come into their own. With team members able to join the meeting from their laptop, phone or tablet, it doesn’t matter where in the world they happen to be. Great news for those people who always seem to be dragged away from the desk by client meetings or far-flung conferences.
4. Reduce the duration and cost of travel
Whether it’s for a client meeting, a company all-hands, or a daily standup, commuting into the office for a meeting is never fun. And it’s not just the boredom factor – commuting drains your employees of precious time and energy that could be channeled into something far more constructive. In fact, a study published in the Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that excessive travel and too much time away from family also contribute to an employee’s stressors. So why not switch to video for your meetings? It means your team can work from home if they need to, and log in to a call in an instant.
5. Video is a force multiplier
With the flexibility of videoconferencing comes the ability to acquire and nurture clients and customers across the globe, helping you grow your business in new and exciting directions. The same works for your team too. Video lets you crowdsource talent, meaning you can pick people based on their skillset, not their location.
Building a better work-life balance for your team isn’t always easy. It means transforming traditional office life and overhauling the way we communicate, but switching to video is a great place to start. Adopting videoconferencing as a core part of your business not only boosts flexibility – it’s a surefire way of nurturing working relationships, creativity and productivity too. And when it comes to a happy office, those things are vital.
by Tom Banks, Videxio