How Famous Companies Encourage Their Workers to Achieve A Work-Life Balance

Nowadays, having a proper work-life balance really matters. Employees can be in a stressful day’s work or in a midst of personal issues. Without having enough time to take care of themselves and focus on their jobs can create conflicts when it comes to productivity, efficiency and health. Employers should be aware of how to provide their employees the appropriate time for work and personal matters. This will result in a more pleasant and effective work experience of their employees.

Famous Companies  Who Encourage their Workers to Have a Work-Life Balance

With the diverse industries in today’s workforce- food retailers,  healthcare, transportation, consumer products, finance, technology, and wellness- it may sound a bit challenging how companies can promote a work-life balance. However, this can be instilled into the company’s culture in various ways to make sure it’s aligned with the organization’s structure. The goal should always be giving the best to both employees and the company.

Some famous companies can inspire other employers on how they can create and implement programs on how to encourage their employees to have a work-life balance.

#1 American Express

American Express has improved its focus on assisting its employees to achieve work-life balance. The well-renowned financial giant provides telecommuting, generous parental leaves, flexible work schedules, and compressed workweeks.  These give its employees the ability to manage their personal and work life more efficiently.

In an article published by The Muse, two parents working at American Express shared their experience working with American Express. Meredith, who works as a Director Content UX team at American Express mentioned how thankful she was for the flexible working environment offered by the company.

“I first started thinking about working for American Express during business school when they came to campus for recruiting. As I learned more about the company, I loved the emphasis on work-life balance and career development. I spoke to tons of people who worked in different parts of the organization, and every single one identified the culture and the people as the primary reasons they showed up for work each day. When I interviewed in 2008, I loved the people I met with, and I knew I had made a great decision from the moment I entered the office on my first day of work”, says Meredith.

American Express believes that all work and without play can lead to burnout to the owners and staff. This is why the company is always seeking and implementing programs to help employees create a balance in their career and personal achievements,

#2 Nike

Nike is a great place to work because of its diverse and inclusive work environment. The management allows the employees to play games in the morning to keep them energized the whole day. At the end of the day, the company makes sure that they make the employees feel appreciated.

According to Work it Daily, there are seven things most people don’t know about working at Nike, such as:

-          The chance to see and spend time with renowned athletes

-          Summer Friday holidays given to employees to kickstart the weekend vibes

-          The surrounding full of support from managers and co-employees

-          The encouragement to follow the passion and things meaningful to you

-          An access to the military program to bring innovation and inspiration to all athletes in the world

-          The support given by Nike to achieve the dreams of their employees

“Work-life balance is embedded in Nike's DNA and lifestyle. It's in the innovative perks offered on campus that encourage sport, play, and balance. It's in the culture, and how people treat each other”, Work It Daily also mentioned.

#3 Cisco

Cisco Systems, Inc. Is known to be a multinational technology conglomerate in the US. But that’s not the only one that makes it famous. It is also named the “World’s Best Workplace in 2019”! These stats shared by Forbes.com will answer your question why:

“93% of Cisco employees say it is a great place to work and 9 out 10 employees say that they look forward to coming to work. 98% say Cisco is a physically safe place to work. 97% say they are treated fairly regardless of their sexual orientation, and 96% say they are treated fairly regardless of their race. 95% reported that they were proud to tell others they work for Cisco. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, 87% of employees call Cisco a psychologically safe place to work.”

Teams at Cisco are also given a “Fun Fund” which can be used on celebrations and recreational activities.

Employees feel safe and included in the company. In return, they become more inspired and motivated to keep up with innovation and share their bright ideas.

A positive feeling towards work contributes to creating a proper work-life balance because it makes it easier to deal with their tasks and personal lives.

#4 Pfizer Inc

Pfizer provides its employees with online mentorship resources, along with its other benefits. Pfizer employees also stated they are more than satisfied with the workers they work with, the way they do their job, and their daily tasks.

#5 Capital One

Capital One Financial Corporation specializes in auto loans, credit cards, savings account, banking, and other financial matters. It is also considered another awesome place to work at.

“About 71% of the employees at Capital One work eight hours or less, while 3% of them have a very long day - longer than twelve hours. The Majority of Capital One employees are satisfied with their work-life balance and do not feel burnt out”, says a Survey by Comparably.com.

The company also offers counselling services to their employees, through their program “Employee Assistance Program”.

#6 Google

You might be wondering how working with a giant company will look like and feel like. Is it overwhelming? Is it all about career building? Google actually learned significant information on how to promote work-life balance.

In a Business Insider’s published article, the following is mentioned:

“Google has discovered that there are two main approaches to work-life balance: "segmentors" and "integrators." "Segmentors" are people who can draw a line between work stress and the rest of their lives, allowing them to not think about work when they're at home. But only 31% of Googlers can successfully draw boundaries between work and life. Meanwhile, "integrators," which make up for 69% of Google employees, are unable to do that.”

Comparably.com shares the results of its survey regarding Google’s work-life balance details here.

Final Thoughts

Work-life balance is no longer a new and strange concept. It actually means creating an appropriate time for your personal and professional life. However, as time goes by, it becomes a trend that attracts both employers and employees to put effort into it and achieve maximum productivity for the company and the people’s well-being.