The notion of work life balance is a concept which is defined differently by various authors.

Defined by some as a satisfactory level of involvement or fit between the multi – roles in a person’s life (Hudson 2005). Other authors opt for terms that more accurately describe their definition like work life integration or work life alignment. It may also include the proper prioritization between work and life style.

Why is work life balance necessary in an employee’s life? It is very essential that today’s leaders understand the importance of work life balance to maintain a healthy workforce as well as recognizing the role leaders play in helping employees juggle it all. As leaders we have a role to make work life balance a reality. Firstly, understanding that an employee goes to work with the intention of doing a good job is also very important. However, life challenges can take their toll on even the best employee. When it comes to the management of conflicting demands between the family and the job, clearly some employees are better at keeping the balls in the air than others.

What principles should organizations foster in order to make work life balance a reality?

It is essential for leaders to set the example where we demonstrate this ability to balance work and life issues in our lives. We have observed that in some organizations, leaders come in to work at the crack of dawn and stay long even when all other employees have gone home maybe because there is a proposal to be submitted or something else. Employees end up feeling obligated to do the same. For leaders, it is important that we plan and prioritize work to avoid sending the wrong organizational culture signals. Working reasonable hours is critical on the part of leaders as well as demonstrating personal priorities that are different from work responsibilities.

Setting boundaries is key in this equation. This requires that the leader should give the employee the feeling that they have permission to set boundaries and freely communicate personal limitation for job expectation. We have seen some perennial practices in some instances where employees are made to work abnormal hours for example in Finance. Management tends to justify this as normal in Finance because reports are generated after everybody has done their job. Clearly there should be way of moving out of this cul de sac. Promoting such a culture gives employees a guilt feeling to maintain interests outside work. A leader who has personal boundaries teaches the employee that boundaries are important and place value on a life outside work.

We recommend that the leadership should promote hobbies as an important component in business life and emphasize how these support work life balance. Traditionally hobbies like golf have been restricted to the Executive leadership only. It should not be done this way especially where organizations are abandoning hierarchical structures. Today’s organizations are organizing themselves in patterns specifically tailored to a particular way their professional intellect creates value. Such reorganizations involve breaking away from traditional thinking about the role of the apex as a directing force. Promoting hobbies allows all employees to think about some other things rather than their jobs. When an employee is so engrossed in their job they can become jaded and resentful that their job has taken away all the personal time they have. In the long run this creates two things. It can be either an employee identifying with their job and becomes dependent on it, such that on a day when they have to leave due to some pressing family need other employees peep through the windows and make a mockery of it.

Secondly, being constantly at the job breeds resentment which can eventually fester over time and manifest into negativity as the employee reaches burnout. Leaders embracing the culture of hobbies like soccer, athletics or the gym etc. are an imperative which needs to be encouraged and embraced.

If as a leader you do not take leave, clearly the message you are relaying is leave is not important. However, when you take leave as a leader, such an approach gives employees the permission to establish their own priorities as well. As leader committing to this balance is in a way ensuring that employees do the same. However, we have seen leaders who can’t commit to this balance and even force themselves to come to work sick contrary to the Doctor’s advice. The truth is employees may not openly confront you as a leader, but they will be ridiculing you for that.

Offering work life balance can support a healthy work life balance. Practically as leaders, it is important to talk to employees about taking time off. Get leave plans for each employee and stick to them. However, we have noted a tendency by many staff including the leaders of not wanting to take leave until such time when they have accrued maximum leave days allowable. Its only when they start forfeiting these that they take leave days here and there mostly a maximum of two days per time. Leave accrual has been taken as a subtle hedging strategy by employees to ensure themselves that in the event that they leave their jobs, they will have additional terminal benefits in the forms of cash in lieu of leave. For Leaders, this behavior technically points to an ill rewarding system that may not be addressing employees’ needs satisfactorily. Consequently, that need for additional savings may lead to the imbalance in the work life which inevitably leads to burnout resulting in job dissatisfaction.

Independent writers have resonated a lot on the need for a healthy work life balance in the workplace. One writer says, “You cannot do a good job if your job is all you do.” Hilary Clinton wife of a former American President once said, “Don’t confuse having a career with having a life.” The message is that leaders need to urgently get that prescription that will restore health to organizations.

Nowadays access to technology such as smart phones and widespread internet has greatly contributed to the imbalance. Almost every organization has created a group platform for its employees which is functional 24/7 chatting business issues. As leaders we are urged to have that generational lens in which employees and the leadership view each other as elements of a balanced equation. Working from home are new concepts which can be embraced as technology offers the breeding ground to work environments as well as flexible working hours. As people work on different jobs across the country and in different fields leader’s attitudes need to change in order to impact on the entire team’s ability to find a balance between personal and professional life. Let us inject some fun into the work environment by living concepts like work for a reason that is coming up. We should never allow employees to be indirectly on call all the time. Think critically of the message you will be sending as a leader when you respond to an employee’s email at 2.00 am!

Emmanuel Jinda is the Managing Consultant of PROSERVE Consulting Group, a leading supplier of Professional Human Resources and Management services locally, regionally and internationally. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.tel: 263 773004143 or 263 4 772778