More than a perk: Hitting the sweet spot of work-life balance

Balance: it’s personal

Here’s a tough one: what does ‘good’ work-life balance look like?

The trick to figuring this out is understanding that balance means different things to different people. 

It really depends on the role, personal life, and even cultural expectations of each individual. What feels balanced for one employee can feel completely overwhelming for another.

Here’s how it can play out:

• Corporate and hybrid workers might want clear boundaries between work and life, especially when the “home office” is also the kitchen table
• Shift workers often value predictable schedules, fair rotas, and having a say in when they work
• Frontline employees tend to prioritise proper rest between shifts, stable hours, and the freedom to take time off when they need it

If your policies only support one type of worker, you’re leaving a big chunk of your team behind – whether you mean to or not.

When strong intent meets limited capacity

If burnt-out employees stay burnt out, they’re more likely to make mistakes, take unexpected time off, and eventually call it quits. And when they go, they’ll probably tell others about the lack of support and balance they felt while they were there.

But it’s not an easy fix.

According to our research, nearly 9 in 10 HR leaders say they’re confident interpreting engagement survey data and understanding what’s affecting their people. The problem is, only 1 in 10 say they have no barriers when it comes to turning that insight into action.

• 46% say they’re short on time and resource
• 44% say tight budgets hold them back
• 38% say low survey participation makes it hard to know what people really think

In other words, most HR teams know what’s wrong. It’s just a lack of resource and real insight that stops progress from happening.

Look deeper than the data

If you want to support balance, you need to understand what’s throwing people off balance in the first place. And that starts with listening.

You’re probably doing this already, as only 1.76% of HR leaders say they don’t measure engagement at all. Most are using things like:

• Employee performance metrics (55.2%)
• Regular check-ins (54%)
• Feedback from managers (48.2%)

These are all solid tools for spotting patterns and trends, but they don’t always show the full story.

Performance can dip for reasons that have nothing to do with engagement. Check-ins vary depending on who’s running them. And manager feedback is great in theory, so long as the manager’s checking in regularly and with purpose.

Right questions = right answers

Once you’ve figured out how you’ll gather feedback, the next step is knowing what to ask.

The right questions help you understand whether your people feel supported, flexible, and balanced – not just the ones already on your team, but the talent you’re hoping to attract too.

If something’s off, these questions will show you where the gaps are:

• I can balance my work responsibilities with my personal life
• My workload is manageable
• I have the flexibility I need to do my best work
• The company respects boundaries between work and personal time

Like we said earlier, balance isn’t a one-size-fits-all. So tweak the questions to fit your people and the way they work.

Asking the right questions helps you get answers you can really work with.

It’s the little things

Here are a few balance-boosting ideas that can work across different teams. They’re not big or flashy, but they can make a real difference in restoring a bit of equilibrium where it’s needed most.

Hybrid teams

• Create “no meeting” block outs to protect focus and personal time
• Set clear expectations around after-hours replies
• Encourage offline annual leave, with managers leading by example

Shift-based teams

• Use shift-swapping tools to give people more control
• Let employees help shape rotas to fit their lives
• Rotate high-pressure roles fairly to avoid burnout

Frontline teams

• Build in mini-breaks and proper rest time during shifts
• Make schedules predictable and give people plenty of notice
• Recognise great work that isn’t tied to overtime

General ideas that work for everyone

• Compressed workweeks – If your team can get the job done in four days instead of five, why not let them?
• Clear workload policies – Set expectations around max working hours and review them regularly
• Manager training – Help leaders spot burnout signs early and step in with proactive support
• Normalise time off – Encourage annual leave and celebrate when people use it. And maybe skip the “You’re off next week? You lazy sod!” jokes… They’re funny, but they don’t really set the right tone!
• Build in wellbeing days – Offer mental health days or paid time off so your people can volunteer their time to causes they care about.

Take balance from a perk to a priority

If engagement’s low and burnout’s rising, a free yoga class or the odd early finish just won’t cut it.

Real work-life balance means asking the right questions, truly listening to the answers, and following through with policies that show it’s not just a perk – but part of the very fabric of your company culture.

Now you know what to ask and how to ask it, you’re in a great place to start making real change.